Russian Orthodox Church recommends Russians to abstain from abroad pilgrimage

The Russian Orthodox Church official urges Russians not to hurry with pilgrimage to abroad shrine in spite of the abolished quarantine restrictions.

“I highly recommend and advise our Russian citizens not to go abroad until it becomes entirely safe,” the head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations, Metropolitan Hilarion, said on Church and the World program on Rossiya-24 TV.

He points out that there are many places for pilgrimage and shrines in Russia – ancient monasteries, holy relics, churches. The Metropolitan mentioned the Mirozhsky Monastery in Pskov with frescoes of the 12th century.

“We have such shrines as the Solovetsky Monastery and the Valaam Monastery, they are not open yet, but I think that access to these monasteries will be given earlier than opening of the boundaries,” the Μetropolitan said.

Source: Interfax Religion