Penza, 18 May 2015. PenzaNews. Nearly 100 people took part in the crux procession “Penza for Sobriety!” dedicated to the day of the Icon of the Mother of God “Inexhaustible Chalice.” The event was held early on Monday, May 18.

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The religious service in the Church of Supreme Apostles St. Peter and Paul began at 8.00 am, after which the congregation, including the young activists of the church templary, began the procession.

They were carrying banners reading “Drining is Out of Style,” “Intoxication – Voluntary Madness,” “Alcohol Abuse – Mother of All Sins,” and “Penza for Sobriety.”

The crucession was accompanied by religious chants and bell tolls sounded from the car in the head of the procession.

People went along Stasova street, Stroiteley prospekt, 8 Marta and Karpinskovo streets, and Pobedy prospekt.

During the procession, the roads were blocked for the traffic, including public buses and trolley buses, which caused a spike in people waiting at the stops, some of them openly expressing their outrage at being unable to get to work, hospital or other locations on time due to the event.

“Today we are holding the procession to turn people’s attention towards the problem that remains very important for us: enormous consumption of alcohol by the population,” said archpriest Alexiy Gorshkov, the chairman of the parish templary by the church.

According to him, one of the popular myths about alcohol states it may be beneficial if consumed in moderation.

“I must note that moderation indeed is a Christian virtue sometimes. Indeed, one can eat in moderation, sleep in moderation, work in moderation and rest in moderation. But one can also steal in moderation, cheat on one’s spouse in moderation, commit crimes in moderation, but these are not examples of Christian virtues. Consuming alcohol is the same,” the archpriest clarified.

He pointed out that people who take to consuming alcohol in moderation are “thus poisoning themselves in moderation, killing their health and the health of their descendants.”

“It is known that, according to the convention of the World Health Organization, alcohol is a drug. And if that is correct, there can be no talk about any acceptable doses of alcohol,” Alexei Gorshkov concluded.

The crux procession stopped by the small chapel-church of Michael the Archangel, where people swore for sobriety.