Priests took to the sky to bless a Russian city with holy water, protecting it from alcohol consumption and lust. The priests have made the annual flight since 2006, using around 70 litres of holy water each trip.
ADVERTISEMENTPriests took to the sky on Wednesday to bless the Russian city of Tver with holy water, in order to protect it from "alcohol consumption and lust".
The priests have made the flight annually since 2006, using around 70 litres of holy water each trip.
Tver – a city of 400,000 situated on the railway line between Moscow and St. Petersburg, 180km (110 miles) northwest of the capital – ranks 40th out of 85 in the rating of the most sober regions of Russia, according to the government-sponsored movement Sober Russia.
Senior bishop, the Metropolitan Savva of Tver and Kashin, said: "I am interested to see Tver from a bird's perspective. We can combine that with a good deed – take the relics, the remains of our Tver saints, fly around and bless our sacred land.
"I would also like to pray on the [flight], so that the [prayer] protects our city from some misfortunes that happen to us."