The relics of saints, why are they kept and what does it mean for Orthodoxy?

There is probably not a single person, especially among the Russian-speaking population, who has not heard this phrase. Perhaps someone has their own idea about this, while others have no idea at all. But I would really like to know exactly and in detail - what is it? To understand this, you will need to look into history , and not just as an era, but into the history of the church. A look into those times when people had deep faith in God and, thanks to faith, accomplished amazing things.

Relics of saints, what are they?

So, what does the word “power” mean? It's very simple - these are the remains of a deceased person. But why “power”? After all, this word refers to the meaning of enormous power. But this is exactly what was said, that those people of deep faith performed unusual deeds , feats and even supernatural miracles, as if there was a great power behind them.
And therefore, after death, their bodies could hardly be called simply remains, but were called the relics of saints. Moreover, people believed, and still believe today, that the incredible power that accompanied them during life remained and is present in the remains! Now we can give a precise definition - these are the remains of holy people who can perform unusual actions. In the history of the church and today you can hear many testimonies of such miracles near the relics!

Christian priests explain this phenomenon by the fact that saints and righteous people not only have a holy soul, but also a body. Therefore, they are not only venerated as a memory, but their remains are also venerated and preserved, considering them a source of Divine grace to which one can turn in prayer.

Temples of the Holy Spirit

Why do we honor the relics of saints? How does God work through the remains of long-dead people? Is the size of the particle of relics you apply to important? What is the most important thing when turning to a saint? We turned to priests for answers to these frequently asked questions that concern many.

Photo: patriarchia.ru

Even the shadow of the apostles passing by healed

Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev:

“Whenever the Lord manifests His presence through material objects: the earth or an entire city, a building, some thing, and even the remains of saints, this is sanctified by exuding grace. And there are many examples of this in the Bible. It is important to understand here that the Lord does not give the Spirit by measure (John 3:34).

God once said to Moses: take off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you stand is holy ground (Exodus 3:5). Obviously, the land became holy not because its chemical composition changed, but because the Lord sanctified it through His communication with the prophet. An entire city can become a saint. Thus, the Gospel directly says about Jerusalem: holy city (Matthew 4:5). And David exclaims: And I, according to the abundance of Your mercy, will enter Your house, I will worship Your holy temple in Your fear (Ps. 5: 8). The things of the apostles exuded the grace of healing. We read: God worked many miracles with the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs and aprons from his body were placed on the sick, and their illnesses stopped, and evil spirits came out of them (Acts 19: 11-12).

Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev

Even the shadow of the apostles passing by was healed. But more and more believers joined the Lord, multitudes of men and women, so that they carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and beds, so that the shadow of Peter passing by would overshadow any of them (Acts 5:14-15). And the remains of the dead saints, their relics brought consolation, miracles and protection. We read: And it came to pass that when they were burying one man, when they saw this horde (of the Moabites), those who were burying them threw that man into Elisha’s tomb, and as he fell, he touched the bones of Elisha, and came to life, and rose to his feet (2 Kings. 13:21). From Scripture we know for sure that throughout the 40-year wandering in the desert, when the Lord protected His people with miracles and signs, the relics of Joseph the Beautiful were preserved in the camp of the people of God, and he himself commanded that they take his relics with them when they leave land of Egypt to the Promised Land.

As we see, God indeed does not give the Spirit by measure (John 3:34); He acts in many different ways and in many ways. But every time we come into contact with the miraculous, it can strengthen our faith, and support the doubter, because the miracle has the great goal of helping someone in need, in whose life this miracle can become the beginning of something new, unexpected, with which this person haven't encountered it before.

Relics are the co-presence of saints with us

Priest Valery Dukhanin:

– We honor the relics of saints because the saints themselves are dear to us. Everything that is connected with a person close and dear to you becomes dear and valuable. And usually people keep the things of those they love. This is not just a memory, but in some sense a connection and involvement with the one you love. That is why the things of holy people are so dear to us.

As for the relics of saints, this is not just a memory of a long-lived ascetic, not a relic of ancient times, but the co-presence of the saint with us. With his relics, the holy man remains with us and helps those who pray near the holy relics.

Priest Valery Dukhanin

I remember when I first arrived at the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra and entered the theological seminary, visiting the Trinity Cathedral, where the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh rest, was a secret meeting with Abba Sergius himself. This cannot be compared with anything. You don’t just go to the relics - you go to St. Sergius himself, who sees the sorrow of your soul, hears your prayer and helps. Such fervent prayer was there. And this happens every time you approach the relics of any saint of God.

I’ll tell you a story from the life of a loved one. Ksenia, a teacher and translator, fell in 2012 and severely injured her left arm. The traumatologist, after conducting an examination, disappointingly reported that there were five muscle tears in the shoulder area. The tears were located so deep that for some reason it was not possible to correct them with simple surgery. Ksenia's arm was secured with a special device and it was announced that in a year the muscles would grow together and only then this device could be removed. Soon Ksenia was invited to accompany Bishop Nicholas, Metropolitan of Mesogeia, who had arrived from Greece, as a translator. And the bishop greatly honors the blessed Matrona of Moscow and every time he comes to Russia, he certainly rushes to venerate her relics. Vladyka went to the Intercession Monastery with Ksenia. We approached the shrine of the holy saint. While kissing, Ksenia felt a slight tingling sensation in her left arm in the shoulder area, as if from needles. Upon leaving the temple, the tingling intensified. It even intensified so much that when Vladyka and she sat down for a meal, Ksenia could not eat anything. And then, after a short time, she suddenly took something with her left hand and only then noticed that there was no injury or tingling in her shoulder. When she came to the traumatologist, who predicted a year of treatment, he said that this was completely impossible and began to ask how it happened. After hearing about the healing, the traumatologist complained: although he had recently traveled to Athos, he did not attach much importance to shrines and did not realize that the Lord could so clearly help a person.

The most important thing, perhaps, is that among holy people their very bodies became God-bearing. These are not the remains of the dead, but a shrine, the bodily clothing of those who were with Christ with all their hearts.

The bodies of saints are temples of the Holy Spirit, and that is why God works through their relics

The relics of saints are temples of the Holy Spirit, and that is why God acts through the relics of saints. Both the souls of holy people and their bodies are God’s destiny. The saints subordinated both soul and body to the Holy Spirit, and therefore God acts through them as through something of His own.

Through the relics the saints continue to act to this day; they do not leave us, and through them the Heavenly Father who loves us shows His ineffable mercy.

About veneration of relics or how to learn to talk with saints

Archpriest Andrey Ovchinnikov
Archpriest Andrey Ovchinnikov:
– The memory of our loved ones is always dear to us. After the death of a loved one, you want to put his portrait or photographs in a prominent place, sort through his letters and books, touch his things... In the Church, such a memory of a saint is preserved through his remains - holy relics. The soul of the saint goes to the heavenly abodes, but the body remains on earth. It worked a lot and now rests, through it the soul acquired angelic properties and inherited eternal life. The body is like clothing for the soul, or rather, the house where the soul lived during its earthly years. The body is part of the person himself, his worldview, interests, values... The body reflects and stores a lot within itself - both bad and good. It remembers what a person loved, what he thought about most and what he worried about, who he was friends with, who he wanted to be like. It can tell you a lot. You just need to be able to talk to the dead, and especially to the saints. In a special language and unusual words, but most importantly - with faith in this real and living dialogue.

The experience of prayer proves that man is immortal and cannot die. Just as love cannot die and be destroyed. Love always tends to express itself and manifest itself - through helping others and caring for them. Naturally, forgetting yourself and yours. The saints lived by this spirit. At the center of their lives was Christ, and in Christ is every person: near and far. They do not stop giving themselves to others even after leaving here. We believe in this and therefore kiss their relics and offer our deepest prayers at the tombs of the saints. Saints always help us, like older brothers to younger ones. But they want to tell us a lot - both about this life, but most of all about the other, about the one that appeared, which they saw with their eyes and touched with their hands... - they proclaim this eternal life to us (cf. 1 John 1: 1–3). Most of all, the saints want to be with us on earth, or rather, for us to be with them in Heaven - forever and close.

