Greek Catholics of Germany Conduct Pilgrimage to the Relics of the Blessed Edigna

On Saturday, July 3, 2010, with the blessings of the Apostolic Exarch of Germany and Scandinavia Bishop Petro (Kryk), took place the traditional Ukrainian pilgrimage to the village Puch in Bavaria, to the relics of the Blessed Edigna. The participants of pilgrimage gathered in the court of the St. Sebastian Church, where the relics of blessed Edigna remain. Many faithful from Munich, New Ulm, Stuttgart, and different places of Bavaria and Wurttemberg participated. Nuns also joined. As well as always the group of faithful from Munich at the head with father Volodymyr Viytovych carried out a procession to Puch. Near the old linden tree the pilgrims were welcomed by the chairman of the Edigna Society Edigna Mrs. Edigna Kellermann, the deacon of the St. Sebastian Church, and local residents.  In an ancient Catholic church Bishop Petro (Kryk) in concelebration with the priests Volodymyr Viytovych, Roman Vruschak, Andrey Dmytryk, Bohdan Pidlisetskyi, and Andrey Pizio celebrated the Divine Liturgy. The Liturgy this year was in both the Ukrainian and German languages.  The Munich cathedral choir Protection Veil of the Holy Mother led by Stanislav Chuenko performed. In the sermon Bishop Petro recalled the history and spiritual values of the Ukrainian nation. After the completion of the Liturgy the bishop blessed the participants of the pilgrimage with the relics of the Blessed Edigna.

Informed by Dmytro Miretskyj

Background information:  Edigna is daughter of the French Queen Anna Yaroslavna and grandchild of the Kyivan Prince Yaroslav the Wise. In 1074, as legend testifies, nineteen-year old Edigna on the eve of her betrothal escaped from the royal palace, taking away with herself a bell – a gift from her mother. She intended to go to Rus’, Kyiv, about which she had heard so much from Anna Yaroslavna. On her way, however, Edigna had a dream which became for her a duty: to remain forever in the place when riding by cart she will hear a call of a rooster at the same time as the sound of bell. A rooster called as she was passing by a church and then ringing began to sound. Accordingly, Edigna remained in Puch, in Bavaria, settling in the large hollow of a linden tree. She lived there until February 1109 praying and fulfilling God’s work. She looked after the peasants who turned to her for help. She treated patients with herbs, gave strength to the elderly, and consoled people. A lot time Edigna devoted to children, teaching them to read and writer, always tying in Christian values in her teaching. Her mercy and devotion to people warmed the souls of the grateful Bavarians. During the life of Edigna near her linden tree built a church in which she was later buried. Her royal origin she did not reveal to anyone; only after her death was it discovered. In 1600 the Roman Catholic Church proclaimed Edigna blessed. There is a legend that in the seventeenth century Anna Tsakherlin from Mammendorf asked the blessed about the daughter who suffered from dysentery. The child quickly recovered. And this is only one of many such examples.