On Sunday, the so-called blue berets “landed” in the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery. Ninety members of 31^st separate air assault brigade take part in the “West-2021” joint strategic exercises of the Military Forces of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus held in the practice grounds in the Nizhny Novgorod Region.

They venerated the Diveyevo relics and walked with prayer at the Holy Kanavka. They were also offered a general tour of the monastery.

Rev. Fr. Pavel Knyazkin, the assistant commanding officer on the issues of faith among the military personnel, shared that the brigade has a church to the Prophet Elijah on site and the military personnel takes part in the church services, goes to confession, and partakes in the Holy Communion. They hold prayer services before the beginning of every new assignment. Batiushka accompanies the brigade members in their travel. Whenever they arrive to conduct training exercises, they always strive to visit the spiritually meaningful places giving the soldiers a chance to learn about culture and the spiritual life of our country.