Russian Orthodox religious procession. This is from 8 June 2008, on the 125th anniversary of the blessing of the original Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow, I could not find a photo of the August event. Sorry.
Today in Russia, Orthodox believers celebrate the feastday of the “Saviour of the Honey”. The cross inside the church is taken outdoors for veneration and the priest blesses honey. According to popular tradition, swallows and swifts take wing to head for the south on that day, which is seen as the first sign of the upcoming autumn. Also today is the first day of the two-week Assumption fast. The Church asks believers to refrain from eating meat, eggs, and fish, and from drinking milk. The fast is over on 28 August, which is also the first day of the Feast of the Assumption.
14 August 2008
Voice of Russia World Service
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=31082&cid=48&p=14.08.2008 (in English)
