In the frosty December morning in the local church of Chkalovo in the Nizhnegorsk District 20 Cossacks joined the Nizhnegorsk District Organization UPO “Ukrainian Registered Cossacks”.

Chief of the URC staff URC major general Sergey Busalaev heard an official report from the ataman URC colonel Vasily Dudarev and planned the order of the consecration. According to the Cossack custom “experienced” URC Cossacks bore the flag of Ukraine and the URC banner.

The consecration ceremony was held according to the Cossack traditions: new members read the oath text, bent the knee, and held a ritual with a saber, the flag of Ukraine and the URC banner. Father Feofan blest new Cossacks and sprinkled them with sacred water.

“I swear to serve Ukraine and the Ukrainian Registered Cossacks!”

Father Feofan blesses new UPO URC members

URC colonel general Victor Datsyuk awarded the ataman URC colonel Vasily Dudarev with diploma for merits before the Ukrainian Registered Cossacks from URC Hetman.

Words of greeting from the ataman: “Glory to the Ukrainian people! Glory to the Ukrainian Registered Cossacks! Glory!” Such event took place here for the first time in such long period.

At the end they all tasted Cossack kulesh.

The representatives of the local press, journalists from the newspaper “Nizhnegorie” and regional TV were invited.

Everything was stately and festively, according to the URC ritual, historical, spiritual and patriotic traditions.

Consecration with a Cossack saber

Cossacks of the UPO Nizhnegorsk District Organization “Ukrainian Registered Cossacks”