Vyacheslav Petushenko, Chairman of the Board of Russian Highways State Company, held a working meeting with Veniamin, Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, and Isidor, Metropolitan of Smolensk and Dorogobuzh.
The conversation was focused on the construction of an icon case in a recreation area at the 445th km of the M-1 Belarus Highway towards Moscow, only about 10 kilometers away from the border between the two friendly States. The icon case will be places in such a way that it can be seen by travelers both from the Minsk and Moscow directions.
On the side of the Russian Federation, the eastern facade will be decorated with an icon of the Venerable Saint Euphrosyne, Princess of Polotsk, in the main niche of the icon case. In the round niche there will be a mosaic the Zhirovitskaya icon of the Mother of God. The guests coming to Belarus from Russia will be greeted by a mosaic flag of the Republic, located in the side niches.
On the side of the Republic of Belarus, the icon of the Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Princess Olga in the main niche of the icon case will be depicted on the western facade. The round niche will be decorated with a mosaic icon of the Image of Edessa. The mosaic flag of the Russian Federation will greet the guests coming to our country from the Republic of Belarus.
The northern and southern facades of the icon case will be decorated with mosaic compositions of prayer texts.
In his turn, Veniamin, Metropolitan of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, expressed his desire to have an Orthodox icon case erected on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, also not far from the border with Russia, but in the direction towards Minsk.
The first icon on M-1 Belarus was installed in 2017 at 154th km, on the border of Moscow and Smolensk Regions. It is dedicated to the icons of the Mother of God Smolensk Hodegetria (Guide) and St. Blessed Matrona of Moscow. The icon case was consecrated by Metropolitan Isidor of Smolensk and Dorogobuzh and Bishop Sergius of Vyazemsk and Gagarin.
