A new Orthodox pilgrimage service has launched, offering prayerful English-language tours to some of Russia’s holiest sites. “Way of a Pilgrim” was developed by two faithful Russian Orthodox women who initially met by chance at a remote skete and realized they had a common goal and vision of providing English-language pilgrimage resource tools. The abbot of the skete supported and blessed their endeavor.

According to the site, “Our vision is to become a Christian missionary guide and an Orthodox pilgrim company, all in one. We will devote ourselves to filling in the informational void left on the web for English-language resources about Christian travel and pilgrimage to Russia. Our mission is to bring forward the idea that Christianity is not dead but continues to flourish in Russia under the auspices of the Orthodox Church of Russia. We invite our fellow Christians from other countries to come taste the richness of the One Holy Universal and Apostolic Church for themselves.”

The new service is thus far offering two pilgrimages: “The Best of the Golden Ring and Diveyevo” (June 4-13, 2019) and “Dormition in Diveyevo” (August 2019). The Golden Ring-Diveyevo pilgrimage begins in Moscow and goes to Diveyevo, stopping at: Sergiev Posad, Pereslavl Zalessky, Yuriev-Polsky, Suzdal, Protection Nerl Church, Bogdarnya agro-tourism complex, Vladimir, and Murom.

The Dormition pilgrimage includes, in addition to celebrating the great feast of the Dormition of the Mother of God at the Diveyevo Convent, founded by St. Seraphim of Sarov, stops at Moscow, Sergiev Posad (Trinity Sergius Lavra), Pereslavl Zalessky, Godenovo, Yuriev-Polsky, Bogdarnya (agro-tourism complex in Petushki), Suzdal, Vladimir, Murom, and Niznhny Novgorod. Get the full details at the Way of a Pilgrim website. (Quelle: www.orthochristian.com, 10. Januar 2019)