Thousands participate in Palm Sunday pilgrimage in Bucharest / Православие.Ru

April 18, 2011

Thousands of the faithful including over 500 priests participated in a Palm Sunday pilgrimage in Bucharest, which began at 4:15 in the afternoon in Radu Voda Monastery, and ended at the Patriarchal Cathedral. The massive procession was headed by Bishops Varlaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch and Varsanufie Prahoveanul, and Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest, and included priests of the three deaneries of Bucharest and of the two deaneries of Ilfov county, together with thousands of pilgrims, reports Basilica News Agency. The pilgrims made two stops along the way—at the Saint Spiridon the New Patriarchal chapel, and at the St. Catherine Church, a chapel of the Faculty of Theology of Bucharest.

They arrived at the Patriarchal Cathedral at 5:30 pm, where they were met by His Beatitude Daniel, and clergy of the Patriarchal Cathedral. "This Palm Sunday pilgrimage is a witness of our Orthodox Christian faith," the Patriarch said.

He said the pilgrimage has a special significance to the Romanian people—"The life of the Church and the life of every one of us as bearers of hope, of light and especially as witnesses of the faith in Resurrection. The Palm Sunday Pilgrimage is a witness to our Christian Orthodox faith in the Resurrection of Christ, and in our own Resurrection, because when Christ the Lord resurrected His friend Lazarus from the dead, He foretold His own Resurrection, and through His own Resurrection, the universal resurrection,” said the Patriarch of Romania, as reported by Trinitas Radio.

The Patriarch of Romania also spoke of the missionary meaning of the Pilgrimage.

“This pilgrimage has a deep missionary meaning due to the fact that we announce or foretell Holy Pascha, and we pray to God to bless us and this city. Thus, the pilgrimage as shown to be a blessing for the city, as the palm and willow branches are consecrated first, then the icons, and through them the faithful who kiss them.”