ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS TO HOLD “A FESTIVAL OF VIRGINITY” AT THE FOOT OF MT. ELBRUS

Pravoslavie.ru – August 2016

“A festival of virginity” will be held on September 23 this year at the foot of Mt. Elbrus, reports Interfax.

“Mt. Elbrus is crowned by two summits, one of which slightly dominates the other one, and it reminds us that a husband is the head of a wife. The indissolubility and stability of marriage is symbolized by the uniting of these two summits under the skies into one flesh. The snow-white top of Mt. Elbrus which is the same in every season always resembles the holiness and purity of marriage that is ‘made in heaven’ by God,” reports the press service of the “No to Divorce!” Orthodox movement in defense of marriage which is organizing the festival.

Young people from various cities of Russia will take part in this event which will be held in the Tegenekli village (the Kabardino-Balkar Republic, Russia). They will also attend services at the Church of Greatmartyr George the Trophy-Bearer in the town of Tyrnyauz.

On September 23 the Church commemorates the Holy Martyrs Menodora, Metrodora and Nymphodora. They were three sisters who wished to keep chastity: they chose a remote place in the wilderness and led a holy life there, full of fasting and prayer.

“The snowy ‘belt’ of the Caucasus Mountain range, the wholeness and purity of its nature witness to the sublimity of the word ‘virginity’ which embraces the purity of an honorable marriage,” the message reads.

As the organizers noted, for many nations pre-marital virginity is considered as a prerequisite for matrimony, and in marriage itself it continues in the form of fidelity and the indissolubility of the marriage union. So, “in this connection, virginity can be called a national patrimony, and keeping virginity should be regarded as a matter of national importance.”