The queue to the relics of St. Spyridon in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior lined up from Gorky Park. What shrines were brought to Russia and how many believers did they gather? The Cathedral of Christ the Savior when will the relics of St. Spyridon be brought?
On May 21, the relics of St. Nicholas, or more precisely, his left rib, will be brought to Moscow from Bari, Italy. It will be in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow until July 12, then the relics will be transported to St. Petersburg, where they will remain until July 28. It is believed that the shrine helps in healing, as well as achieving family happiness. Those wishing to venerate the shrine are advised to take drinking water with them and be prepared to stand in line for a long time. No official assumptions were made about how many people would come to the relics, but in 2011, when the belt of the Virgin Mary was brought to Russia, one could spend more than a day in line, and in 39 days more than 3 million people venerated the shrine.
What shrines were brought to Russia and how many people were gathered at these events - in the RBC photo gallery.
Relics of St. Andrew the First-Called - about 170 thousand people in two weeks
In June 2003, the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation from the Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos organized the bringing of the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called to Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. In Moscow, about 170 thousand people came to the shrine. One of the first to visit the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where access to the relics was organized, was Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Andrew the First-Called, according to the New Testament, is one of the disciples of Jesus Christ. Most often they pray to him with requests for conversion to the Christian faith, for help to sailors, to protect the fatherland, to help foreign language teachers and translators, to strengthen the faith, the unity of the people under Christian leadership, and a happy marriage.
The relics of the Venerable Martyr Elizabeth and the nun Varvara - about 100 thousand people in Moscow in three weeks
In 2004, the relics of the Grand Duchess, the Holy Martyr Elizabeth Feodorovna and the nun Varvara were delivered to Russia from Jerusalem. The bringing of the relics to Russia was organized by the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation and became a joint action of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Church Abroad. In the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior, about 100 thousand people came to the relics; in Russia and the countries of the former USSR as a whole - about 10 million believers.
The Venerable Martyr Princess Elizabeth, the wife of Grand Duke Sergei Alexandrovich, who founded the Martha and Mary Convent in Moscow in 1909, is considered a helper to the needy, the sick and the disadvantaged. Nun Varvara was one of the first nuns of the monastery. After the Grand Duchess was arrested, Varvara first went with her to Yekaterinburg. Later, the prisoners were transported to Alapaevsk, where they were killed by the Bolsheviks. Later, the bodies of the dead were taken abroad by the White Guards, who recaptured Alapaevsk.
Photo: Roman Yarovitsyn / Kommersant
Hand of John the Baptist - more than 2 million people throughout Russia in 40 days
In June 2006, the right hand of John the Baptist was brought to the Russian Orthodox Church from Montenegro. Over 40 days, more than 2 million believers venerated the shrine in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. In Moscow, access to the relic was organized in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
John the Baptist, according to the Gospels, is the closest predecessor of Jesus Christ, who baptized him. He was beheaded. John the Baptist, according to legend, laid his right hand on the head of Jesus Christ at the moment of his baptism.
Relics of the Evangelist Luke - 300 thousand people in Moscow in nine days
In June 2007, the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation organized the bringing of the head of the holy apostle, Evangelist Luke, from the Panteleimon Monastery on Mount Athos to Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. Over nine days in the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior, 300 thousand people came to the shrine. In St. Petersburg, access to the shrine was organized in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
Apostle Luke is one of the disciples of Jesus Christ, the author of the Gospel and the Acts of the Holy Apostles. They pray to him for the healing of eye diseases. He is also considered the patron saint of doctors and painters.
Belt of the Virgin Mary - more than 3 million people in 39 days throughout Russia
In October 2011, on the initiative of the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation, one of the main Christian shrines - part of the belt of the Virgin Mary - was brought to Russia from the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos. She was taken to 14 cities; in Moscow, access for pilgrims was organized in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The event caused an unprecedented stir - in 39 days more than 3 million people came to the belt of the Virgin Mary; in Moscow, one could stand in line for more than a day.
Among others, the top officials of the state bowed to the belt of the Virgin Mary: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, President Dmitry Medvedev in Nizhny Novgorod.
It is believed that the belt of the Virgin Mary helps during childbirth, as well as conception.