The relics of the saints are like an empty and clean vessel from under the world - fragrant and aromatic. There is only one source of fragrance for the soul and body - the grace of God. And just as a flower or a whole bouquet smells the same, it makes no difference what size the particle of relics is.

You still need to venerate the relics, as well as stand for several hours with those who are in the same Church with you. It is best to stand alone and silently, peering into yourself and worrying about others. Not only calling from the heart to the saint, but also hearing his answers - after all, he is very close, and he can hear everything. Let us ask, wait and believe, and we will never be put to shame, for we will receive the eternal and heavenly for what is temporary and earthly.

Divine Grace spreads from the relics in proportion to the faith and piety of the worshipers

Priest Dimitry Shishkin:

Priest Dimitry Shishkin:

– God created man in His image and likeness. And although these qualities are spiritual, since God Himself is Spirit (see: John 4:24), the human body is also called to sanctification and to participate in the Divine life, as far as this is possible for a person.

The second hypostasis of the Holy Trinity, God the Word, our Lord Jesus Christ Himself deigned to put on human flesh and, having sanctified and transformed it by His holy resurrection, ascended with the body into heaven, laying the foundation for human life in the Kingdom of God. Life - in the holy unity of body, soul and spirit.

The Holy Fathers say that “our bodily being, being dedicated to God, is spiritual”[1]. That is why the bodies of saints, sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit, are revered by us as relics - that is, bodies in whose weakness the power of God is perfected in its entirety.

Reverently venerating the relics of the saints, we ask for their intercession and intercession before God in the matter of salvation, but at the same time we ourselves must make efforts to repent and correct our lives.

If we talk about the particles of the relics, about their size, then this, of course, is not of fundamental importance, because Divine grace spreads from the relics to the worshipers in proportion to the faith and piety of the latter.

Priest Pavel Konkov

Priest Pavel Konkov:

The particle size of the relics is unimportant. The main thing is with what attitude we approach the shrine

– The Lord created man from dust. We will all go to dust. And at the end of time, as we know from the vision of the prophet Ezekiel, the Lord will gather us all from the dust of the earth. That is, the connection between body and soul continues after death. If a person has clearly acquired the grace of the Holy Spirit during his life, then this connection with God does not cease even after death: the soul of a saint, before the Second Coming of Christ, goes to the heavenly villages, but does not lose its connection with the body, with which it will be united at the Last Judgment. This is what gives us the opportunity to visibly receive the grace of God both during the life of a saint and after his blessed death; it is on this that the veneration of the relics of saints is based. And it doesn’t matter when the saint lived - in the last century, or whether he was a martyr or an apostle of the first centuries of Christianity. Since there are no special instruments for measuring grace, we cannot measure the grace of God. But we can definitely say that the size of a saint’s particle does not affect spiritual gifts. And it doesn’t matter what particle of relics we apply to – large or small. The main thing is with what attitude we approach the shrine. If we demand from a saint, we force him to help us and at the same time we do not even try to lead a godly life, then even though all the relics of the world lie before us, the Lord may ignore our request. It’s all about our faith, and only that is important, and the size of the shrine or the place from which it was brought does not play any role.

Unity in Christ

Priest Alexander Satomsky:

– We are accustomed to perceiving a person as something complex. Theologians argue about the two- or three-component nature of man, whether he only has soul and body, or whether he also has a spirit. But we forget that Scripture does not know such a problem; for it, man is not equal to the sum of his parts, but is an amazing integral creation. That is why the veneration of the bodies of saints - the relics - is so widespread in the Christian tradition. After all, this is not dust, not decay, uncleanness or anything else, but a shining temple into which the Holy Spirit once moved.

Priest Alexander Satomsky

The second important thesis that we need to remember when turning to the saints: this is the possibility of unity with them only in Christ. Let me explain. The Church is the Body of Christ, called to demonstrate the presence of God in the world. But it reveals this presence only by being in God, as if united in Him and by Him: it is through Communion with God, His Body and Blood that we become part of His Body, that is, the Church. And by becoming it, like a cell of the body, we gain unity with the rest of the parts - believers of all times and peoples, who lived thousands of years ago or now live on the other side of the earth. The Saints are our brothers, members of the same Body, already shining with glory, but in it they have not moved away from us, but, on the contrary, have come as close as possible!

I wonder what definition Wikipedia gives?

Material from Wikipedia - the free encyclopedia:

Relics (ancient Greek λείψανα, lat. reliquiae) are the remains of people canonized after death. The relics of saints are objects of veneration in Historic churches. The doctrine of their obligatory veneration was confirmed in 787 at the Second Nicene (Seventh Ecumenical) Council. According to this teaching, relics are carriers of grace and must be preserved and venerated for moral, edifying and liturgical purposes.

This definition confirms what was written above and provides complete understanding.

The relics are hidden in the Munich Residence. Part 2

The second part tells about the Residence Museum, where the “Chamber of Relics” is located, in the display cases of which valuable reliquaries with the relics of Christian saints are displayed. Some of them also contain the relics of Catholic saints, which is important for Russian pilgrims and museum visitors to know. The article deals with reliquaries from 1 to 37. "Chamber of Relics" in the Residence Museum

The grandiose palace ensemble of the Munich Residence, where the Bavarian dukes, electors and kings lived and ruled until 1918, was built over more than three centuries. The most impressive part of the ensemble is the Royal Building (Königsbau) on Max Joseph Platz. In the center of this building, created in 1826 - 1835. Modeled after Florentine Renaissance palaces, it houses the main entrance to two major museums. Byzantine shrines, portable altars, ancient altar crosses, icons, reliquaries with holy relics and valuable church jewelry from the 9th-11th and 17th centuries. are concentrated in the “Treasury Museum” (Schatzkammer) and in the “Residence Museum” (Residenzmuseum).

The Royal Residence building on Max Joseph Platz. In the center of the building is the entrance to the museums

Valuable relics delivered to the Bavarian capital from Rome were first kept in ordinary wooden boxes in the “Secret Chapel-Chamber” built in 1607 by order of Duke Maximilian I of Bavaria (1573 - 1651; son of William V the Pious) in the Residence Palace (3, p. 143). It was located in the so-called “Courtyard with Grottoes” and later, due to the presence of a priceless collection of relics in it, securely hidden in expensive altar and wall reliquaries, it received another name - “Rich Chapel”.

Rich chapel. Photo: Bernhard Graf

During the Second World War it was severely destroyed, but all its riches were preserved. Restorers recreated the walls, ceiling, floor and interior of this “Rich Chapel” in their original form.

Ceiling of the "Rich Chapel". Photo: Bernhard Graf

Now it contains only imitated reliquaries, but without Christian shrines. In 1920, the “Residence Museum” opened in Munich, where many of the treasures from the “Rich Chapel” were transferred. Almost next to it in 1933, a small hall “Chamber of Relics” appeared, which was re-equipped in 1958. Today, this “Chamber of Relics” occupies the securely guarded and darkened room 95 (Raum 95) on the second floor of the museum complex.

Entrance to the Chamber of Relics

Not all the reliquaries and church treasures from the “Rich Chapel” are displayed here. Thus, in the “Treasury Museum” visitors are shown a “figurine of St. George" (5, p. 17), which is actually called in reference books "a reliquary with the relics of St. St. George the Victorious”, which once decorated the altar part of the “Rich Chapel”.

Reliquary with the relics of St. St. George the Victorious. Photo: Bernhard Graf

However, none of the officials from the administration of the Residence museums can answer the question: Are there any holy relics in this reliquary today? There is an opinion that the relics of St. St. George the Victorious were taken away by someone and placed in reliquaries numbered 52-54, which are located in the “Residence Museum”.

A priceless reliquary containing the relics of St. George was made in Munich between 1586 - 1597. designed by Friedrich Sustris. It is made of gold and silver, decorated with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, opals, agate, chalcedony, rock crystal and pearls. The bearded face of the saint is carved from boxwood; it resembles in its features Duke William V the Pious, to whom this reliquary was presented as a gift by his uncle, Archbishop Ernst of Bavaria of Cologne, a famous philanthropist and connoisseur of art in his time. Figure of St. George defeating the serpent symbolized the victory in Bavaria of the apologist of the Counter-Reformation movement, William V the Pious, over supporters of the ideas of Protestantism.

