Vladimir Putin and Alexander Lukashenko visited, in particular, the main church of the monastery, the Transfiguration of the Saviour Cathedral, where the relics of the monastery’s founders St Sergius and German are kept.
Then the leaders of Russia and Belarus visited the Smolensk skete, the last one built on Valaam, where they attended a service in the Church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God and toured the chapel.
The presidents also visited the St Vladimir skete, where they examined the Church of Grand Prince Vladimir Equal-to-the-Apostles.
The Valaam Monastery is among the most venerated in Russia. More than 100,000 pilgrims and tourists visit it every year.