From August 18 to 26, 2024, Belarus will host the annual All-Belarusian cross procession, "Zhirovichi – Minsk," under the blessing of Metropolitan Veniamin of Minsk and Zaslavl, the Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus. The event, which has become a significant spiritual tradition, was announced by the Belarusian Metropolis.

The pilgrimage will commence on August 18 from the Holy Dormition Zhirovichi Monastery and will conclude at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Minsk on the day of the Minsk Icon of the Mother of God. Over nine days, participants will traverse a distance of 250 kilometers, passing through four dioceses and 21 churches. Organizers have noted that pilgrims can join the procession at any point along the route.

Accompanying the procession will be sacred relics, including a reliquary containing a fragment of the relics of Saint Andrew the First-Called, a revered copy of the miraculous Zhirovichi Icon of the Mother of God, and a replica of the miraculous Minsk Icon of the Mother of God.

The Zhirovichi Icon of the Mother of God, one of the most venerated shrines in Belarus and among the 100 most significant Orthodox icons globally, will be part of the procession. The icon, carved from jasper and measuring only 5.7 by 4.1 centimeters, is housed in the Dormition Cathedral of Zhirovichi Monastery.

This year's pilgrimage coincides with the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the Feast of All Belarusian Saints. Instituted in 1984 by the first Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan Filaret (Vakhromeyev), the celebration marks a significant event in modern Belarusian ecclesiastical history. Initially, the Feast honored 14 saints, whose memory was cherished by the Church and people. Today, the roster includes 58 saints, 37 of whom are new martyrs who suffered for their faith in the 20th century.