Bavarian and Italian church jewelers, in their work on making reliquaries for the Munich Residence, in addition to gold and silver, often used ivory and black ebony, mentioned in the Holy Scriptures and one of the most valuable wood species. The jewelry used included the “12 traditional precious stones” mentioned in the texts of the Holy Scriptures: Ex 28:15-21 and Eze 28:12 (8, pp. 184-222). Master jewelers often decorated their works with polished oval or spherical stones rather than faceted ones. Emeralds, sapphires and garnets were processed using the cabochon method, in which stones encased in gold had a smoothly convex and polished surface without edges. Church craftsmen widely used natural pearls of various sizes to decorate reliquaries and relics (especially domes). This can be illustrated by the example of the relics of St. Benno, the patron saint of Munich and Bavaria.

Relics of St. Benno. Photo: Bernhard Graf

The relics of many Christian saints, kept hidden on the display shelves of the “Relics Chamber,” are now difficult to identify due to the lack of any supporting documents or indications of their ownership in the archives of the Munich Residence. Even museum employees do not have public access to any of the 75 reliquaries. On the relics themselves, in the form of bone remains, the so-called “cedulas” - parchment labels indicating the names of the saints to whom they belong - have faded from time to time or are completely missing. The ink on the narrow strips of parchment attached to the remains had long since faded.

In the Chamber of Relics. Photo: Bernhard Graf

The administration of the Munich Residence reported that the functions of its museum workers “do not at all include the study of the relics contained in the reliquaries.” The reliquaries themselves are studied by specialists as unique works of church jewelry art from Southern Germany and Italy. On the shelves of the “Chamber of Relics” are displayed not only reliquaries with relics, but also various church exhibits, outwardly reminiscent in their forms of reliquaries or monstrances, in which there are no relics at all. In addition, individual reliquaries contain the remains of saints of the Catholic Church, which are difficult to distinguish for those pilgrims and visitors who do not speak Latin and German. Thanks to a long study of old books about Munich and the riches of its Residence, as well as various archival materials, personal correspondence with an employee of the Munich Residence, Dr. Christian Quaitsch, and our own research, it was possible to compile an approximate list of all those numerous holy relics and relics that are located in each reliquary.

The following is useful reference material for future pilgrims and visitors to the “Chamber of Relics”: the serial number of the museum exhibit, the relics it contains, and a brief description of the reliquary or ecclesiastical jewelry, sometimes mistaken for a reliquary containing relics. In addition, in some cases, the life and veneration of little-known saints is briefly described, as well as the relics of some Catholic saints, which will help Russian-speaking visitors better navigate the “Chamber of Relics”.

In the Chamber of Relics. Photo: Bernhard Graf

Under a glass cover there is a large reliquary (no number). This two-tier reliquary (“Kindlschrein”) made of ebony wood is mounted on a special table. It contains the relics (bodies) of the holy infants of Bethlehem. It was made in 1611, and the table-stand for it is approx. 1626. The master maker is unknown. The reliquary uses ivory, gold, precious stones, pearls, onyx, glass, and gold jewelry on silk (3, p. 150).

Reliquary No. 1. It is a altar cross-reliquary. In a cell under the glass there are small particles of the Life-giving Cross of the Lord. The reliquary is made of black ebony, decorated with rubies and pearls (possibly made in 1590 in Munich). The figures of angels at the base of the cross were made at the beginning of the 15th century.

The display cases are on the left side of the "Chamber of Relics", where reliquaries 1 to 37 are located. Photo: Bernhard Graf

Reliquary No. 2. Relics of the Catholic saint - Cardinal Carlo Borromeo (German - Hl. Borromäus, Italian - Carlo Borromeo; 1538-1584). The cardinal was one of the prominent figures of the Counter-Reformation, the initiator of the reform of monastic orders. The reliquary box, probably made in 1750 in Germany, uses gilded silver and rock crystal.

Reliquary No. 3. Relics representing several fragments of woven materials from which the robes and maforia of the Blessed Virgin Mary were allegedly sewn. The reliquary is made of gilded silver, decorated with precious stones and pearls, made in the form of a panel of ca. 1590 in Augsburg. Its lower part is made approx. 1625 by master Matheus Walbaum.

Photo: Bernhard Graf

Exhibit No. 4. The crown, probably intended for the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary, was made ca. 1630/40 Munich master Stefan Hoetzer. Gold, gilded silver, enamel, rock crystal, rubies, diamonds.

Photo: Bernhard Graf

Reliquary No. 5. Relics of the saint of the Catholic Church - Cardinal Carlo Borromeo and the saint of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches - Blessed Augustine of Hippo (Augustinus; 354 ​​- 430). The small reliquary is an oval frame or medallion made of gilded silver. Italian work, ca. 1800 - 1810 Augustine (Aurelius) is one of the famous and influential fathers of the Christian church, the founder of Christian philosophy of history. Augustine's Christian Neoplatonism dominated Western European philosophy and Catholic theology until the 13th century. Augustine died on August 28, 430, during the first siege of Hippo by the Vandals. In order to save the remains of Augustine from the desecration of the Aryan-Vandals, they were transferred by his followers to Sardinia. When this island fell into the hands of the Saracens, the relics were bought by Liutprand, king of the Lombards, and buried in Pavia, in the church of St. Petra. In 1842, with the consent of the pope, they were again transported to Algeria and preserved there near the monument to Augustine, erected to him on the ruins of Hippo by the French bishops. The memory of the saint is celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church on June 15, and by the Catholic Church on August 28.

Reliquary No. 6. Relics of Sts. apostles Peter and Paul (Petrus, Paulus). This small reliquary is an oval frame or medallion made of gilded silver. Italian work, ca. 1800 -1810

Reliquary No. 7. Relics of an unknown saint. Reliquary-monstrance of German work (early 17th century). Rock crystal, agate, chalcedony, pearls, gilded silver.

Reliquary No. 8. Crucifix, which contains a relic associated with the memories of the Passion of the Lord (a fragment of the Savior's loincloth). The crucifix was made in Munich in 1610 -1620. Ebony, wax, gilded silver (cast), precious stones, enamel, ivory

Exhibit No. 9. Crucifixion. Made in Munich between 1590 and 1600. Ebony, wax, precious stones, enamel, ivory.

Exhibit No. 10. A small altar-niche with the “Madonna of Loreto”. The altar was probably made in Rome in the second half of the 17th century. Ebony, amethyst, agate and other precious stones, pearls, enamel, gilded silver (casting). Loreto is a city in the Italian province of Ancona, where the “Basilica of the Holy House” (Santuario della Santa Casa) is located. This "Holy House" (Santa Casa, Holy Hut) in Loreto is one of the greatest Catholic shrines and one of the most popular pilgrimage centers in Catholic Europe.

Reliquary No. 11. Reliquary in the form of a small medallion, made in Munich (c. 1600). Rock crystal, ebony, enamel, precious stones, pearls.

Reliquary No. 12. Relics of various saints. There is no access to them and it is not possible to identify them. Each fragment of the relics is wrapped in burgundy-colored cloth and has a cedula on which the name of the particular saint to whom these relics belong is inscribed in ink and in small print. Probably made in Germany ca. 1620. Rock crystal, gilded silver, hand-drawn images.

Reliquary No. 13. Relics of St. Sebastian (Hl. Sebastian; †c. 288 - 300). The reliquary was made ca. 1590 - 1600 in Munich. Ebony, enamel, gold, precious stones, pearls, carved glass. Its individual parts are made of pear, walnut and oak wood. The reliquary (55 x 20 x 12 cm) was formerly located in the Rich Chapel of the Residence. It was first mentioned in an inventory book dated 1707 and now stored in the manuscript department of the Bavarian State Library in Munich. The reliquary was examined in detail and described by scientific specialists of the Residence only in 1959, but the documents do not indicate the origin of the Munich part of the relics of St. Sebastiana. According to one version widespread in the West, the relics of St. Sebastian was transferred by Pope Eugene II to Abbot Guildwin of Saint-Denis and on December 9, 926, together with the relics of St. Gregory were buried in Saint Medard in Soissons. In 1564, this shrine was captured by the Huguenots and thrown into a ditch with water. The relics were discovered only in 1578, but they were mixed with parts of the relics of St. Gregory. It is believed that the head of St. Sebastiana is located in Echternach (Luxembourg). It was given by Pope Sergius to St. Willibrord. Other parts of the relics of this saint were scattered throughout the world. St. Sebastian, one of the most revered saints in the Middle Ages in the West, considered the patron saint of blacksmiths and specialists in other crafts, was called upon by Western Christians during times of plague, epilepsy and livestock disease, as well as in the fight against enemies of religion.

