On August 6, 2024, Metropolitan Isidore of Smolensk and Dorogobuzhsky and Archbishop Dimitri of Vitebsk and Orsha arrived in the Rudnyansky district of the Smolensk region, on the border of Russia and Belarus, to meet the XX International Odigitrievsky Procession along the Vitebsk — Smolensk route.
The procession was also met by the dean of the Rudnyansky district of the Smolensk diocese, Priest Alexy Kolesnikov, clerics of the Rudnyansky deanery, Vitebsk Diocese of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, head of the Rudnyansky district Yu.I. Ivashkin, Chairman of the Rudnyansky Representative assembly L.N. Divakova, Chairman of the Lioznensky district executive Committee I.I. Fedorov, assistant to the deputy chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee of the Republic of Belarus S.N. Fadeenkov, pilgrims, residents of the city and creative teams of Rudni.
Metropolitan Isidore greeted the audience:
"Your Eminence, dear Vladyka Dimitri, dear Yuri Ivanovich, dear leaders from our Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee and the Liozno district Executive Committee, dear fathers, brothers and sisters!
Christ is Risen!
It is gratifying to note that today we have entered the Jubilee Procession, which is a significant milestone in Russian-Belarusian spiritual ties. This Vitebsk procession, which has been performed by us invariably for two decades, from the ancient city of Vitebsk to the ancient city of Smolensk, is a testimony of our brotherly love. Evidence of the continuity of those spiritual ties that no one is able to break, because the Lord is the Force that unites us.
The Lord has placed in our hearts and in our lives those deep spiritual traditions that help us to withstand any difficulties. No matter how serious these difficulties are, no matter how much external evil forces turn against us, we cannot be defeated. We are a united, God—blessed people who live in our fraternal allied countries. The Mother of God blesses us.
The International Hodegetria Procession was marked by celebrations in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God "Hodegetria". And how many miraculous icons there are on the blessed Belarusian land! There are many of them. In every corner of the Republic of Belarus, the Mother of God celebrated Her stay with miraculous icons.
Thanks to you, dear Belarusians, native countrymen, Smolyans, for the fact that you actively confirm our brotherly love not in words, but also with your personal feat. To go through the procession is a feat. What do you confirm with this personal feat? His love for God, for his neighbors, for our fatherlands and, most importantly, for the one Holy Catholic Apostolic Church, the Russian Orthodox Church, of which we are all children. I sincerely thank Bishop Dimitri for his tireless efforts to revive and strengthen Orthodoxy in the Vitebsk region. I thank the authorities of the Republic of Belarus and the Vitebsk regional government for their close attention to the activities of the Orthodox Church in our ancient Slavic lands.
May the Lord and the Queen of Heaven always bless and strengthen all of us — the authorities, the armies, the fraternal peoples of our countries. Thank you, I bow low to you, dear friends!"
Representatives of the authorities of the Smolensk and Vitebsk regions also addressed the audience.
To the meeting of the procession, a revered shrine of the Smolensk region — the icon of the Hodegetria (a list of the XVII century from the miraculous gate of the Smolensk image of the Mother of God "Hodegetria") was delivered from the village of Mikulino in the Rudnyansky district.
A thanksgiving prayer service was held, after which the procession continued.