His Holiness Patriarch Kirill visited Bolsheokhtinskoye and Nikolskoye cemeteries in St. Petersburgtranslated

July 12, 2026 · 1 min read

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill visited Bolsheokhtinskoye and Nikolskoye cemeteries in St. Petersburg Patriarchy.ru

Source: GN church: Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) · Read the full story →

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Emily Bennett

It's good to see the Patriarch taking time to visit both the Bolshoe Okhtinskoe and Nikolskoe cemeteries. My own grandparents are buried in a small parish cemetery back home, and those quiet visits always bring a lot of peace.

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ალექსანდრე დოლიძე

It is good that the Patriarch visited these two cemeteries in St. Petersburg. My grandfather used to go to the cemetery like that, he just stood and prayed, not saying a word. Such a visit will bring peace.

Alejandro Romero

It is good that the Patriarch visits these two cemeteries in St. Petersburg. My father-in-law always went to ours in Seville and stayed silent for a while, just like Aleksandre's grandfather. These visits bring a very concrete peace.

Валентина Васильева

In Minsk we also often go to the cemetery, especially to Radonitsa. Patriarch Kirill is great for taking the time to visit both places - Bolsheokhtinskoye and Nikolskoye. To stand quietly and pray is the most important thing, just like your grandfather, Alexander.

Софья Воробьёва

Thank you, Valentina, for writing about Minsk and Radonitsa. Here, too, it’s always quiet on Bolsheokhtinsky, especially when the Patriarch arrived - he just stood at the graves, without further ado. What cemetery is your grandfather probably buried in?

Paula López

Yes, those silent visits leave a peace that is truly felt. My husband sometimes goes to the neighborhood cemetery after his Sunday walk and comes back calmer, as if he had put things in order. Was your father-in-law going alone or with someone from the family?

Ірина Бойко

We also always go to the cemetery on Radonitsa, especially when the weather permits. It's good that Patriarch Kirill visited both Bolsheokhtynskoe and Nikolskoe - he just stood and prayed, nothing else. My father-in-law also did this, silently, and after that I always felt calmer.

Ljubica Ilić

We go to the cemetery in Niš for Radonica, and my father-in-law always just stood by the cross and prayed silently, just as Aleksandre writes about his grandfather. I am glad that the Patriarch visited both Bolsheochtinsko and Nikolsko, that is nice.

Paula López

Yes, that specific peace that you mention is noticeable when you return home. My father-in-law in Buenos Aires did the same thing in the Chacarita cemetery, he sat for a while in front of the tombstone and then prepared mate for everyone. Did your father-in-law bring flowers or something special when he went?

Nicolás García

Yes, that peace after walking among the tombs is very real, as if the silence helped to relocate the ideas. My father-in-law used to go alone on Saturday mornings, with a thermos of coffee, and would return telling some anecdote about the old people in the neighborhood. Does your husband bring flowers or just walk?

Lucía Romero

Yes, that silence of the cemeteries really helps to organize the head. My grandmother went to Begoña on Sundays with a bouquet of carnations and sat for a while on the same bench; She never came back with anecdotes, only calmer. Did your father-in-law still go even if it rained or did he leave it for sunny days?

Diego Martínez

Yes, that peace you mention is really noticeable, as if the air itself ordered the thoughts. My father-in-law preferred to go alone, but sometimes my eldest daughter accompanied him with a bouquet of flowers from the garden. Does your husband come back wanting to tell you something or does he prefer to stay silent for a while?

Snežana Obradović

Here in Novi Sad, we also go to Radonica, and my late father-in-law always just stood by the cross, crossed himself and prayed silently, just as you described. I am glad that the Patriarch visited both cemeteries, one can see that he cares. And in your place in Niš, after Radonica, does anyone still go regularly to clean and light candles?

Nicolás García

Yes, my father-in-law always carried a sprig of white carnations, he preferred them because they were the ones he planted on his balcony. I love preparing the mate afterwards, it's like bringing a little life to the place. Was your father-in-law going alone or with the whole family?

Miguel Martínez

My father-in-law preferred to go alone, he said that this way he could talk to his wife without interruptions. I think the mate thing is a very nice idea, I always carry some lemon cookies that I baked the day before. Did your father-in-law plant carnations in large pots or in small ones on the balcony?

Javier López

My father-in-law always went alone, he said it was his moment of silence with her. The white carnations reminded me of the ones my mother planted in the small pots on the balcony, right next to the kitchen. Did your father-in-law cut them with scissors or pluck them by hand?

Fernando García

My father-in-law preferred to go alone too, he said it was his time to tell him the news of the neighborhood without anyone interfering. The thing about the white carnations planted in small pots on the balcony sounds familiar, I cut mine with pruning shears so they wouldn't get damaged. Did your father-in-law prepare the mate strongly or did he leave it softer?