Reliquary No. 14. Relics of the Catholic Saint John of Nepomuk (John of Nepomuk; Hl. Johannes Nepomuk; c. 1350 - 1393) - Czech holy martyr, priest. Reliquary-monstrance made in Munich in 1740. Gold, enamel, diamonds.

Reliquary No. 15. Relics of Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, St. Great Martyr Barbara, St. Empress-nun Cunegonde of Luxembourg (c. 980 - 1033 or 1039); (Hll. Magdalena, Barbara, Kunigunde). The pyramid-shaped reliquary, consisting of three parts, (29.5 x 17.5 x 12.5 cm) was made in 1580 - 1590. in Augsburg or Munich. Ebony wood, individual parts of the reliquary are made of pear, walnut and oak wood. Gold, enamel, rubies, pearls, engraved glass.

Relics of St. Equal to the Apostles Mary Magdalene - in a glass case, St. the Great Martyr Barbara is at the base, and the relics of the Catholic Saint Cunegonde of Luxembourg are in the center.

According to legend, St. Mary Magdalene reposed and was buried in Ephesus (Asia Minor). In the 9th century, under Emperor Leo VI the Philosopher (886-912), the incorruptible relics of St. Mary Magdalene was transferred to Constantinople. It is believed that during the Crusades they were taken to Rome, where they rested in the temple in the name of St. John Lateran. Pope Honorius III (1216 -1227) consecrated this temple in the name of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene. Part of her relics is located in France, in Provage near Marseille. Parts of the holy relics of St. Mary Magdalene is kept in various monasteries of Mount Athos and in Jerusalem. The Catholic Church considers the location of the relics of Mary Magdalene to be the Lateran Basilica, where they were placed under the altar consecrated by Pope Honorius III in her honor. Also, the location of the relics since 1280 is considered to be the churches of Sainte-Baum and Sainte-Maximin in Provence, where, in particular, its head is kept.

St. Cunegonde (c. 980 - 1033 or 1039) was the wife of Emperor Henry II and daughter of Count Siegfried of Luxembourg. She married Duke Henry IV of Bavaria (973 or 978 - 1024), who became King of Germany in 1002, and exactly two years later - Holy Roman Emperor. Their marriage was childless. On her wedding day, in imitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, Cunegonde took a vow of perpetual chastity. There is also another opinion: the marriage of Cunegonde and Henry was based on mutual love, and the chronic illnesses of the spouses were to blame for its childlessness. Cunegonde had influence in deciding some state affairs. The husband officially approved Cunegonde as an equal co-ruler of the “consors regnii”. In 1012, she commanded an army that defeated the Poles in battle. After the death of her husband in July 1024, she took possession of the royal insignia and until September 1024 managed affairs in Germany together with her brothers - Bishop Dietrich of Metz and Duke Henry of Bavaria. Subsequently, she transferred power to the newly elected King of Germany, Conrad II. In 1025 she retired to the Benedictine monastery of Kaufungen, which she founded, where in the same year she was tonsured a nun. She died on March 3, 1033 or in 1039 and was buried in Bamberg Cathedral next to her husband. Canonized on March 29, 1200. In Bamberg there are relics associated with her name: the so-called “belt of St. Cunegonde" and her "footprint".

The Bavarian National Museum in Munich houses the so-called “St. Cunegonde" from Bamberg Cathedral. Made approx. 1000 in Scandinavia.

Exhibit No. 16. Ivory relief “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ”, made ca. 1700 in Munich. In the lower part, under glass, there are relics of unknown saints. Ivory, black etched wood, silver, precious stones. The frame was made by the Munich jeweler John Rusen.

Exhibit No. 17. Part of the reliquary of the Holy Cross with silver and gilded decorations (c. 1716, Rome). It is a wooden base for the Holy Cross.

Reliquary No. 18. Relics associated with the memories of the Last Supper, the Blessed Virgin Mary and various saints (Abendmahlsreliquie, Reliquien der Madonna u. verschiedener Heiliger). There is also part of St. hair here. Apostle Peter, St. Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian. The reliquary was made in Munich ca. 1580 - 1590 Ebony, enamel, gold, pearls.

Reliquary No. 19. Relics of St. Eleutherius, Bishop of Rome (Hl. Eleutherius; † c. 175 - 189). The reliquary with tiaras was made in 1754 by the Munich master Maximilian-Ulrich Daumann and his colleague Franz Joseph Antoni Janssens (working with pearls ca. 1754 -1756).

In the photo, this reliquary is the first on the left.

St. Eleutherius was a Greek from the city of Nicopolis in Epirus, in northwestern Greece. Eleutherius was one of the deacons of the Roman church under Anicetus and Soter, and after the death of the latter he was elected bishop. During the pontificate of Eleutherius, there were persecutions against Christians, inspired by Marcus Aurelius. Eleutherius continued his struggle against the Gnostics, Marcionites and the heresy of Montanism. Later sources claim that Eleutherius died on May 24 and was buried not far from the burial place of St. Peter's on Vatican Hill. The saint's feast day in the Catholic Church is May 26. In Orthodoxy, his name is found in the calendar of the Greek Church (May 26).

Reliquary No. 20. Relics of St. Lucius I, Bishop of Rome (Hl. Lucius; ? - 254). The reliquary with tiaras was made in 1754 by Munich masters Maximilian-Ulrich Daumann and Franz Joseph Antoni Janssens (work with pearls was done in 1754 -1756).

In the previous photo, this reliquary is third from the right.

Lucius (? - March 5, 254) came from Rome. Years of his reign: June 25, 253 - March 5, 254. Elected bishop after the death of Cornelius, Lucius himself soon suffered from the persecution of Emperor Gallus and was expelled from Rome. However, Gall soon died, and the new emperor Valerian allowed the bishop to return to the Eternal City. The “Lapsi problem” is associated with the reign of Lucius, i.e. Christians who fell away during the persecution of Decius (249 - 251) and wanted to be reconciled with the Christian Church again. Lucius is known for his positive attitude regarding the issue of forgiveness of sinners among the Lapsi. One later and disputed legend claims that St. Lucius died a martyr's death. He was buried in the Calixtus catacombs in Rome.

Reliquary No. 21. Silver reliquary (height - 115 cm), decorated with pearls, precious stones and enamel. It contains relics associated with the memories of the Passion of the Lord:

Photo: Bernhard Graf

a fragment of the Holy Cross, the Blood of the Savior, part of a sponge used during the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, a thorn from the Savior's crown of thorns, a nail from the Holy Cross, soil from Golgotha. The reliquary was presumably made in 1590 in the Augsburg workshop of the jeweler Abraham Lauter.

Reliquaries Nos. 22 and 23. Reliquaries are frames with unknown fragments of red and yellow matter. The reliquaries were probably made in Munich ca. 1600 Ebony, gold, enamel, pearls, onyx.

Reliquaries Nos. 24 and 25. Relics of the Catholic Saint Francis of Assisi (Latin - Franciscus Assisiensis, Italian - Francesco d'Assisi; German - Hl. Franziskus; 1182 - 1226) - the founder of the mendicant order named after him. Reliquaries in the shape of monstrances were made ca. 1610 by unknown Munich or Augsburg goldsmiths. Ebony, gold, enamel, pearls.

Reliquary No. 26. Relics of St. Basil the Great (Hl. Basillius) and relics of St. Mary of Egypt (Hl. Maria Aegytica). The reliquary was made ca. 1600, presumably by the Augsburg master Matthias Walbaum. Ebony, gilded silver, pearls.

Reliquary No. 27. Relics of St. Amanda, Bishop of Strasbourg (Hl. Amandus; c. 290 - c. 355), St. Ambrose of Milan (Hl. Ambrosius; † 397), St. Francis (Hl.Franziskus; 1182 -1226) and other unknown saints. The reliquary was made ca. 1600, presumably by the Augsburg master Matthias Walbaum. Ebony, gilded silver, pearls.