The Cross of St. Andrew the First-Called - more than 1 million people in 23 days in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus
In 2013, as part of the celebration of the 1025th anniversary of the baptism of Rus', the cross on which St. Andrew the First-Called was crucified was brought to Russia, Ukraine and Belarus from the Greek city of Patras. In Moscow, access to the shrine was organized in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Russian President Vladimir Putin also attended the celebrations at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.
In just three countries, over 23 days, more than a million believers venerated the relics, and the waiting time in line varied from 30 minutes to 9 hours. The bringing of the shrine was organized by the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation.
It is believed that the cross helps cancer patients in finding personal happiness and solving difficult problems.
Relics of Dmitry Solunsky - 24 thousand people in Moscow in a month
In February 2015, a delegation of the Greek Orthodox Church brought the relics of the Great Martyr Dmitry of Thessalonica to Russia. The bringing of the right hand of the saint was timed to coincide with the celebration of the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Every day about 6 thousand pilgrims came to the Novospassky Monastery in Moscow to worship the shrine.
It is believed that the relics of the saint help in healing from various diseases, primarily eye diseases. Relatives of soldiers serving or participating in hostilities also pray to him.
Photo: Alexander Kondratyuk / RIA Novosti
The relics of St. George the Victorious - almost a million people in Russia
In May 2015, on the 70th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, an ark containing the right hand of the Great Martyr George the Victorious was delivered to Russia from Athos. In Moscow, the shrine was exhibited in the St. George Church on Poklonnaya Hill, then residents of other Russian cities could venerate it. During the stay of the relics in Russia, almost 1 million people venerated them.
St. George the Victorious is considered the patron saint of Orthodox warriors.
Photo: Roman Pimenov / Interpress / TASS
Relics of Silouan of Athos - 65 thousand people in Moscow in six days
In 2016, the Moscow Foundation of St. Basil the Great organized the bringing of the relics of St. Silouan of Athos, a monk of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, from the Panteleimon Monastery on Athos to Russia and Belarus. In total, about 315 thousand people venerated the shrine in two countries, 65 thousand of whom were in the Moscow Danilov Monastery.
Considered a peacemaker saint. They pray to him for reconciliation, deliverance from pride, and vain thoughts.
Since May 21, a huge queue has formed at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow of those wishing to venerate the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In the capital, more than 350 thousand people have already visited the shrine, and from July 13 to 28, pilgrims will be able to do this in St. Petersburg. The Russian Orthodox Church organizes tours of foreign shrines around the country every year with the support of Orthodox patrons. The Village figured out what is recognized as relics, how much the most expensive relics cost and where they can be bought in Moscow.
What are relics and how do they “act”
Relics are the remains of people who were officially recognized by the church as saints, that is, canonized. Entire bodies, right hands (right hands), fingers, feet, or even individual fragments of tissue can be recognized as shrines. All these “pieces of saints,” regardless of their size, are revered by the church equally, although pilgrims and ordinary believers are more attracted to large relics. The Christian Church canonizes either people whose “miracles” have at least two testimonies preserved, or martyrs who were persecuted for their faith. For other political, social or even missionary reasons, it is impossible to obtain the status of a saint.
As the head of the pilgrimage center of St. Thomas the Apostle in Germany Timothy Katnis, the task of the church here is “to record that God has truly glorified man.” For this purpose, a special commission is created that studies the biography and collects evidence of miraculous help. Then the commission proposes its conclusions to the court of the Bishop (Orthodox, local - Ed.) or Ecumenical (general Christian - Ed.) cathedral The latter consults and makes a decision; in Orthodoxy this is called “consensus patrum”, or “consent of the fathers”.
Relics are stored and displayed in special containers - reliquaries, arks or reliquaries. Usually the church invites believers to “venerate,” kiss, or simply touch the reliquary containing the relics. The queue for them is a necessary part of the pilgrimage; it symbolizes the hardships on the way to the shrine. A similar cult exists in all Christian denominations, except Protestants. The church explains the “action” of the relics not by the properties of the objects themselves, but by the will of the saint to whom the relics belong. “There is nothing magical about the veneration of relics. From the point of view of the church, healing occurs because a person turns to one or another saint “with faith,” and not because the object itself is endowed with some kind of power. The relics are simply a conduit for the power of the holy spirit that the believer taps into,” Katnis explains.
The reliquaries are filled with cow, pig and human bones. Hundreds such relics Marcus has already sold for between $20 and $500 each.
