More than 2,000 pilgrims took part in a traditional religious procession carrying the revered icon of the All-Merciful Savior in the city of Tutaev in Russia’s Yaroslavl Region, according to the Yaroslavl Metropolitanate.

The procession took place on the right bank of the Volga River and commemorated a significant historical event for the city: the return of the icon of the Savior from Rostov to Romanov-Borisoglebsk, now known as Tutaev, in the 18th century.

Accompanied by church bells and prayer chants, participants completed an 8.5-kilometer route through the city. Along the way, the procession stopped at several socially significant institutions and Orthodox holy sites, including the Mercy Center, the district hospital, a veterans’ home, the city cemetery, an Orthodox school, and the St. Benjamin and Annunciation churches.

The icon of the All-Merciful Savior is regarded as one of the most important religious relics of the Yaroslavl region. Classified as a depiction of Christ Pantocrator, the icon portrays Jesus Christ holding an open Gospel in His left hand while blessing with His right. According to tradition, it was painted in the early 15th century by St. Dionysius Glushitsky for the Boris and Gleb Church in Romanov-Borisoglebsk.

The icon is notable for its extraordinary size, measuring approximately 3.2 meters in height and 2.8 meters in width. At least 30 people are required to carry it. Since 1798, it has been housed in Tutaev’s Resurrection Cathedral, where believers venerate it as a miracle-working icon associated with accounts of healing and spiritual assistance.

One of the procession’s unique traditions allows pilgrims to pass beneath the icon during scheduled stops. A specially designed metal framework enables the massive icon to be carried on the shoulders of volunteers while providing worshippers access to the sacred image.

The tradition of processions with the icon dates back several centuries. The right-bank procession is held annually on the tenth Sunday after Easter, coinciding with the patronal feast of the Resurrection Cathedral. A second annual procession with the icon takes place on the city’s left bank on the eve of the Feast of the Prophet Elijah.

At the same time, the region recently concluded its traditional Kazan Procession, a 16-day pilgrimage centered on the revered Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The event began on June 9 in Yaroslavl and followed a route through Tutaev and Rybinsk before returning to its starting point. Parts of the journey were completed by vehicle, allowing the icon to visit every church along the route.

The Kazan Procession is among the oldest religious traditions in the Yaroslavl region. Officially established in 1761, the pilgrimage route was later extended to Rybinsk in 1807 in response to growing numbers of pilgrims.

The final day of the procession took place on June 24. Before returning the icon to the Kazan Convent in Yaroslavl, clergy brought it to several churches across the city. The relic was welcomed at the convent by Abbess Ekaterina, members of the monastic community, and numerous parishioners, followed by a thanksgiving service and the singing of an Akathist hymn to the Virgin Mary.