St. Amand began preaching the Gospel in Strasbourg ca. 340 years. As bishop of Strasbourg, he appears among the participants in the Council of Sardis (344) and the Council of Cologne (346). There is no detailed information about this bishop. His relics were placed in St. Peter's Cathedral, on the site of which the first Christian church in Strasbourg was previously located.

Reliquary No. 28. Relics associated with the memories of the Passion of the Lord and the Blessed Virgin Mary (Passionsreliquien, Reliquie der Madonna). The reliquary was made in 1580 in Augsburg. Rock crystal, gold, gilded silver, pearls, carnelian.

Reliquary No. 29. Relics of the Catholic Saint Dominic (1170 - 1221) - (Latin Sanctus Dominicus, Spanish Santo Domingo; German Hl. Dominikus), - monk, preacher, founder of the Order of the Dominicans (or preachers). The reliquary was made in Munich ca. 1590. Master unknown. Gold, rubies, pearls, enamel.

Exhibit No. 30. Bust of St. Mauritius by the Munich master Christopher Angermair (c. 1630). Relics of St. Mauritius (Hl. Mauritius; † c. 290). Ivory, green jasper, ebony, silver, gilding.

St. Mauritius († c. 290) is celebrated as a martyr in the 4th century. According to legend, he was the leader of the Theban Legion, consisting of Christians, sent from Thebes to Gaul to help Maximian. During the period of anti-Christian persecution, the legion was destroyed by punitive troops. The surviving 6,600 soldiers were executed in Switzerland by order of Maximian. The first mention of St. Mauritius dates back to the VI-VII centuries.

Reliquary No. 31. Reliquary containing a fragment of a tablecloth that supposedly covered the table during the Last Supper. It contains other unknown relics, two of them made of wood. Made in Munich approx. 1580-1590 Ivory, gold, enamel, pearls.

Reliquary No. 32. Reliquary capsule. Unknown relic. The reliquary was made in Italy ca. 1720 -1730 Gold, diamonds.

Exhibit No. 33. The relief “Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary” was made of ivory in 1700 by an unknown Munich master. In the lower part, under glass, there are the relics of St. apostles Peter and Paul. Ivory, wood, silver, precious stones. The relief frame is made approx. 1770 by Munich jeweler John Rusen.

Reliquary No. 34. Relics of St. Apostle Matthias (Hl. Matthias). The reliquary was made in 1622 -1626. in Munich by master Stefan Hotzer based on a design by Hans Krumper. Gilded silver, castings, precious stones, parts of confiscated Turkish items.

Exhibit No. 35. Crucifix made of gold (casting), decorated with precious stones and glass. Made approx. 1610 in Augsburg by the goldsmith Johannes (First) Lenker.

Reliquaries Nos. 36 and 37. Relics of St. Apostle Peter, St. Apostle Matthias, St. Andrew the First-Called, Apostle and Evangelist Luke, St. James Alpheus, apostle of the 12, St. Apostle Bartholomew (Hll. Petrus, Matthias, Andreas, Lukas, Jakobus Minor, Bartholomäus). The monstrance reliquaries, consisting of three parts, were made by master Gottfried Lang according to the design of Hans Krumper (Munich, 1626). Gilded silver, gold, enamel, carved glass.

Literature

1. Pfister P. Leben aus dem Glauben. Das Bistum Freising.1.Anfange, Korbinian, Bistumorganisation. - Lingolsheim-Strasbourg: Editions du Signe, 1989.
2. Ryan D. Mysteries of the Bible. - M.: Astrel, 2011
3. Residenz München. Amtlicher Führer. - Munich. Bayerische Vervaltung der staatlichen Schlösser, Garten und Seen. - Munich, 1966.
4. Kholodyuk A. Munich. In search of the relics of the unmercenary saints Cyrus and John. — Munich, 2011.
5. Schatzkammer der Residenz München. Amtlicher Führer. - Munich, 1992.
6. Neumann H. Die Münchener Residenz. - Munich - London-New-York: Prestel, 2012
7. Erichsen J. und andere. Die Münchener Residenz. Geschichte-Zerstörung-Wiederaufbau. — Ostfidern: Thorbeck, 2006.
8. Graf B. In Gold gefasst. Edelsteine ​​des Glaubens und der Kirche, in : Munich Show, Mineralientage München. Messekatalog. — Neumünster/Hamburg: Wachholtz Verlag, 2013.
9. Melchers E. und H. Bearbeitung C. Melchers. Das große Buch der Heiligen. Geschichte und Legende im Jahreslauf. - München: Südwest Verlag, 1979.
10. Giorgi R. Die Heiligen. Geschichte und Legende. Bildlexicon der Kunst. Band 2. - Berlin: Parhthas Verlag.

(end to follow)

Part 1. Munich by the number of relics - “Bavarian Rome”

https://spbda.ru/news/a-3430.html

What kind of holy relics do they look like?

The main thing is to understand that they can look different. This is not necessarily a whole body or incorruptible, because such a word can often be heard. But in the history of the church, saints were burned for their faith, thrown to lions, tortured, sawed up. You can even read about this in the Bible, for example, Hebrews, chapter 11. Therefore, the type of relics can be bones, body parts, ashes, that is, different remains. But there are also incorruptible relics , for example, of Sergius of Radonezh. But the most important thing is not what the remains look like, but the main thing is that they are accompanied by miracles, only such ones are called saints.

Relics - from the word “power”

In order to better understand the meaning of the veneration of relics in the Orthodox Church, one must first of all turn to the etymology, the origin of the Russian word “relic” itself. This word comes from the word “power”, “strength”. This root is found in all Indo-European languages: German “Macht” - “strength, power”, Greek “MAYOC” - “magician, sorcerer”, literally “powerful” (the Magi are named in the Gospel with this word). That is, we worship and receive grace not from dead bones, but from the power of God, the bearer of which is this or that saint of God. The same thing happens with the veneration of icons: we do not worship wood or paints, but the depicted saint, who is our representative before God and conveys to God both our kissing and our prayer. The grace and help of God are inherent in the saints even during their lifetime. But even after death, the effect of holiness remains in their honest remains. Indeed, in the Orthodox understanding, the body is as necessary in the human composition as the soul. The Lord created us in three parts: body, soul and spirit. And among saints, the body is no less holy than the soul and spirit. Through our prayer to the saint and to the Lord, this grace can assist and help us. And it should be noted that not only the relics of saints are a source of blessed power, but also what remains of them: icons, personal belongings, etc. It is known, for example, that the mantle of St. Seraphim was miraculous and healed. The very churches and monasteries where the saints labored and prayed, their preserved vestments or liturgical vessels on which they celebrated the Eucharist, their grave cloths, coffins and shrines - all this is imbued with grace.

Where and how are the relics of saints kept?

Because the remains have such miraculous properties, they are not buried.

the remains of a righteous person are found somewhere , they are transferred to the temple. At the same time, a whole ritual is performed and this is called “finding the relics.” Then they are placed in a box called “raka”.

Sometimes the relics are displayed, especially on major religious holidays, so that people can honor them. In this case, a special box is made from expensive trees and precious metals, shaped like a coffin. It is decorated with beautiful fabrics. The relics should be in every Orthodox church. Since worship can only be held where there is power. This was introduced in the seventh century. It is as if the service is taking place in the presence of saints . To do this, the relics can be divided into particles so that there is enough for all places of worship. People believe that no matter whether it is a whole part or a particle, divine power and grace are equally present there.

Conversation about relics and their crushing

The bringing of a particle of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from Italy to Russia once again stirred up conversations regarding the veneration of the relics and, in particular, the legality of their fragmentation. We have collected some of the most frequently asked questions from our readers and forwarded them to Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin, professor, doctor of church history, teacher of canon law at the Moscow Theological Academy and Sretensky Theological Seminary.

Reliquary with particles of saints' relics

— Father Vladislav, if the veneration of holy relics usually does not raise questions in the Orthodox community, then the practice of crushing them may seem strange to someone. Doesn't it contradict dogma?

