Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych will make a traditional pilgrim trip to Mount Athos in Greece on August 26-27, 2012 to mark the 21st anniversary of Ukraine's independence, reads a posting on the president's official Web site.
“The head of state will meet with Orthodox confessors and pray for
Ukraine and the Ukrainian people. The president of Ukraine is planning
to visit holy places, including St. Pantaleon’s Monastery, the Holy and
Great Monastery of Vatopedi, which holds the belt of the Theotokos, and
the Holy Monastery of Iviron with its icon of Theotokos,” reads the
statement.
The posting stressed that the visit to Mount Athos is a private trip,
and not an official visit, all expenditures on the transportation and
accommodation of the president and other participants of the trip will
be covered from their private accounts.
“Budget assets will not be spent on it,” reads the statement.