Pilgrims often select relics and relics based on what they need help with. Targeted requests from believers arise due to the fact that they know stories in the lives of saints when the latter performed a miracle. For example, how they ask Sergius of Radonezh for success in his studies after he himself miraculously began to do well in school. “In fact, you can turn to any saint with any request; the church does not recognize any specialization of saints here,” sums up Timothy Katnis.
Business on relics
Now in the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior the relics of Nicholas of Myra, or the Wonderworker, are on display - one of the most popular saints in Orthodox Russia. It is known that Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis agreed on this tour during a historic meeting in Havana in 2016. Nikolai’s left rib was delivered from the Italian city of Bari on a special flight to Moscow, where it will stay until July 12. After this, the relics will be transported to St. Petersburg, where they will remain until the end of July. Every day the shrine is guarded by a thousand soldiers of the Russian Guard. Volunteers were recruited to bring the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from Italy to Russia; the “Orthodox Volunteers” movement attracted its people.
The Russian Orthodox Church does not disclose how much the action for bringing the relics costs and what kind of income it brings. Former representative of the Patriarchate Vsevolod Chaplin, after his dismissal from the Synodal Department in 2015, declared “closed budget” the main problem of the Russian Orthodox Church. Now the patriarch's press secretary, Alexander Volkov, has only named the name of the largest sponsor - the owner of the Phosagro chemical holding, Andrei Guryev. The Dozhd TV channel states that Guryev has been paying for priests’ pilgrimage trips to Bari, Italy, for the last four years. According to RBC, “support” for the tour of Nicholas’s relics was also provided by the St. Gregory the Theologian Foundation, which is led by Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, and Vadim Yakunin, head of the pharmaceutical company Protek. Another 3 million rubles were allocated by the Moscow government.
Andrey Kuraev
protodeacon
In fact, Guryev is new to the pilgrimage business. From 2003 to 2013, the monopoly on the import of foreign relics was maintained by the St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation (FAP) under the leadership of Vladimir Yakunin, ex-president of Russian Railways and member of the Ozero dacha cooperative. The list of relics whose tour was organized by FAP includes the relics of St. Andrew the First-Called, the Martyr Elizabeth and nun Barbara, John the Baptist, the Evangelist Apostle Luke and Alexander Nevsky (his tour was organized with the support of billionaire Iskander Makhmudov). The most popular tours were the “belt of the Virgin” tour in 2011, which attracted more than 3 million people, and the tour of the cross of St. Andrew the First-Called in 2013, attracting a million pilgrims. FAP's missionary activities in bringing relics abruptly stopped after the publication of Alexei Navalny's resonant investigation about the Yakunin family. In addition, FAP financing began to pass through the Istoki endowment fund (RusFin Management Company). The only Orthodox event that the Yakunin Foundation has reserved for itself is the annual bringing of the Holy Fire to Moscow from the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem.
Already in 2015, major pilgrimage events were divided between two other influential foundations. The delivery of the relics of St. George the Victorious was sponsored by the Grand Duke Vladimir Foundation, controlled by FSB Colonel Vyacheslav Rotavchikov from the Dynamo sports society (other leaders of the society are security officials and generals of the special services). A tour of Russia and Belarus of the relics of Prince Vladimir has already been organized by the St. Basil the Great Foundation, which is backed by billionaire Konstantin Malofeev. A year later he brought the relics of Saint Silouan of Athos to Moscow. It was Malofeev’s charitable foundations that RBC linked with the financing of militias in southeastern Ukraine.
Now Metropolitan Hilarion declares that Russia has been waiting for 930 years for the arrival of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. In fact, the fragment of the relics from Bari was officially given to the private St. Nicholas Foundation back in 2002 by the Rev. Father Giovanni Matera. Moreover, in 2008–2010, this foundation already organized a wide pilgrimage tour of the relics in Russian cities. However, it is sponsored not by Russian Orthodox philanthropists, but by Energie Baden-Württemberg AG, the third largest energy holding company in Germany.
Where to find relics in Moscow
The same relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, according to Rublev.com, can be found in another 26 churches in Moscow and the region. Most of them are allowed to venerate the relics daily, free of charge and without queues. However, for example, to the relics of another popular saint - Matrona of Moscow in the Pokrovsky Convent - and on an ordinary weekday I'll have to stand about two to six hours. In various Moscow parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church, reliquaries of the Apostle Andrew the First-Called, St. George the Victorious, Demetrius of Donskoy, Sergius of Radonezh and others are exhibited.
