After several hours of waiting at the Belarusian-Latvian border, the Czestochowa icon arrived in Latvia as planned on July 28, in the company of Fr. Andrew Steckiewicz of Minsk. Orthodox Archpriest Pawel Serdiuk, coordinator of the pilgrimage in Belarus, was especially helpful in facilitating the border crossing.
He arrived at the border crossing early in the morning, took charge of the queue, and arranged all the formalities. Finally at noon, Fr. Andrew, who brought the icon in his car, arrived from a meeting of Catholic youth in Ivianiec.
At the border crossing one of the officials asked Fr. Andrew: „Are you traveling alone?” Father Andrew answered: „No, there are three of us - me, the Mother of God and baby Jesus”. Next question followed: ”Why are you traveling in this way?” Answer: ”To pray for you all.”
In Latvia, the icon visited the church in Silene, where she met with a very warm welcome. She next visited Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Daugavpils, where some 700 people, including some from neighboring towns, participated in the Mass celebrated for the occasion. It was followed by a solemn procession around the church. Little girls sprinkled flower petals. The Icon of the Mother of God was venerated until midnight by a crowd of about 2,000 people, including members of other denominations, who lined up in a long queues to enter the church. Prayer continued throughout the night, singing songs and praying individually before the Blessed Sacrament and the Icon of Mother of God of Czestochowa.