the head of the Synodal Department for external Church relations Metropolitan Hilarion urges Russians not to visit this summer other countries, in particular Italy, Greece and Israel, which are traditional places of pilgrimage of Orthodox Christians.
Speaking in the program “Church and world” on TV channel “Russia 24” on Saturday, 6 June, the priest advised Russians not to travel abroad until, until it becomes safe.
“Places of pilgrimage and shrines are very much in our country. We have great monasteries, we have the relics of saints, and we have ancient temples”, — said the Metropolitan. He, in particular, called the Mirozhsky monastery in Pskov, where are preserved frescoes of the XII century, even the pre-Mongol period.
Metropolitan complained that Solovki and Valaam monasteries is not yet available, but suggested they will be open for visits much earlier than the border.
He also told about the new rules for the parishioners of Russian churches.
