On Tuesday, May 28, clergy and laity of the Russian Church Abroad began their pilgrimage, organized by the parish of St. Seraphim Memorial Church in Sea Cliff, NY and led by His Grace, Eastern American Diocesan vicar Bishop Nicholas of Manhattan. Over 50 participants from North and South America, Europe, and Australia are participating.
At Tel Aviv Airport, His Grace and the pilgrims were warmly greeted by Archimandrite Roman (Krassovsky), head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem. The pilgrims then headed to Galilee, where the next day they visited Mount Tabor, the holy sites of Nazareth, Cana of Galilee, Capernaum, and swam in the Galilæan portion of the Jordan River. Bishop Nicholas performed prayer services at each site, accompanied by short sermons. A nun guiding the pilgrims also gave descriptions of the spiritual, historical, and archæological aspects of each site and answered questions.
On Thursday, May 30, the group headed for Jerusalem, visiting Haifa on the way.
On Friday, May 31, Bishop Nicholas and the pilgrims were received by His Beatitude Theophilos III, Patriarch of Jerusalem & All Palestine, during which he offered words of guidance to the pilgrims and his blessing, asking that they relay his greetings to the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad.
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