- It doesn’t contradict at all. In the Ancient Church, during the era of persecution, the custom developed of celebrating the Eucharist on the relics of martyrs. The colossal increase in the number of churches after the Edict of Milan of the Holy Emperor Constantine, while maintaining this tradition, entailed the fragmentation of the relics - so that in each church the Liturgy was celebrated on the relics, and on the other hand, the use in this capacity of the relics of not only martyrs, but also other saints . This is where the antimensions came from, which also, having the signature of the bishops, serve as a kind of “document” confirming that the presbyter performs the Liturgy not arbitrarily, but according to the will of the bishop. By the way, therefore, canonically, a bishop can, if necessary, celebrate the Eucharist without an antimension.

— Is the size of the particle of relics that you apply to important?

— The size of the relics in itself is not important, but the believer’s psychological perception can be different when in front of him are whole relics or only a particle of them. God acts in a way known to Him alone; this action of His is called grace. Relics, according to the oros of the VII Ecumenical Council, are revered on a par with icons, and the action of grace through them is obviously similar to how it acts through icons. When turning to the relics of saints, the most important thing is faith in the action of grace through them, faith in the holiness of the revered saint, i.e. conscious faith.

- Why did many saints categorically insist, even ordered their disciples to throw their bodies after death to be torn apart by animals, left in the forest, etc.? Why did they want their burial places to remain unknown to people?

“The saints who asked to throw their remains away to be devoured by beasts did so out of great humility, considering themselves the worst of people. We are observing a seemingly “ordinary” Christian paradox: the best of us Christians pay attention not to our merits, but to our sins. These are the very ones “of whom the whole world was not worthy,” according to the Apostle Paul.

- Then why did Christians in most cases not fulfill this order?

- Firstly, in relation to them they performed the usual duty of burying their deceased neighbors - this is natural even from a worldly, non-church point of view. Secondly, in almost most cases, the disciples and followers of the saints left their relics to glorify God for giving them such a person and as an example of following Christ for future generations.

Reliquary with the relics of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki
- The life of St. Demetrius of Thessalonica says that he was against the division of his relics.
Once such a ban was received by the Illyrian nobleman Leonty, who wanted to take part of the saint’s relics in order to build a temple for him in his homeland. Another time, the envoys of Emperor Justinian, who wanted to obtain part of the relics of St. Demetrius “for the decoration and consecration” of the newly built Church of Hagia Sophia, were stopped by a column of flame, from which a voice was heard: “Stop and do not dare.” How can this case be assessed? — In the lives of the saints there are a variety of episodes, and they may not always be instructive for us Christians and not in all circumstances. There may be amazing things there that, perhaps, should serve as an example, but only when we soberly delve into the context of events and the spiritual state of people who find themselves in a certain situation. And therefore, what we know from the life of some saint cannot become a rule, mandatory for universal application. Speaking more specifically about the reluctance of the Holy Great Martyr Demetrius to continue to separate his relics, one must keep in mind that, quite possibly, this separation became an abuse, a threat to the destruction of the relics. This also became a spiritual danger, probably for the Christians themselves, the deliverance from which is remembered with gratitude in the akathist to the saint.

But this does not mean that we should draw some kind of universal conclusion from this episode for all occasions: that the separation of particles from holy relics is completely prohibited. In any case, the tradition of separating particles from relics exists, and it is recognized by the Church.

— Does the canons of the Orthodox Church say anything about particles of relics?

— Yes, in the 94th rule of the Council of Carthage, which relates to unauthorizedly erected churches, local bishops are ordered to destroy them if “no body or part of the relics of the martyrs is placed with them.” From this it is clear that “parts of the relics of martyrs” are equated in significance to the bodies of martyrs, and besides, no one has ever doubted the veneration of particles of relics on an equal basis with whole relics.

— How did the practice of crushing relics come about?

“Perhaps the beginning of this tradition was laid by the fact that the relics of saints were divided according to their original state: the saints were executed, their remains were burned - only the bones remained. In the end, there simply arose a need for the relics of saints for antimensions, which made this practice absolutely inevitable, because it is impossible to have entire relics for each of the hundreds of thousands of churches.

Many relics, such as the great Saint Sava of Serbia, were destroyed, some disappeared, were stolen - especially after the IV Crusade, the Ottoman conquests, etc. But the veneration of the saint cannot stop due to the disappearance of his relics. In my opinion, the destruction of shrines and their disappearance should be perceived by Christians as a consequence of us, Christians, unworthy behavior.

Here we must keep in mind one more circumstance: we often see only the external side of what is happening in the Church and the world, but the providential meaning of the events taking place is not always open to us. And we act, perhaps, very self-confidently when we so easily try to find the deep, basic meanings of what is happening.

Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin. Photo: Avdey Pravdolyubov / Pravoslavie.Ru

— You are talking about a reasonable, Christian approach to the actions of saints: not in every situation a certain reaction of a saint, which we know from his life (or even more so from the legend about him), should be a rule for widespread use.

- Absolutely right. It is impossible to derive a general mandatory rule from a single particular case. To be universally binding, an action must be legitimized by the Church. We have no right, referring to certain episodes from the lives of saints, to introduce their reaction to something into obligatory use, without taking into account all the circumstances that caused a certain reaction of a holy (I emphasize!) person. We have no right, say, referring to the hagiographic episode about the slap in the face that St. Nicholas gave to the heretic Arius at the First Ecumenical Council, to slap everyone who disagrees with us, whether fellow believers or non-believers. Making this the norm, you see, would be strange. How many cases have there been when the same slap in the face was inflicted, it would seem, out of “specious jealousy,” but these were frankly bad actions that in no way spoke of the holiness of the “strangers”!

I emphasize the need for constant sober, Christian perception - this applies to the veneration of the relics of saints, and in general to understanding our entire life.

—What is the difference between Christian and pagan veneration of relics?

— Pagan beliefs are very different. There was nothing like the veneration of remains, for example, among the Romans. In ancient Egypt, mummies were artificially made, somehow combining this ritual with a peculiar belief in immortality.

As for the difference between Christian and pagan worship, we should probably keep in mind the same rule that applies to the veneration of holy icons: we worship the prototype, i.e. We glorify God the Creator, who gives His creation freedom and strength to follow Him. We also glorify the feat of those people who took full advantage of this freedom, we ask them to participate in our prayer for the granting of strength to us to go to Christ, to be true Christians.

— As I understand it, your words about the conscious Christian veneration of the relics of saints also apply to St. Nicholas, part of whose relics are in Russia today?

- Absolutely right. The most beloved and revered saint in Rus' should be addressed in a Christian way, right?

Why don't the relics of saints smolder?

From history you can read many cases when the bodies of the deceased were found incorrupt, but in fact, most often these are legends, beliefs, and all this is of a manipulative nature.
It is for this reason that the church decided not to consider incorruption a sign of holiness, but only miracles. But still, there are facts of such cases. Scientists explain this in different ways. Sometimes this happened due to a special burial place, for example, the basements of the catacombs and due to natural conditions, the bodies were actually preserved. But there are also many cases where scientists were perplexed and were forced to admit the peculiarity of the remains of saints. In comparison with the Egyptian mummies, which were fetid, the remains of the saints, on the contrary, were fragrant, and scientists found that this was not related to embalming, especially since the Orthodox Church did not allow embalming. And it was associated with a change in the structure of the body. They also say that every saint smells uniquely!

Of course, Orthodox believers have always believed and will continue to believe that there is, after all, divine intervention. In Orthodox theology, this is described as a sign of the future resurrection of bodies promised to believers.

Another very interesting fact about the Athonite monks. In their faith and tradition, everything was just the opposite. When they buried their brothers , after that they began to pray for them . Then, after a while, they dug up the corpse and checked it. If the body did not decay, this was considered a sign of sin, they buried it again and continued to pray even more for the deceased brother. Then they checked again and so on.

Queues for the relics?

