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From Cats to Missiles: What Orthodox Priests Bless in Russia (in Pictures)

Russian Orthodox Priest, Father Sergei, blesses members of the media after having blessed the Soyuz rocket at the Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad, Oct. 10, 2018. NASA / Bill Ingalls /Flickr
A priest blesses the new Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter aircraft, the first of its kind to join the Russian Navy Baltic Fleet. Chernyakhovsk air base, December 2016. Vitaly Nevar / TASS
A metropolitan bishop blesses an S-400 Triumf medium-range and long-range surface-to-air missile system at the base of the Russian Southern Military District, January 2017. Alexei Pavlishak / TASS
Every year, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sanctifies Easter cakes at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Moskva News Agency
Military equipment being blessed before a Victory Day parade on May 9. Moskva News Agency
Cats were blessed on International Homeless Animals Day’ at a church in Lemeshovo, a small town south of Moscow. August 2018. Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency
Servicemen sporting St. George's ribbons being blessed by the clergy on Victory Day. Moskva News Agency
A priest consecrating a Christmas-themed metro car in Moscow. Andrei Nikerichev / Moskva News Agency

A Russian Orthodox priest blessed the Soyuz rocket at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday in preparation for a space launch scheduled for Oct. 11.

Over the years, Russian priests have been called to bless everything from tanks and missiles to cats and metro cars.

Here are a few of our favorite pictures.

Read more about: Religion

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