Belt of the Theotokos in Kazakhstan: schedule of visits

And today, different versions of the appearance of the Virgin's belt and the interpretation of his fate have the right to life . Truly believing people around the world are looking for particles of this shrine, since there are fixed facts of healing after touching it. In difficult situations, sincere faith treats better than most different doctors and helps perk up when, it would seem, there is no hope for a successful solution to the problem. That is why hundreds of thousands of believers sincerely rejoiced, meeting the Belt of the Virgin in Kazakhstan. And among those who came to worship the shrine there were many supporters of Islam.

How was the shrine made?

The idea is widespread, according to which the Virgin Mary herself wove a belt from the camel's wool, and the baby Jesus held onto him when he was just learning to walk. Belt of the Blessed Virgin became the only surviving relic of the earthly life of the Virgin Mary. This explains its fabulous value in both moral and material terms. Touching the belt cleans, relieves gravity from the soul, restores strength. There are cases of recovery from the most severe oncological diseases and infertility. An unchanging condition for the manifestation of miraculous power, according to clergymen, is the true faith of the converts.

The first historically sealed miracle

The first mention of the amazing power of the belt is associated with the apostle Thomas, who could not participate in the burial of the Virgin Mary. Only three days later Thomas arrived to Jerusalem and in his sorrow asked the apostles to open the tomb to say goodbye to the Mother of God. When the tomb was discovered, it turned out that it was empty. Inside there were only funeral veils with a wonderful fragrant scent. The astonished exclamations of the apostles did not go unanswered - the Blessed Virgin appeared to them with a blessing.

Further wanderings of the shrine

After the garment, the Belt of the Virgin passed to the respected and pious widows of Jerusalem. Thus, long generations kept the shrines in Palestine. But in the 4th century the Belt was placed in an ark and brought to Constantinople (Istanbul), where it remained intact until the 10th century, when it was divided into parts and carried to different parts of the world.

When Constantinople fell, it was known about several places of storage of the Belt of the Virgin. Among others were: the monastery of Vatoped, which is located on Mount Athos in Greece; The Monastery of Trooditissa in Cyprus, the Vlaherna Church in Zugdidi (Georgia), the Temple of Elijah the Prophet of the Casual in Moscow, the Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg, the St. Stephen's Cathedral in Italy and the Temple of the Belt of the Blessed Virgin in Syria.

Why was the Belt Pilgrimage possible by country?

Everyone wants to touch the shrine, but some can not reach the place of its storage. Therefore, the pilgrimage of the Belt of the Virgin takes place around the world. In 2014, on May 6, a holy-war tour began in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Belt of the Theotokos in Kazakhstan was already in the early days of May. Touching the shrine in Alma-Ata was possible for all believers within the walls of the nunnery, which is located along Latif Hamidi Street. This was not the last chance for residents of the city and the region to take a closer look at the Belt of the Virgin in Kazakhstan (2014). The relic returned to the southern capital on May 31 and stayed in Alma-Ata until June 15.

Accompanying the belt of the Virgin in Kazakhstan, the schedule of pilgrimage was adjusted in accordance with the circumstances. Until mid-May, the pilgrimage affected Shymkent, Kyzylorda, Taraz, Uralsk and Aktau. There were many willing to personally see the Belt of the Virgin in Kazakhstan. Aktobe became the first city in the program of the second half of May.

After him, the inhabitants of Atyrau, Kostanay, Petropavlovsk, Pavlodar, Ust-Kamenogorsk, Semey, Astana, Kokshetau, Karaganda and Taldykorgan could join the shrine. The official timetable and the order of visiting the cities were known in advance, and you could get acquainted with them with such a desire even on the Internet. Because of the large number of people who wish to join the shrine and see the Belt of the Virgin in Kazakhstan, it was decided to extend the pilgrimage until the middle of June.

Conclusions, according to experts

Hieromonk Nektarius confirms that the Belt of the Theotokos is the only relic preserved after the earthly life of the Virgin Mary. The Virgin Mary herself wore a belt over her clothes. In consolation, she gave her belt to the apostle Thomas, who could not come to her burial in time.
Metropolitan Alexander, who visited the Akim of Aktyubinsk Oblast Archimedes Mukhambetov, told that in the most diverse remote locations of the globe the particles of the belt belonging to the mother of Jesus are kept. Belt of the Holy Virgin in Kazakhstan was accompanied by Moscow clergymen. The urgency and timeliness of the pilgrimage was explained by the metropolitan of Astana and Kazakhstan, who noted the high probability of earthquakes and appeals to the Theotokos about the cessation of natural disasters. There are many cases when prayer before the shrine forced us to recede the elements, prevented epidemics. The last hope for hopeless patients is the Belt of the Virgin in Kazakhstan, to whom they pray for the healing of sorrows and ailments. People who are deprived of the joy of having a child turn to the Mother of God. And often their prayers are heard. The inhabitants of the country themselves believe that the possibility of healing directly depends on the strength of faith.

How did the Belt of the Virgin meet in Kazakhstan?

From the very morning on the day of the appearance of the delegation accompanying the shrine with a shrine, thousands of believers met in the cathedrals, including Christians, Catholics, and Muslims. Among the requests that are addressed to the Theotokos, there are no restrictions. People ask to save their relatives during military campaigns and business trips, pray for peace of mind and physical health. In the temples there were prayer services followed by the worship of the faithful to the shrine and choral chants.

Then came the glory of the Most Holy Trinity and the Mother of God with the sprinkling of the faithful with holy water. Metropolitan Alexander, bishop of Karaganda Sebastian and Bishop Vladimir of Petropavlovsk, covered the ark with the belt of those present.