Runners participated in a symbolic 35-kilometre relay race connecting the Medininkai memorial site with Antakalnio cemetery in Vilnius, the resting place for fallen officers. This year’s event saw participation from 76 teams originating from various locations across Lithuania. Each participating team comprised seven runners, with each individual completing a distinct 5-kilometre segment of the total course.
According to the Lithuanian customs, the event allowed hundreds of relay participants to symbolically bridge the distance between the Medininkai memorial and Antakalnio cemetery. As is customary annually, the finishing runners engaged in a traditional gesture of remembrance by sprinkling soil from the Medininkai site onto the graves within the cemetery. This action serves as a tangible symbol of respect, enduring memory, and an unbroken connection between the two significant locations.
The relay emphasizes the shared history and the commemoration of those lost at Medininkai while honoring the resting place at Antakalnio. The collective effort of the runners underscored the community’s commitment to preserving the memory of the events commemorated at Medininkai.
Topics: #runners #medininkai #hundreds
