Blessing of Easter Bread on Holy Saturday, March 30, 2013. Асьвячэньне велікодных страў у Вялікую суботу.
Churches in Belarus are standing-room-only on Holy Saturday as parishioners stream in throughout the day to have their Easter foods blessed. This is a joyous rite which combines the deepest Christian and pre-Christian elements.
I set out to visit as many churches as possible on a 350-kilometer Holy Saturday circuit through parts of two dioceses. The trip was somewhat more challenging than in previous years owing to the wintry conditions which have continued to afflict Belarus even into April.
The first stop was the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary in Rakau, 40 kilometers west of Mjensk, where Archbishop Tadevush Kandrusjevich presided at the 9:30 a.m. blessing. Then a further 90 kilometers west to one of my favorite parishes, the Apostles Peter and Paul in Iuje, to attend the second of the church’s four jam-packed blessings that day. Finally northward 90-plus kilometers to Smarhon’, where the church of the Archangel Michael held blessings every half-hour during the day to accommodate the crowds. I took advantage of the itinerary to re-photograph churches in Dudy, Traby, Hal’shany, Baruny and Kreva on the way.
Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary, Rakau. Касьцёл Найсьвяцейшай Панны Марыі Ружанцовай, Ракаў.
Church of the Apostles Peter and Paul, Iuje. Касьцёл Сьвятых апосталаў Пятра й Паўла, Іўе.
Church of the Archangel Michael, Smarhon’. Касьцёл Сьвятога Міхала Арханёла, Смаргонь.
