Vinnytsia joined the celebration of St. James Day with a festive church service, guided tours of the Capuchin dungeons, and a solemn organ concert. Along the Camino Podolico route, outdoor activities were organized for veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war and their families.
Vinnytsia is officially the easternmost point of the Camino. It is here that the Camino Podolico - the St. James Way of Podillya - begins, winding through the picturesque landscapes of Podillya and forming a part of a large European network of pilgrimage routes that lead to the city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, where the tomb of the apostle - one of the most devoted disciples of Jesus Christ - is located.
St. James Day in Vinnytsia
On July 25, when the whole Christian world honours St. James the Apostle, a number of thematic events took place in Vinnytsia.
«I am pleased to welcome our guests, friends and colleagues, as today, July 25, we celebrate the Day of St. James the Apostle, who is gradually becoming the patron saint of Vinnytsia. Our church is officially the starting point of the St. James Way of Podillya. This is a family of municipalities across Europe, so it is not only a church matter, but also a civic one – a bond between cities united by friendship», – said Brother Kostiantyn, abbot of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Angels in Vinnytsia, at the opening of the event.
The celebration began with a festive mass at the Church of the Virgin Mary of the Angels, during which a unique icon of St. James, created by Ukrainian iconographer Inna Bondarchyk, was unveiled. The icon has already traveled along the Portuguese Camino to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela, where it was blessed by Camino Podolico ambassadors Roman Stepanenko and Iryna Matvienko from Vinnytsia’s sister city Karlsruhe. Recently, the icon was brought to Vinnytsia, and during the service, the Vice President of the European Federation of St. James Way Andriy Ocheretnyi officially presented it to the church’s abbot. He also handed over commemorative postcards with the saint's image and a pedronia, a certificate confirming the blessing of the icon at the Church of St. James in Padrón.
«The St. James Way ends in Santiago de Compostela and begins here, at the Church of the Virgin Mary of the Angels. I believe that this is a bridge that unites all of Europe - a big friendly family of Spaniards, French, Portuguese, Italians, Belgians, Dutch, Croatians, Poles, Lithuanians... Recently, the head of the European Federation, Ildefonso de la Campa Montenegro, signed a manifesto in support of Ukraine. What we are doing together today enables people who have suffered from the war and need psychological healing to walk this path and rediscover themselves. The St. James Way is a path to self-discovery. We are developing the Camino Podolico and working to connect it with other European routes. Fourteen communities along this path have already been added to the map of the European St. James Way», – said Andriy Ocheretnyi.
Later that day, two free guided tours of the church's dungeons were held, including stories about St. James. Participants learned not only about the length and purpose of the underground passages and who built them, but also about the history of Vinnytsia and the church itself: about the Capuchin brothers, how the building survived the German and Soviet occupation, and how the church is functioning now.
In the evening, everyone was invited to a solemn concert of organ music performed by Tetiana Zhuk-Siedova. The church hall was filled to capacity with visitors, as such events are exclusive and rare in Vinnytsia.
«Camino Podolico – The Way of Recovery»
On St. James's Day, the «Camino Podolico – The Way of Recovery» project was launched. It includes a number of initiatives aimed at supporting Ukrainian soldiers undergoing rehabilitation, as well as veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war and their families.
This project was initiated by guide and Camino Podolico ambassador Svitlana Hordiichuk in cooperation with the Department of City Marketing and Tourism of Vinnytsia City Council and the NGO Association of Friends of St. James Way in Ukraine. The first event took place on July 25 at the «Na Mlyni» Ethno-Wellness Complex in the village of Melnyky, Severynivka community. The participants were invited through the municipal veterans' hub «Pobratym».
The program focused on nature-based and cultural rehabilitation for war veterans through the landscapes and traditions of Podillya, and included:
- kayaking on the Riv River,
- lunch and an introduction to Podillya cuisine, which is included in the gastronomic heritage catalogue of the Camino Podolico cultural and pilgrimage route.
As part of the «Camino Podolico – The Way of Recovery» project, several more events are planned along other sections of the route to provide continued support for Ukrainian servicemen and their families.
