Clergy of the Simferopol diocese blessed the Simferopol-Nikolayevka speedway

As the collision rate on the roads of the Crimea is high, and particularly on the speedway leading from the capital of the autonomous Republic of Crimea to the Nikolayevka health resort, clergy of the Simferopol, Saki and Feodosia deaneries celebrated a prayer service for those traveling in the peninsula. Staff of the Ukrainian State Automobile Inspectorate attended the prayer service.

The diocesan press service reports that with the blessing of Metropolitan Lazar of Simferopol and Crimea the clergymen travelled from Simferopol to Nikolayevka and sprinkled the road with holy water. They stopped at the major crossroads and sang prayers.

Archpriest Vasily Pavlov, rector of St. Nicholas’ Church in Nikolayevka says that the speedway where hundreds of people were killed in accidents was blessed on the commemoration day of St. Nicholas – the patron saint of the travelers. ‘Let us hope and pray to the Lord for less and less accidents on our roads. We would like to celebrate prayer services on a regular basis and bless all major roads in the Crimea.’