The Village has collected on the map the 10 most popular Moscow shrines, access to which is open to everyone. These are not all the relics that are stored in the city: there are dozens of times more of them.
Black market for relics
Online advertisements for the sale of reliquaries and reliquaries are available on dozens of auctions and websites, but the church sharply condemns such business. The largest dealer of shrines in Russia, Alexey (alexbishop), has placed a total of more than 500 lots on different platforms. Alexey introduced himself to the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper as an “expert in the field of relics and relics.” He stated that he has been transporting relics from France, Italy and Greece to Russia for more than 15 years. Alexey does not reveal his method of obtaining the relics - it is a “trade secret”; he suggests meeting the buyer at the Kitay-Gorod metro station. Prices depend on the antiquity of the item and the significance of the saint. For example, a small reliquary of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker can be bought for 65 thousand rubles, but a relic of St. Peter the Apostle, with a cardinal’s certificate of authenticity from 1777, costs 255 thousand rubles. One of the most expensive lots is a calendar reliquary containing particles of the relics of 365 saints and martyrs, for 365 thousand rubles (that is, the price is one thousand per saint).
However, on May 26, moderators of the Avito.ru site blocked and removed all lots with relics from the site (screenshots from the auction are available). Representatives of The Village service that there were many complaints about the advertisements, and an inspection by the administration “revealed violations of the user agreement.” Two days later, all the lots were temporarily blocked on Alexey’s other account, on the collectors portal Au.ru - the formal reason given was “seller’s vacation.”
Of course, it is impossible to verify the authenticity of the relics before purchase. Counterfeiting of relics is extremely common. An expert on shrines at the Russian Orthodox University, Mikhail Arteev, in an interview with Orthodoxy and Peace, spoke about four masters of forgery known to him personally. For example, a certain Markus from Stuttgart imitates the impressions of bishop's seals on modern reliquary test tubes, signing the contents with the names of saints. Reliquaries are filled with cow, pig and human bones, which are often impossible to identify. Marcus has already sold hundreds of such relics at prices ranging from 20 to 500 dollars apiece, declaring that he had previously bought the property of a Catholic monastery.
Information about relics that duplicate each other in different dioceses arises constantly. The largest study was carried out by the French archaeologist Marie-Louis Lalanne back in 1847, when he counted 11 found index fingers of John the Baptist, three entire torsos of the prophet Isaiah, 8 skulls and 12 hands and feet of the Apostle Philip. In 2007, the press secretary of the Moscow Patriarchate stated that the head of John Chrysostom is in the Epiphany Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church, although the Greek Orthodox consider their head of Chrysostom, on Mount Athos, to be authentic. In the same way, the “authentic” skull of St. Andrew the First-Called is found in both Italy and Greece.
Powers in law
After the end of the expedition, the left rib of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker will return to the Italian city of Bari. Formally, the relics of the saint belong to the Dominican monastic order of the Catholic Church. It is the order that gives permission for all manipulations with the remains. The ultimate owner of all church property is the Pope. But this does not mean that the relics can belong only to church organizations.
As the head of the European pilgrimage center Timofey Katnis says, in Bari there are families who once received the smallest particle of relics as a sign of the highest gratitude. “Naturally, the laws on burial and the handling of remains were not in effect in the 11th century. Until now, they are treated precisely as shrines like icons, and not as simple bones.” During transportation, the entire sealed reliquary in which the relics are transported is insured against damage - legally, they also cross the border precisely as an “ark with relics”, and not as individual remains.
The loudest scandal concerning the owner of the relics was raised in 2013 by the Suzdal Orthodox Church, which is not part of the diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church and is not subordinate to the federal structure. Bailiffs forcibly seized from the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church (ROAC) the relics of Euthymius and Euphrosyne of Suzdal, which before the schism belonged to the Russian Federation. Father Valentin tried to return them through the court, insisting on the historical significance of the relics for the Iveron Temple. But in 2014, the regional court nevertheless took the side of the Federal Property Management Agency, and the latter transferred the remains to the Russian Orthodox Church. From the point of view of the law, relics are in no way different from any other material objects; no special conditions of storage or transportation are prescribed for them.
