(April 16 – May 25, 2026)
A huge and spiritually charged undertaking will take place in 2026. Cezar Elisei, president of the Therapeutic Fasting Association, will embark on the longest walking pilgrimage without food in the world, a pilgrimage dedicated to God but also to improving the health of Romanians. The undertaking is not intended to be one for the record books but rather a humble work of great spiritual power. The pilgrimage will have a target of 40 days and will be called “Two million steps for God and for the health of people” (and/or “40 days of fasting for the health of Romanians”). The approach aims to promote physical activity and responsible food consumption/fasting to improve or treat conditions such as: type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, fatty liver, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, tachycardia, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, anxiety, memory impairment, depression, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, fertility, cellular and metabolic cleansing, etc.
The pilgrimage aims to succeed in the assumed water fast but also to achieve the number of steps that would undoubtedly indicate that the human body can perform true miracles. On the one hand, it can energetically support an endeavor that will involve consuming about 200,000 calories from its own resources, it can energetically and volitionally withstand 6 weeks of fasting and walking about 35-40 km / day, it can physically and spiritually support a project that is based on the body's power to travel 1,500 km without food, fasting and prayer to the Creator to create / build a Preventive Medicine Clinic to improve or treat the conditions mentioned above through diet, sports and balanced natural food.
In the world, over time, such walking pilgrimages without food have been carried out, in Sweden and France, for about 2 weeks each. The pilgrimage in Sweden in the 1960s was attended by 11 doctors who walked about 520 km in 14 days to indicate the strength of the human body even in the absence of food but with proper hydration. Walking also appears in other countries such as Spain (Camino de Santiago, 780 km in 30-35 days), Japan (Shikoku Pilgrimage, 1,200 km in 30-60 days), Brazil (Caminho da Fé, 497 km), Ethiopia or Russia with the annual pilgrimage of the Velikoretsky Cross in which about 20,000 people participate. They claim that they walk for about five days for the treatment of diseases and healing of the soul because the pilgrimage is dedicated to God and the Mother of God in a form of personal sacrifice. What connects all these pilgrimages is the idea of traveling in the footsteps of saints (as in the case of the Camino de Santiago – Spain where one walks in the footsteps of Saint James the Apostle. Pilgrims follow his routes as a form of spiritual path or retreat for their spiritual growth), or for reflection and enlightenment as in the case of the pilgrimage in Japan, Shikoku Pilgrimage, where 88 temples are visited on all days of the pilgrimage. Therefore, these efforts to travel without food or to travel long distances only on foot have the purpose of enlightenment, sacrifice, inner healing or another declared spiritual purpose.
The goal of our 2026 pilgrimage, unique in its impressive length and in its method of accomplishment – absolutely without food, is to succeed in building a Preventive Medicine Center to treat people suffering from contemporary ailments – obesity, diabetes, anxiety, depression and the like. Therefore, it is a social-medical goal with strong spiritual infusions.
The Spiritual Fathers of this endeavor will be the Most Holy Theotokos, Saint John the Baptist («the greatest of those born of women», Matthew 11:11) – for help in terms of fasting and humility, and Saint Basil the Great (329 – 379) – for the spiritual-medical part. Because he was not only a great hierarch and theologian, but a visionary of love in action, putting all the power of his faith and mind at the service of the poor, the sick and the marginalized. Vasiliada, the complex he founded in Caesarea of Cappadocia, was a model of social and medical assistance, with hospitals, asylums, canteens and homes for those in suffering – a "clinic of mercy", with soul and prayer. Our walking pilgrimage to the preventive medicine clinic carries the same vision: living faith, prayer, and integrative healing – body, soul, and community. The choice of Saint Basil the Great as our spiritual patron is natural: he united science with holiness, medicine with mercy, social work with prayer. He didn’t just talk about Christian love – he embodied it.
The pilgrimage will start from Neamț Monastery on April 16, 2026 and will end towards the end of May (expected May 25) in the Bucharest area. The route will follow the northern part of the country, departing from Iași to Borșa, Baia Mare, Satu Mare, Timișoara, Reșița, Craiova, towards Bucharest. Pensions along the route will be used for rest, and a therapist will be present at all times for help.
This journey has a profound meaning and can become a unique work in the history of modern Christian fasting – but it must be approached with holy wisdom, not as an ego challenge. The following challenges may arise during the pilgrimage:
Physical and medical risks of the 1,500 km pilgrimage without food
Severe exhaustion
Lack of food, associated with sustained physical exertion, can lead to a drastic decrease in energy, dizziness, falls, or syncope (fainting).
Dehydration
Water consumption must be constant and careful, depending on the temperature and the effort made.
