More than 85,000 people took part in the celebrations of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' in Minsk
More than 85 thousand people took part in the celebrations of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' in Minsk, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Belarus informed a BELTA correspondent.
As explained by Ivan Kubrakov, Head of the Public Order Protection Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the festive events in Minsk proceeded calmly, without public order violations. No complaints or claims regarding the police officers' work organization were received.
Ivan Kubrakov noted that the Ministry of Internal Affairs had organized preparations for the celebrations and ensuring citizens' safety long before their commencement. The ministry's leadership was part of the Republican Organizational Committee for the preparation and holding of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' celebrations in Belarus. Taking into account the event program provided by the Belarusian Orthodox Church, the public order protection bodies, together with interested bodies, ensured the safety of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', the heads of local Orthodox churches, as well as believers participating in the celebrations arriving in Minsk. Special attention was paid to ensuring the safekeeping of the cross of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called. Currently, the shrine remains in Minsk, in the Church of All Saints. The cross will stay in Minsk until August 2, with round-the-clock access. "There are many people wishing to see the shrine, and the police are ensuring public order protection both on the temple grounds and in the adjacent territory," said Ivan Kubrakov.
To participate in the festive events in the city of Minsk, buses with pilgrims from the regions of Belarus arrived all night on July 29. Organized columns were accompanied by traffic police crews. In addition, to ensure the safety of pilgrims, each bus had an internal affairs officer who coordinated the route and ensured the safety of citizens' property upon arrival in the capital. Due to the fact that about 240 buses arrived in the capital, the internal affairs bodies, together with interested parties, organized parking spaces for them. Traffic police crews were also on duty at all entrances to the city of Minsk, assisting citizens arriving in private vehicles to participate in the festive events.
Access for citizens to the event venues was organized through checkpoints. "People were understanding of the security measures, and provided personal belongings for inspection. There were no conflict incidents," noted Ivan Kubrakov.
In Minsk, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria, Patriarch Theophilus of Jerusalem, Patriarch Ilia of Georgia, Patriarch Irinej of Serbia, Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus, Metropolitan Sava of Warsaw, and Metropolitan Tikhon of America participated in the celebrations. The cross of Saint Andrew the Apostle was specially transported to the Belarusian capital by train. First, it was moved to a Minsk church consecrated in honor of the apostle (19 Malinin Street), and then the relic was transferred to the square near the Palace of Sports, where an open-air liturgy was held, led by Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria. The total number of participants in the celebration at the square near the Palace of Sports was over 50,000 people. The service was preceded by a procession from the Church of St. Mary Magdalene (4 Kiselev Street) along Masherov Avenue towards Pobediteley Avenue and to the Minsk Castle. In addition, a ceremony was held at the castle to lay a commemorative charter in honor of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus' at the site of the oldest Orthodox church in Minsk of the 11th century. After the divine service, the cross of Apostle Andrew was delivered to the parish of All Saints (intersection of Kalinovsky and Vsesvyatskaya streets). In the evening, a celebratory concert was held at the Church-Monument in honor of All Saints on the occasion of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'.