Evgeniy Korchago
Chairman of the Bar Association "Starinsky, Korchago and Partners"
“The question of the legal status of the holy relics was raised in 2014, then the matter even reached the Constitutional Court. The applicant disputed the possibility of classifying the relics as objects of civil rights provided for precisely in Article 128 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. As a result, the court did not agree with the complaint about the unconstitutionality of the article. At the same time, judge Gadis Gadzhiev indicated in a dissenting opinion that the legal regime for the use of relics should be regulated separately. However, so far no one has made changes to the law.
Now there are no specific provisions that would speak about the legal status of the relics. There is only practice, and there they act as completely ordinary objects of civil rights. All disputes surrounding the relics usually fall into the category of religious ones. The legislator and departments are trying not to enter this territory.”
The relics of a saint were brought to Russia for the first time in 930 years Nicholas the Wonderworker. The shrine is available for worship in Moscow, then it will be transported to St. Petersburg. It is expected that at least half a million pilgrims will come to venerate the relics; in any case, on the first day, at least 25 thousand people visited the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, where the relics are displayed.
Who is Nicholas the Wonderworker
Nicholas the Wonderworker, sometimes called in Russia Nikolai Ugodnik, one of the most revered saints in Christianity.
He was born in the third century in a Greek colony in Asia Minor into a Christian family and from an early age devoted himself to serving God and fighting the remnants of paganism. Numerous miracles are attributed to Saint Nicholas; he is also famous for his good deeds and absolute lack of self-interest.
In Western tradition, Saint Nicholas is associated with Father Christmas Santa Claus, since there is a legend that the saint secretly helped poor women without dowries by throwing them a purse of money through a hole in the roof. Nicholas the Wonderworker is also considered the patron saint of children, since they are the ones who expect Christmas gifts from Santa.
In addition, Saint Nicholas is considered the patron saint of merchants and sailors. This is due to the fact that the saint traveled a lot by sea and, according to legend, even knew how to calm stormy waves with prayer. They also say that he once resurrected a sailor who had fallen to his death from a high mast.
In Orthodoxy, Nicholas the Wonderworker is considered the closest saint to God. The nickname Pleasant means that he pleased God. In Rus', since the establishment of Christianity, Saint Nicholas has been considered not only the patron saint of seafarers (for example, the Naval Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and Epiphany in St. Petersburg is popularly called Nikola the Sea), he is also the patron of the poor, sick, orphaned and needy. He helps those innocently convicted and slandered. In short, he’s a very Russian saint, what can I say.
Relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
Saint Nicholas died in the middle of the fourth century at a ripe old age, remaining in the memory of Christians as a symbol of deep faith, good deeds and mercy. After the end of the saint’s earthly life, his incorruptible relics were located in the city of Mira in what is now Turkey. However, the Venetian merchants, who highly revered him, feared for the safety of the shrine where power was gradually passing into the hands of Muslims. Therefore, as often happened in the Middle Ages, merchants, desperate people, decided to steal the relics, which they managed to do in 1087.
The merchants transported the stolen relics to Italy, where since then part of them has been kept in a specially built crypt of the Basilica of St. Nicholas in the Italian city of Bari. And since the town survived wars and other disasters, the relics have been well preserved to this day.
Used is stored in Bari O Most of the relics of the saint are where pilgrims, including those from Russia, can venerate them. The other part of the relics is located at the opposite end of Italy - in Venice, on the island of Lido, in a temple also dedicated to St. Nicholas.
Small particles of the relics of St. Nicholas are found in dozens of churches around the world, including in Russia.
Not all the relics were brought from Bari to Russia, but only the rib of the saint. In the cancer, covered with protective glass, there is a particle of the ninth rib of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, the one near the heart. This is believed to be especially important for believers. They pray to Nicholas the Pleasant for health, for motherhood, for good luck; sometimes they take the icon with the face of the saint with them on the road.
How the relics ended up in Russia
An agreement to bring the relics of St. Nicholas to Russia was reached at a historic meeting of the patriarch Kirill and the Pope Franziska last year.
Why were the relics brought now?
On May 22, Orthodox Christians celebrate the day of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, which is dedicated to the transfer of his relics to the city of Bari. This is the so-called Nikola Letniy, a day in folk tradition associated with the transition period between spring and summer.