The last issue that I would like to touch upon is the many-kilometer queues that line up around our churches, in particular the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior, when the relics of saints are brought for veneration. How to evaluate this phenomenon? Is it necessary to stand in a queue for many hours if around the relics - and therefore both the temple and the area around it - everything is already imbued with grace? On the one hand, it would seem that it is not necessary. It is much better to undertake a pilgrimage, force yourself to do some work and venerate the relics of the saint where they rest. But, of course, not everyone has this opportunity. On the other hand, turning around the Cathedral of Christ the Savior three times is also work, especially for old, sick grandmothers and mothers. There is another big truth in these queues. These lines are nothing more than a continuation of the ancient Russian tradition of religious processions. The Russian Church has always paid special attention to this form of nationwide prayerful feat. Dozens and hundreds of large and small processions of the cross were held annually in Rus': to the Kursk Root Icon of the Mother of God, to St. Nicholas of Velikoretsky... All of Russia stood up and walked in the procession of the cross. So it is here: when going to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior to see the relics, we should not expect a magical effect from them, but strive to take part in the people’s religious procession. And then standing in line for many hours will turn into real joy.

magazine "Neskuchny Sad"

One of the most revered Orthodox saints

Saint Matrona, or as they prefer to call her, Matronushka . She was a poor peasant woman , also blind, but very deeply religious.
When she turned to the Lord, many miracles of healing occurred through her prayer. Even during her lifetime, crowds of people flocked to her. She also showed the gift of prediction. Matrona spent most of her life sitting. Even when she was sick, she did not stop accepting people until her death.

• Today, the remains of Matrona are kept in the Moscow Orthodox monastery. Because of this, the territory of the monastery is never empty. People constantly come from all parts of the country, creating long queues. They want to touch Saint Matrona and ask her for her many needs.
• Visiting pilgrims is allowed at certain times: from six in the morning until eight in the evening.
• People know and believe that Matrona will help. People turn to her for intercession, solving problems with health, in business, in personal life, in infertility . They also ask when something is missing and needs to be found.
• People are taught how to pray correctly. You need to start with certain words: “Oh, blessed mother Matrona” or “Holy righteous old woman Matrona, ask God for us”
• You also need to know how to kiss Matrona’s body. To express their respect to her, they first take off their outer clothing and leave their things and bags behind. Then you need to calm down and concentrate on prayer, then cross yourself twice, bow the same amount, and now they apply their lips to the shrine. After this, you need to be baptized again and bow. You need to bow low until your hand touches the ground.
• People carry fresh bouquets of flowers in large numbers, so the area around the crayfish is always buried in flowers. These flowers are not thrown away, but are distributed to people one at a time, the rest are dried and stored. You can bring roses, carnations, any flowers, but lilacs and chrysanthemums, only white ones and you can also bring red tulips.
• Many people talk about their experiences that when they approach Matrona and pray, they immediately feel whether there is an answer or not. Peace comes to your soul, which means the request is accepted, or you feel rejected, which means it’s not. But everyone knows and believes that Matrona wants to help everyone. And if a negative feeling arises, you need to think that maybe the request is not a need. Maybe this request is sinful or out of spite.
• During her lifetime, Matrona taught: “You need to trust God’s will, the Lord will arrange everything!”

“The holy cave reveals your relics”

Nearby caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The relics of St. Grave Digger's Mark

If in the second week of Great Lent the Council of all the venerable fathers of the Kiev Pechersk, resting in the Near (Rev. Anthony) and Far (Rev. Theodosius) caves, is celebrated, then there are also separate “cave” venerations: say, on October 11, according to the new style, the Council of the Reverends is especially venerated fathers of Kiev-Pechersk, resting in the Near Caves.

In general, the host of Russian Kiev-Pechersk elders from different centuries amazes with its abundance. This is truly a spiritual army, our heavenly defenders, who, after their earthly death, continue to spiritually stand for Rus' in Heaven.

The year of foundation of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery is considered to be 1051, when, according to most researchers, the Monk Anthony settled in one of the Varangian caves, which form part of the current Far Caves. Later, the monk Theodosius joined St. Anthony. Both saints are the founders of all Russian monastic asceticism.

The relics of St. Anthony of Pechersk remain hidden. It is believed that the founder of the monastery himself did not want to open his honest relics for discovery.

The relics of St. Anthony of Pechersk remained in a hidden place. It is believed that the founder of the monastery himself did not want to open his honest relics for acquisition. Meanwhile, in the most ancient versions of the Kiev-Pechersk Patericon, even the fact that the relics of the monk were “under cover” is not mentioned. The legend about the inaccessibility of the ascetic’s relics, confirmed by special signs, is reflected in another, many-forgotten document. This is the diary of the German ambassador E. Lyasota, who visited Kyiv and examined the Lavra caves in 1594. The monk accompanying Lyasota told the guest that before his death, the Monk Anthony taught the brethren edification, and then headed deeper into the cave. At that moment the earth collapsed between the ascetic and his disciples. When the monks tried to dig out the rubble, fire and water rushed out to meet them.

Nearby caves. By Abraham van Westerveld, 1651

In the Near (Antoniev) caves rest the holy relics of seventy-three ascetics of Orthodoxy (and in the Far Caves, Feodosiev, forty-eight; the Council of the Reverend Fathers of the Kiev-Pechersk, resting in the Far Caves, celebrates the saints of God, who labored mainly in the XIII-XV centuries.)

Holy relics are kept in wooden or metal crayfish, as well as “shutters” - ancient burial niches. In some shrines, the hands of the saints are left uncovered, clearly indicating incorruption.

In 1760, a stone church was built over the Near Caves in honor of the Exaltation of the Life-Giving Cross. It is believed that the canon for the reverend fathers resting in the Near Caves was compiled by St. Demetrius, Metropolitan of Rostov (it is known that the saint owns the Second Canon of the service to St. Anthony and Theodosius on September 2/15).

Holy Cross Church and bell tower at the Near Caves of the Lavra

There are legends about the length of the Lavra caves. They talk and write a lot about the underground passages connecting the Lavra with other monastic caves in Kyiv, Chernigov, and almost the Pskov-Pechora and Pochaev monasteries. Indeed, the total length of the dungeons existing under the Lavra is enormous. But the Lavra is connected with the rest of the underground abodes of Rus' only by the continuity of the tradition of monastic cave dwelling. The Lavra dungeons are divided into four types: the caves themselves, which served as the dwelling of ascetics, a monastic cemetery and a place of pilgrimage; secret passages under the fortifications surrounding the monastery; utility cellars, sometimes having many compartments and floors; engineering communications - heating and drainage channels.

By the time of the October Revolution of 1917 and the installation of godless power in the Near and Far Caves of the Lavra, pilgrims could see 118 tombs with the relics of saints resting in them. A modern poet writes about the Near Caves:

Where are the hardworking Abraham, the miracle worker Isaiah and Pimen the faster, the fragrant flower, and Sylvester, and Niphon, who was the bishop of Novgorod, the martyr Kuksha, and also Macarius, who remember “those times”; and further away - Theophilus, Alexy, Sirig Meletius, Ephraim the eunuch, a smart dove, feeding on the word of God more than meat; Spyridon, the gentle Krin, and Nicodemus the victorious, Elijah of Murom, the invincible warrior, who has an ulcer in his hand from weapons, and other brothers, also Luke the economist, Elladius, Sisoi, Onesimus...

The incorrupt relics of Ilya Muromets in the Near Caves

In addition to the Lavra ascetics, the Cathedral of the Venerable Pechersk included some saints whose earthly life was not connected with the Lavra, but whose relics ended up here under different circumstances. This is due to the fact that the veneration of the Pechersk saints has always been closely connected with the Lavra caves as the place of heroic deeds and the residence of the relics of most saints.

However, when the Council of Pechersk Saints was mentioned, many other, very famous ascetics of Rus' who temporarily lived in the Lavra were not included in the latter. These are saints Serapion of Vladimir, Stefan Makhrishchsky, Kosma Yakhromsky, Athanasius of Brest, Macarius of Ovruch, Theodosius of Chernigov, Demetrius of Rostov, John of Tobolsk, Innocent of Irkutsk. Some researchers have reason to assert that these ascetics can also be called Kiev-Pechersk monks. The “Canon” compiled in 1643 by the Monk Pechersky includes ten more bishops of ancient Russian times who came from the Lavra to the Council.

It should be taken into account that by 1917, some saints were forgotten, whose relics were mentioned on the plans of the caves of the 17th century, but then were hidden. They rarely remember the fact of the burial in the caves of the holy Bishop Dionysius of Suzdal, tonsured by the Lavra, noted in the chronicles.