Electrolyte imbalances
Sodium, potassium, magnesium can decrease drastically → risk of muscle disorders, palpitations, confusion or even seizures.
Excessive weight loss
Weight loss can exceed 25 kg in 40 days → can weaken immunity and recovery.
Cardiovascular problems
Significant physical exertion combined with fasting can lead to low blood pressure, arrhythmias, or worsening of silent conditions.
Risk of injury
40 km/day on foot for 40 days = increased exposure to:
- sprains
- acute joint inflammation
- severe calluses
- chronic low back, knee, or ankle pain
Psycho-emotional risks
- Emotional isolation or lack of support on some days can lead to discouragement, anxiety, or deep sadness.
- Prolonged fasting can accentuate some more fragile mental states - risk of:
- irascibility
- Insomnia
- hallucinations
Extreme weather (rain, heatwave, storms)
Subtle spiritual risks
- Spiritual pride or self-righteousness
- Spiritual fatigue – when prayer becomes automatic
- The temptation to give up in the face of apparent failure (little support, illness, attacks)
Preventive Medicine Center
The preventive medicine center will be built in the town of Vânători-Neamț, Neamț County, where the Therapeutic Fasting Association has purchased the land necessary for the physical and spiritual rest of those seeking treatment through prayer-fasting and naturopathic (naturist) treatment. The clinic will be located in the monastery area, near the Secu Monastery, Sihăstria, Neamț, Agapia, Văratec and Sihla.
The preventive medicine center will have 150-200 simultaneous accommodation places, adjacent medical and paramedical procedures, gymnastics, breathing techniques, therapies with the elements of nature, prayer, meditation, confession. The therapies that will be used to restore people's health will consider a diet with only natural juices, natural organic food, intermittent fasting, the OMAD diet or water fasting for several days.
The total costs of construction and equipment of the preventive medicine center amount to about 5 million euros and target about 2,000 people annually.
Portrait of Cezar Elisei
Cezar Elisei was born in Iași in 1982. With studies in theology, philosophy and horticulture, and a writer and journalist by profession, he has distinguished himself in recent years in the field of water fasting. The YouTube channel – Cezar Elisei – Postul terapeutic cu apă has been publishing materials about water fasting and spirituality for over 5 years.
In 2021, he founded the Therapeutic Fasting Association to promote the benefits of water-only fasting for treating or improving certain conditions. Since 2020, dozens of fasting and penance camps have been organized at the monastery, where over 5,000 people have learned the theory and practice of water-only fasting and prayer.
Experience in fasting and walking pilgrimage without food:
- 2019 – 13 consecutive days of water fasting
- 2020 – 40 consecutive days of water fasting
- 2020 – fasting / walking pilgrimage 9 days / 420 km
- 2020 – total 100 days of water fasting
- 2021 – total 120 days of water fasting
- 2022 – fasting / walking pilgrimage 25 days / 1017 km
- 2023 – 15 consecutive days post hydride (with water / dry / with water)
- 2024 – fasting / walking pilgrimage 19 days / 720 km
- 2025 – 19 consecutive days of water fasting
- 2026 –
"The challenge of this walking pilgrimage is special, and to face the degree of difficulty we must act with absolute seriousness. From a physical point of view, I must be strong enough and even massive to have where to lose 200,000 kcal without consuming muscle mass, but still be supple enough not to put too much pressure on my ankles or knees during daily walking. The weight loss will be about 25-30 kg in 40 days. From an emotional point of view it will be quite difficult because it is about 6 weeks of solitude, of withdrawal from the worldly tumult to pray with the feet of the Good God to bless the Preventive Medicine Center. From a spiritual point of view it will be the most important work I could do for the Lord and I am happy and fully honored to do this. I really want us to get closer to God with these two million steps," said Cezari Elisei about this pilgrimage.
Forms of support
People who wish to support this initiative can do so in several ways, from prayer and remembrance at the Holy Liturgy to discussions regarding the possibility of becoming a shareholder of the future Preventive Medicine Center. Below are some options.
- Direct donations to the account of the Therapeutic Fasting Association (APT)
- Directing income tax (20%) from companies to APT
- Directing payroll tax (3.5%) to APT
- Support through prayer and fasting
Raiffeisen Bank
LEI: RO 04 RZBR 0000 0600 2305 1110
EUR: RO 74 RZBR 0000 0600 2305 1111
USD: RO 22 RZBR 0000 0600 292 84200
Contact APT
Phone – 0332.802.834
Email – tabaradepost@gmail.com
Facebook – Group Cezar Elisei – Therapeutic Water Fasting