This is the moment a group of Russian Orthodox priests take to the sky with a holy icon in a bid to rid the country of coronavirus.
The bizarre scenes were recorded at an airport in the city of Arkhangelsk in the western Russian Oblast of the same name.
In the video, several priests in face masks can be seen carrying the large icon the airport terminal.
Video Credit: Newsflash/@arh_eparhia
The metal detector starts beeping as they pass through with the icon and other metal items on their robes.
The icon is then taken to a small plane via a minibus, with the priests continually chanting on their way to the aircraft.
The group, including Mitropolitan Korniliy who is holding a cross, can be seen continuing their chants as the plane appears to take off.
The prayers were reportedly to ask God to rid Russia of COVID-19.
Local media report similar efforts have been made throughout Russia, with priest Maxim Kaygorodov flying in an airship in the city of Kurgur with an icon.
He told local media: “The Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God is deeply revered in our church, so I took it to the sky. The wind did not allow us to fly over the centre of Kungur, but we flew around the city over the outskirts.”
A light aircraft also took several priests to the sky in the south-western city of Volgograd with icons on-board in a bid to rid Russia of the virus.
There have been 10,131 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in China with 76 deaths and 698 recoveries, according to the latest figures from the Johns Hopkins University.
To find out more about the author, editor or agency that supplied this story – please click below.
Story By: Gheorghi Caraseni, Sub Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
The Ananova page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.
