With the blessing of Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk, the annual training meeting of the Brotherhood of Orthodox Pathfinders (BPS) "Patrol Forward!" was held in the village of Temnoleskaya, Stavropol Territory, on June 14-21, 2026.
The organizer of the rally is the Stavropol squad of the "Archangel Michael" BSP.
The event was attended by 75 people representing St. Vladimir's Detachment (Stavropol), the Transfiguration Detachment (Stavropol), and the detachment of St. Vladimir's. Artemy (Mikhailovsk), the detachment of Archangel Michael (Kursavka village), the consolidated detachment (Rostov-on-Don), the detachment named after Patriarch Hermogenes (Moscow region).
The first day of the rally was dedicated to the construction of subcamps. The participants mastered practical skills in setting up tents, organizing campfires and distributing duties within patrols to ensure independent livelihood and collective life in the field.
Upon completion of the preparatory work, the opening ceremony of the rally took place, which included a prayer service and flag raising. The evening program was devoted to the presentation of patrols and familiarization with the traditions of the investigative movement.
Cooperation with the Interregional Cossack Cultural Center "Tertsy" was organized within the camp. The head of the center, Alexey Sachkov, presented an interactive program using virtual reality glasses aimed at familiarizing young people with the history and way of life of the Cossacks.
There was also a creative meeting with a Cossack, a veteran of a special military operation, who performed original frontline songs for the participants.
The program continued with a field trip to Mount Strizhament. During the route, the pathfinders visited the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Skete, where they prayed and inspected the territory to plan future volunteer work on landscaping.
Upon returning to the camp, a meeting was held with Priest Vyacheslav Zaev. At night, a military tactical game "Seven Bonfires" was held, aimed at developing orienteering skills, endurance and teamwork.
Training sessions in various disciplines were organized for the participants of the rally: a master class on circular (ancient) clay working techniques from potter Natalia Nagornova, archery and airguns, darts, assembly and disassembly of a Kalashnikov assault rifle, first aid, knitting knots, overcoming a parallel crossing and decrypting cryptographic messages.
The meeting was also attended by the head of the youth department of the Stavropol Diocese, Priest Alvian Tkhelidze, and representatives of the City of the Cross movement to share experiences and conduct joint leisure activities.
As part of the travel program, a trip to the village of Arkhyz took place, where the group climbed to an altitude of 2280 meters to a Secret lake. The participants got acquainted with the natural and climatic features of the region, including an inspection of Mount Eaglet and blooming alpine meadows.
Priest Dimitri Kishunov visited the camp for the spiritual care of the participants, who performed the sacrament of Confession and conducted individual pastoral talks. The evening event "Memory of the Faithful" was dedicated to the heroic deed of the defenders of the Fatherland: Patriotic compositions were performed around the campfire, and during the evening rule, commemoration of the fallen soldiers and members of the BSP was performed.
The final day began with a three-kilometer walking procession to the local temple. At the Sunday Divine Liturgy, 60 young Christians began the sacrament of Holy Communion.
The event ended with a solemn ceremony, summing up the results and awarding the pathfinders with insignia — patches — for successfully passing tests and mastering specialized specialties.