Since the light of Orthodoxy has illuminated our country, the Grace of God, which is the Lord through the miraculous icons of His saints, has not dried up. They keep holy Russia from enemies visible and invisible. For this they use the people of universal love and reverence. One of these icons is the Great Image of St. Nicholas. In honor of him, every year one of the most crowded and long processions of the cross is made - the Great Cross procession. But before we talk about it, we will get acquainted with the history of this wonderful image.
The miraculous acquisition of the icon
Tradition has it that it was a long time ago - six centuries ago. Once there was a resident of the Vyatka region, a pious peasant Semyon Agalakov along the banks of the Great River. He went about his household chores, when he suddenly saw to the side, among the dense thickets of light. It seemed that in the forest more often, someone lit church candles. The elk took Semyon and, crossing himself, he accelerated his pace. However, on the way back, passing the same place and again seeing a wonderful light, he could not stand it and entered the thicket. The mysterious lights suddenly faded, and he saw the image of St. Nicholas, a little flickering reflections of ancient silver.
With awe of trepidation, having taken up the found shrine, he brought it to Semyon Agalakov in his village Velikoretskoye. And immediately, through prayers before her, numerous miracles began to happen. The rumor about them quickly spread in the surrounding villages, and an inexhaustible stream of pilgrims reached the Semyon's hut. Since then, universal veneration of the Great Image began.
Icon Relocation to Khlynov
The peasant's house did not accommodate all pilgrims, and soon, with the blessing of the local Bishop, a wooden chapel was built. A place for her was chosen on the banks of the Velikaya River, exactly where the miraculous image was acquired. But in those years it was restless in the Vyatka lands. From the forest thickets pagan tribes raided. They brought a lot of grief to the Russian people. Therefore, for security reasons, it was decided to transfer the icon to the city of Khlynov, but on the condition that every year they would return it to where it appeared once a peasant passing by.
From that time on, the Great Cross procession began its history. During the year, the icon of St. Nicholas was stored in Hlynov - the center of the Vyatka region. Initially, she was in a church built in honor of St. Procopius of Ustyuzh, but soon St. Nicholas Cathedral was built specifically for her, which became the main city cathedral. A holiday was established - the day of finding the shrine - June 6 (n.a.). The history of the Great Cross procession begins precisely with these annual processions of parishioners and clergy to the place of the miraculous acquisition of the icon.
The journey of the miraculous image to Moscow
I had a chance to visit a wonderful image in Moscow, where, at the behest of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, she was taken in 1555. With a bell ringing, in the presence of the tsar and the higher clergy, I met the Mother See of Velikoretskaya. The world-famous St. Basil’s Church on Red Square in those years was still under construction, and by the command of the sovereign one of its limits was consecrated in honor of the icon of St. Nicholas. In these years, due to his wide veneration, many lists were written with a miraculous image.
This icon was visited in Moscow and at the beginning of the XVII century. This time, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich called her recently to the throne. The country was still experiencing the grave consequences of the Time of Troubles, so it was necessary to raise the spirit of the people. And again there was a ringing of bells, and the bowed heads of the bishops, and the crowds of people standing on their knees. And this time the Lord showed His mercy - the country gained strength for later life.
The onset of the period of the struggle
So for centuries, the icon of St. Nicholas, found on the banks of the Great River, was the spiritual symbol of the Vyatka land. But the turmoil of the 20th century did not pass by her. With the onset of the period of the atheism, many churches and monasteries were closed, but the authorities did not dare to immediately ban the festive processions. And until the beginning of the thirties, the Great Cross procession was still taking place, but with time it was banned.
The disappearance of the most miraculous icon dates back to this time. Her trace was irretrievably lost. As the icon mysteriously appeared, it left its refuge. Since then, only lists have been left of her, made at one time in large numbers. But, by the way, many of them were glorified by their miracles.
The beginning of new times
When the attitude of the authorities towards religious issues changed with the advent of perestroika, attempts were made to revive the Great Cross procession. In 1989, permission was granted to conduct services on the river bank, but the authorities did not dare to allow the full procession. However, they found a compromise - they allowed it, but only from the nearest village of Chudinovo. But this was already the beginning of change.
Finally, the long-awaited day came when the Velikoretsky procession, the first after decades of atheistic obscurantism, set off on the road. Kirov, the former Vyatka, accompanied the procession of pilgrims and clergy. Ahead of them moved to the Great River - the place of his miraculous acquisition - the image of St. Nicholas. The previous experience of the pilgrims came in handy. Many testimonies of its former participants have survived about the Velikoretsk procession. In addition, archival documents and literary sources helped.
The main event of the spiritual life of the Vyatka region
Today, the annual holiday on the banks of the Great River is becoming the main event of the spiritual life of the region. Annually, on June 6, more than fifteen thousand pilgrims who come here from all over Russia take part in it. It has become a tradition that on this day the Metropolitan of Vyatka and Sloboda Chrysanthus personally serves the festive liturgy. Among the guests of the celebration you can see not only representatives of the higher clergy, but also the main officials of the region, headed by the governor.
All worship on this day is accompanied by the singing of the bishop's choir. At the end of the liturgy, accompanied by the ringing of bells, pilgrims go to the source at which the rite of blessing of the water is performed. Here, those who wish to connect their lives with God receive holy baptism. They entered into the tradition and ablutions in a bath specially equipped for this.
Spiritual attitude during the procession
Particularly noteworthy is the atmosphere of elation, but at the same time, of prayerful concentration, which accompanies the Great Cross procession throughout the journey. The feedback of its participants testifies to this. Even young people who follow in large numbers in the general procession, for whom the desire to have fun and have fun are quite natural, behave with restraint and in full accordance with the seriousness of the moment.
I must say that making such a transition is not an easy task. The route of the Velikoretsky procession was compiled in such a way that its participants spend five days on the road. For three days the procession moves from the city of Kirov in the direction of the village of Velikoretsky, to the venue of the celebrations. Along the way, prayers are held in all major villages. For locals, this is the highlight of the year. The return trip takes two days, and the difficulty is already that physical fatigue affects.
The Great Cross procession - the path to national origins
It is very interesting to read the reviews of the pilgrims. The Great Cross procession, of which they were participants, evoked in most of them a feeling of extraordinary unity and solidarity of Orthodox people of different ages and different social strata. What happened during these five days spent on the road was just the embodiment of the idea of national unity.
Neither propaganda speeches nor loud slogans were required. All united by the great shrine of Orthodoxy. The term "national origins" has ceased to be only newspaper wording. He embodied and took on quite tangible forms in the form of a summer day, glittering in the sun with banners and this endless mass of people going to the place where, six hundred years ago, the Lord gave people the miraculous image of His saint.