Protection of the Virgin of Khabarovsk

Protection of the Virgin of Khabarovsk

The Chinese Orthodox Church
14/6/2012
English Translation by Katherine Ilachinski

Motor race participants from Russia to China gave a copy of the Khabarovsk icon of Our Lady to Russian cultural complex estate “Volga” in Harbin.

Harbin. May 19. Interfax – FAR EAST – The motor race participants from Russia to China, visited the graves of Russian and Soviet soldiers in Harbin, presented representatives of the Russian cultural-tourist complex estate “Volga” consecrated copy of the icon of Our Lady of Khabarovsk, reports from the scene the agency “Interfax – The Far East” on Friday.

Transfer of the icon was held in a solemn ceremony. The motor race participants, Assistant of State Duma Deputy Oleg Dokuchaev presented the icon to the head of the Dongjian Machine Manufacturing Company, Huang Zuxiang, under whose patronage the construction of the Russian cultural complex is carried out in the village of Chengaozizhen in the Xianfang District of Harbin.

The ceremony was also attended by representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, community and veterans’ organizations of the Khabarovsk Krai territory and Chita Oblast province.

Basil Gorelov, veteran of Great National War and World War II, who fought in the Far Eastern front against the Japanese militarists, was invited as the guest of honor at the ceremony.

“Our high social and spiritual mission is to transmit with honor a copy of the Khabarovsk icon of the Mother of God, which is the heavenly patron of the whole Far East. Just look at that image, to see that it’s all full of love, “- said the clergyman of the Khabarovsk metropolia Priest Oleg (Razumov) during the ceremony.

“Passing the icon, we believe that this shrine will unite us. Will make our relationship even more fruitful “, – said the priest.

He also thanked the representatives of the cultural center.

“People who work in the Harbin ethnographic complex, in this stylized Russian village, deserve the highest praise. They spend enormous effort to make the Chinese people understand what has been the foundation of the Russian Orthodox culture “-said Father Oleg.

In turn, Mr. Huang Juxiang noted that he extremely values the present.

“We have received today an important gift. I have great respect for Russian culture, so we will put the icon in the newly built Cathedral of St. Nicholas. I hope that now we are going together to strengthen the friendship between the peoples of Russia and China,”- the head of the construction company said at the ceremony.

After the presentation of the Khabarovsk icon of the Mother of God, A. Dokuchaev noted that transmitted icon as a shrine had visited several large graves located on Chinese territory.

“Together with the icon, we visited six major graves of Russian and Soviet soldiers buried in Chinese soil. These graves are located in Manzhouli, Qiqihar, Zhalatun, Hailar and Harbin. In total, in these mass graves were buried about 300 soldiers. Their funeral prayers were served in front of the shrine. Therefore, we are passing the icon as a symbol of remembrance of our soldiers who liberated China from Japanese aggression, “- said Father Dokuchaev.

The participants wished each other success and further mutual cooperation.

Earlier it was reported that the motor race from Russia to China, stretching over 7.5 thousand km under the auspices of the Eastern Military District (TSB) with the participation of veterans and military service started May 14 in Khabarovsk. The race was dedicated to the 67th anniversary of Victory.

During the race the veterans of the Khabarovsk Territory, Trans-Baikal and Buryatia, plan to visit 46 memorials and four major cemeteries in Harbin, Shenyang, Port Arthur, and Jinzhou, on each of which are buried more than a thousand people.

Mileage will be completed on May 26 in Khabarovsk.

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