In honor of the centenary of the church in Vidzy, believers will run 100 km
A relay race, a secular celebration, and a solemn service will mark the 100th anniversary of the church in Vidzy, Braslav district, reported the rector of the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Father Alfred, to a BELTA correspondent.
The Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vidzy is the second largest church in Belarus, second only to the church in Budslav. The Vidzy shrine will celebrate its centenary anniversary over three days.
Organizers invite parishioners to take part in a relay race, which will take place on August 30. The route of the race will run along the borders of the diocese and will be about 100 km long. More than 30 people have already announced their intention to participate in the relay race, and they have also reported the length of the distance they plan to cover by running. The longest segment so far is 7 km.
"We will run through the villages, making stops near crosses and chapels, and at burial sites. Each participant in the relay race will be able to say their prayer. A total of 100 prayers are planned to be recited. A bus will follow us," said Father Alfred.
Registration of participants is ongoing, and anyone can join the event.
A grand secular celebration in honor of the church will be held in Vidzy on September 7. The program includes a concert, a lottery with prizes, a fireworks display, and the launch of hundreds of Chinese lanterns into the sky.
The most significant religious event in the life of the jubilee church is scheduled for October 5. On this day, Bishop Oleg Butkevich of Vitebsk is expected to attend. It is planned that the head of the Vitebsk Catholic Diocese will perform the rite of consecration of the side altars, as well as a commemorative cross and a memorial plaque installed in honor of the church's centenary and the centenary of Cardinal Kazimierz Świątek, who consecrated the Vidzy church after its opening in 1994.
The Church in Vidzy is one of the most striking examples of Neo-Gothic architecture. The height of the church is 59 meters, but due to the rich red color of its walls, it appears much taller and more massive. The church is included in the State List of Historical and Cultural Values of Belarus.
The first Catholic church in Vidzy was built in 1481 by Bernardine monks who arrived from Vilnius. There is information that a Catholic church was also founded here in the mid-18th century. A new church made of red brick was built in 1914 in the Neo-Gothic style.
However, the beautiful church was not so fortunate: immediately after its completion, during World War I, the church was seriously damaged. As a reminder of those events, shells are embedded in the church walls. The church also sustained damage during World War II.
In 1989, the church was returned to believers, after which a lengthy restoration of the building began, which continues to this day. Currently, renovation work is actively underway, and the adjacent territory is being developed.
Alena Tikhonova