Bicycle Pilgrimage to the village of Rakovets in Lviv region

The Second Annual Bicycle Pilgrimage to the miraculous spring in the village of Rakovets in Lviv region, took place on June 8^th.  As last year, during its first run, participants and organizers of this pilgrimage were young people and priests from the Garrison Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul in Lviv.  This year there were 35 participants who, under leadership of Rev. Andriy Khomyshyn and Chaplains Yuriy Tsiupka and Vsevolod Semenko started the ride from the Sykhiv neighborhood in the direction of the village Zubra.  The round-trip distance is close to 60 km.

On the way to Rakivtsi the pilgrims had the opportunity to visit many interesting places, such as churches on the way, farmstead of the noted Ukrainian artist Kornylo Ustyianovych in his native village of Vovkiv, numerous sacred monuments including the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in  Vovkiv, the  Church of  the Lord’s Epiphany (1693) in the village of  Kuhayiv, the Church of St. Valentine in Rakivtsi.  The guide, Oksana Bisyk, provided a useful  historical background of the region and details about its sacred edifices.

In Rakivets the pilgrims prayed Vespers to the Mother of God at the waters of the miraculous spring together with the superior of the local Church of the Makavey Martyrs, Rev. Lubomyr Frankiv, Rev. Andriy Khomyshyn and Rev, Andriy Sidanych, who together with the members of the congregation Women-Myrrh- Bearers of the Garrison Cathedral joined the procession.  After the blessing of the water, Rev. Andriy blessed the pilgrims with the holy water and then they had the choice of immersing themselves in the spring waters.

The Pilgrimage organizers extend their sincerest gratitude to all the participants and hope that they will continue to join similar pilgrimages.

Reported by Rev. Andriy Khomyshyn