There is another important holiday dedicated to St. Nicholas the Wonderworker - this is the so-called Nikola Winter, which in Orthodoxy is celebrated on December 19 and is associated with the day the saint’s earthly life ends.
Are there other particles of the relics of St. Nicholas in Russia?
Yes, there are, and quite a lot. For example, in the Alexander-Svirsky Monastery in the Leningrad Region, in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg, in the St. Danilovsky Monastery in Moscow, in the Nikolo-Ugreshsky Monastery in the Moscow Region, in the Church of St. Nicholas in Kotelniki and in other churches.
Why does everyone want to venerate the relics brought from Italy?
Widespread press coverage of the bringing of the relics to Russia played a role here. In addition, working hard on a pilgrimage to an important shrine is considered a deed pleasing to God, so pilgrims are not afraid of difficulties.
Let us remember that there was also active pilgrimage in Russia to other shrines that were widely covered in the press: the belt of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the gifts of the Magi.
How long will the relics stay in Moscow and St. Petersburg?
Then the relics will be transported to St. Petersburg, about how the veneration of the shrine will take place in the Northern capital, Federal News Agency will tell you later.
How long does it take to queue?
You need to count on several hours; on weekends it can take up to eight hours.
What time should I wait in line?
The website of the Russian Orthodox Church advises arriving no later than 17:00, but from experience we know that the sooner the better. You can line up early at night to get to the shrine in the morning.
What to take with you
Moscow authorities provided pilgrims with free toilets and also set up tents with food and drinks. But food and drink are quite expensive, the price for tea reaches 120 rubles, which has already caused serious complaints. Therefore, it is recommended to stock up on food and liquid, clean drinking water is especially important. It is also very important to wear warm, comfortable clothes - cold weather is expected in Moscow again - and comfortable shoes. You need to take spare socks with you; if you plan to stand at night, then wool socks, hats and jackets will not fit. Another extremely convenient and necessary thing is a folding chair.
Can I take children with me?
This is purely at the discretion of parents and legal representatives of minors, but there are no contraindications to children’s pilgrimage. In addition, as a rule, people go to shrines of this kind for health, so, as they say, God himself ordered that they take children and the sick with them. By the way, there is a separate entrance for families with many children and wheelchair users.
Is it dangerous to venerate a shrine?
Of course, kissing glass is not very hygienic. But there is nothing wrong with this, especially since people going to the shrine are positive, which means they are protected by faith and positive emotions. Worship organizers are aware of the possible risks and take appropriate measures to minimize the possibility of the spread of any infections. As for the attachment of children, this is again entirely at the discretion of their parents or legal representatives. In any case, it’s almost summer, the epidemic situation in Moscow and St. Petersburg is favorable, so you don’t have to worry too much about this.
What are relics treated for?
Yes, in general, from everything, there would be faith. But if you have any serious illnesses, a pilgrimage to the shrine should not change the medications and procedures prescribed by doctors. As they say, one does not interfere with the other.
“Saint Spyridon of Trimythous is the greatest saint, revered by Orthodox Christians in all corners of the globe, but it is not so easy to get to the island of Corfu, where his incorruptible relics are located. Therefore, we are grateful to the Metropolis of Kerkyra for the opportunity to bring the right hand of this wonderful saint to the Russian Orthodox Church. Previously, the right hand of Saint Spyridon had already been brought within the boundaries of our Church, but this time, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, for the first time the ark with the shrine will visit 12 dioceses. Thanks to this long and geographically wide stay, people who know and love this great saint will be able to venerate his holy relics without much difficulty. The organization of the entire route of the shrine’s stay in Russia is undertaken by the Foundation named after Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir. The Russian Church is convinced that the bringing of the relics of St. Spyridon of Trimifuntsky will spiritually strengthen our people,” notes the patriarch’s press secretary, priest Alexander Volkov.
Initially, the relics of the saint were delivered to Russia on August 24 from the island of Corfu (Greece), from the temple where they have been located since 1456. The right hand was brought to Russia, i.e. the incorruptible right hand of the wonderworker Spyridon, which is kept in a silver ark. According to the schedule, the relics will visit 12 cities of the country. They will stay in Moscow the longest: from September 22 to October 15, 2018.
