This footage was filmed and produced 16 July 2021.

Thousands of pilgrims gathered in Yekaterinburg at the height of the third wave of the epidemic. Here began the traditional Royal Days dedicated to the 103rd anniversary of the memory of the Romanov dynasty. The culminating events of the Tsarist Days started on the night of July 16-17. On the site of the Church on the Blood - the place of the martyrdom of the August Family and their faithful servants - the night Divine Liturgy was held, the place of the martyrdom of the August family and their faithful servants.
Events in memory of the holy imperial family this year are taking place against the background of a scandal due to the prohibition of the procession.
The governor publicly stated that the march is prohibited. However, Metropolitan Yevgeny announced that he would go to the procession. Later, the church authorities still obeyed the secular ones, but they made it clear that the believers would still make a pilgrimage to Ganina Yama. The metropolitan warned the Orthodox that the roads are not blocked. Vladyka urged to observe security measures.
The procession still took place. Believers believe that honoring the memory of the last Russian emperor is more important than being afraid of getting sick with coronavirus. according to preliminary estimates, about 2-3 thousand people took part in the liturgy and the procession. The route of the procession is quite long – more than 20 km. The journey time is about five hours. The remains of the murdered members of the imperial family were transported along this route in 1918.
The procession will end at the monastery of the Holy Royal Passion-bearers on Ganina Yama, where a prayer service will be held for the holy Royal Passion-bearers.

The translation of the interview with Pyotr Multatuli, Russian publicist and historian, great-grandson of Ivan Kharitonov, senior chef of the Imperial cuisine:
[0:01-1:16]
– There is an epidemic now, everyone knows this. Everyone is taking this and took the necessary measures last year as well. As for the impulse of people, this is their Orthodox life. Each person decides for himself whether to go on foot or not, whether he calls it a religious procession or not. But he goes to the place that he considers holy, that's all.
– Why is it important? Why did you come here?
– It is important because for an Orthodox person it is life, it is the greatest Christian and world shrine. And, you know, now it is very common on Facebook when both Germans and Canadians come here or want to go, and they were here in other years. The holy royal martyrs are revered throughout the Christian world, therefore, here, in the Yekaterinburg, it is the greatest Christian shrine and people have been going there for more than 20 years. They go there. People will still come here, even if they do not go en masse, but everyone will decide to go there.

Konstantin Malofeev, Russian manager and entrepreneur, Deputy Head of the World Russian People's Council:
[1:17-2:35]
– Here is a mask, in it we will go, respectively, after the service to where we usually go – to the stone pit to pray at the grave of the holy royal martyrs. But I will say that the sanitary situation here is terribly far from Moscow, where everything is completely bad, so I think that our situation is quite regular, the same as it was in previous years.
– The procession has not been coordinated this year, respectively, there are no road closures, there is no minimum security for those who will go through the procession. I know that you have taken part in organizing people so that the Orthodox do not go out on the roadway, keep their distance. Can you tell us about it?
– In Soviet times, people went to Easter processions without any overlap. Moreover, Komsomol members caught them on the street, copied them, and many had problems in institutions and at work. And people, despite this, professed their faith. Therefore, in this environment, nothing grandiose happens from the fact that there are no road closures. I hope there will be fewer people today than usual. Therefore, I think that we will cope and walk along the sidewalk without violating traffic rules and other norms of public order.