Orthodox Christians head to Holy Mount in Poland
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
15.08.2018 08:30
Groups of Polish Orthodox Christians are on their way to the Holy Mount of Grabarka near Siemiatycze in eastern Poland for the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, celebrated on August 18 and 19.
![Photo: Bladyniec [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons](http://external.polskieradio.pl/files/2df4db3b-a279-4ebd-a71b-51b483dd6d44.file "Photo: Bladyniec [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons")
Photo: Bladyniec [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
Pilgrims from Warsaw are to cover about 130 km in five days.
Traditionally, most of the faithful began their pilgrimage in Poland’s north-eastern regions, the heartland of the Polish Orthodox Church.
Among foreign clergymen expected to take part in the weekend ceremonies was Tikhon, the Metropolitan of All America and Canada.
Grabarka, with its Holy Mount, is a sacred place for Polish Orthodox Christians.
The slopes of the hill are dotted with thousands of votive crosses which have been placed by pilgrims down the years.
The tradition of pilgrimages to Grabarka dates back to the beginning of the 18th century.
According to the Orthodox Church, there are up to half a million Orthodox Christians in Poland. In the last national census in Poland, however, 156,000 people declared themselves to be Orthodox Christians.
(mk/pk)