In the 20th century, a number of other Lavra ascetics were canonized: the holy metropolitans Peter Mohyla, Paul of Tobolsk, Philaret (Amphiteatrov), Vladimir (Epiphany), Saints Dosithea, Theophilus, Parthenius, Paisius, Alexy, Jonah of Kiev, Paisius Velichkovsky and Kuksha Odessa, of which the first four rest in the Lavra, and the rest, except the last two, within Kyiv.

Pechersk ascetics. Painting of the Trinity Gate, the main entrance of the Lavra

It is also noteworthy that today, as before 1917, the icons of the Cathedral of Saints of the Pechersk also depict the holy princes Vladimir, Boris and Gleb, the holy princess Olga, as well as the holy great martyr Barbara (+ about 306; memory December 4/17), whose honorable relics rest in the Kiev Vladimir Cathedral, built by the entire people of the Russian Empire for the 900th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus', that is, by 1888, but since the early 1990s, unfortunately, captured by the self-saints of the anathematized Filaret Denisenko (“ Kyiv Patriarch Filaret).

The desire to glorify all the most revered Kyiv saints on one icon is understandable. The head of Saint Prince Vladimir was actually in the Lavra from the 1630s to the 1930s. The finger of St. Archdeacon Stephen has also been kept here since the 18th century. At the end of the 19th century, it was suggested that one of the myrrh-streaming heads located in the caves belongs to St. Clement, Pope of Rome, and was brought to the Lavra in ancient Russian times.

Thus, in general, the Council of Pechersk Reverends today numbers more than 160 names of ascetics, from whose lives one can study the history of Orthodoxy from the Nativity of Christ until the 1960s, who asceticised from Jerusalem to St. Petersburg and from Rome to Siberia.

Of course, even today not all the names of the venerable fathers of the Kiev Caves are known. In the ikos of the service for September 28/October 11, it is said this way: “Praise one by one who can Thy saints, O Good One, I will honor them and they will multiply more than the sand. But Lord Christ Himself, count the multitude of stars and give names to everyone, show them our prayers.”

* * *

The monk Dionysius, entering the caves on Easter, exclaimed: “Christ is risen!” and heard in response from the underground nooks where the holy relics rested: “Truly he is risen!”

The Tale of Bygone Years in Glagolitic

Many miracles accompanied the lives of these great ascetics of the Russian Church, and many miracles shone forth even after their death. The story of the Monk Dionysius, nicknamed Shchepa, is striking, who was charged with caring for the honest relics of the saints resting in the Near Caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. One day on Easter, entering the caves with a censer, the monk Dionysius exclaimed: “Christ is risen!” and suddenly received from various underground nooks, where the holy relics of the fathers rested, a response due to the rank: “Truly he is risen!” Our contemporary ends this amazing story like this:

And again the silence of silence spilled into the underground - a crown of silence. Dionysius bowed to the living coffins with emotion in his veins and closed his lips - right up to the days of his death, because he was unable to add a single word.

And let us think, brethren: indeed, it is absurd to say, since you have sensed the glory of the Lord with your hearing vision... This is how, says the Patericon, Father Dionysius Shchepa was awarded wisdom in the holy mountain of Kiev,

that he then hid in seclusion, so that later he would die there, without exchanging a word with anyone. It was in the year one thousand four hundred and fifty-three after the Nativity of Christ.”

Nestor the Chronicler, author of The Tale of Bygone Years. M. Antokolsky. 1871

And Dionysius himself rested in the Near Caves.

One of the most famous monks buried in the Near Caves is Nestor the Chronicler, who left us “The Tale of Bygone Years” (otherwise the monument is called “The Chronicle of Nestor”) - the most famous of the ancient Russian chronicle works (XII century), describing mainly the history of the Eastern Slavs. The narrative begins with the Flood and covers historical and semi-legendary events that took place in ancient Rus'. In general, “The Tale of Bygone Years” is the work of several monks of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

* * *

Ilya Muromets is not only the conqueror of the enemies of the Russian Land, but also a spiritual warrior who acquired the light of Christ in monastic work

Ilya Muromets’s son Ivanovich (December 19/January 1), the most famous and most mysterious hero of the Russian epic and Russian spiritual history, also rests in the caves. This is not only a character in many epics and legends and the personification of a feat of arms, the conqueror of hitherto invincible enemies of the Russian Land, but also a spiritual warrior who acquired the light of Christ in monastic work. Ilya Muromets, nicknamed Chobotok (there is a legend that in one of the battles he defeated enemies with his shoes), lived in the 12th century and died as a monk of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra around 1188. The Orthodox Church canonized the monk Elijah in 1643.

Reconstruction based on the skull of St. Ilya (Muromets)

The heroic deeds of Ilya are sung in the Kiev cycle of epics: “Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber”, “Ilya Muromets and the Poganous Idol”, “The Quarrel of Ilya Muromets with Prince Vladimir”, “The Battle of Ilya Muromets with Zhidovin”. When in Soviet times scientists decided to subject the relics of the Pechersk saints to research, the most amazing data was discovered specifically about Saint Elijah of Muromets. Even what was previously considered an epic myth turned out to be true.

In 1990, a student of the famous anthropologist M. M. Gerasimov, S. Nikitin, using the teacher’s methodology, using a plaster copy of the front part and an x-ray of the head, recreated the appearance of the “thief Ilya” from the Near Caves of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra.

* * *

Honoring the memory of the saints of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, Orthodox Christians sing:

Not a stormy sea, but a holy cave reveals your relics, like precious beads, saints of God, and you enrich the outpouring of miracles with all those who come to you with faith, as from here they extol the Lord with praises forever...

Holy Fathers of Kiev-Pechersk, pray to God for us!

What significance does the veneration of holy relics give to people?

1. Moral significance and influence on the souls of living people, as it reminds of the personality of the righteous, his faith, and behavior. This encourages people to follow their example and do the same things and feats. An awakening comes in people's minds, especially remembering the great martyrs, encouraging people to righteousness.
2. Significance for worship, making it special, as it reminds that both the living and the dead are one in one Church. That earthly life is not the end. You can look at Orthodox cemeteries and see that the graves still look like thrones in churches. Because earlier, where there were no churches, believers could hold services directly at the graves of dead saints.
3. Of course, the practical significance is miracles . Even in the most hopeless situation , a person has hope for a miracle, through the imperishable source of strength in the holy remains!

Sharing of grace?

Everyone knows such a phenomenon as a “particle of relics”. The tradition of dividing the relics of saints arose at a very early time. Already at the very beginning of Christianization, in the era of Constantine and Helena (and even somewhat earlier), we encounter divided relics. How to make sense of this tradition? First of all, it must be said about those parts of the body that were naturally separated. For example, let us remember the honest chapter of John the Baptist. Here is the already separated part of the relics. But the history of Christian holiness and martyrdom knows truncated heads, and right hands, and other members. Often this is evidenced by ancient documents - primarily the lives of saints, going back to the records of notaries - officials who were present at each torment, as well as to eyewitness accounts. For example, in the life of St. Adrian and Natalia are told that Natalia, who was present at the martyrdom of Adrian, after the execution, as soon as the saint’s arms and legs were cut off, before anyone noticed, she hid his right hand - in order to save, to preserve at least something of the saint’s remains. Then, when his relics were transported to Constantinople, she brought her hand there too.

The phenomenon of the division of relics lies in the fact that it is not the body itself, not the remains themselves, that are the bearer of grace, but the power of God living in them. And this force is indivisible and, accordingly, is equally present in all parts. That is, one finger of a saint is no less holy than his hand, foot, head or whole body. Let us remember the words of the Apostle Paul: “The eye cannot say to the hand: I have no need of you; or also head to feet: I have no need of you... Therefore... if one member is glorified, all members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:21,26). So, no matter how small the relics are crushed into, their grace is not diminished by this. For example, His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem still takes particles of the Life-Giving Cross, divides them and still gives them as a blessing to churches and monasteries.

Christians have always sought to preserve at least something from the holy saint, especially the martyr. True, it must be admitted that the pious tradition has been repeatedly used by unscrupulous people. Back in the 19th century, drops of the Blood of Christ, drops of the Milk of the Virgin Mary, and other “shrines” were sold to our poorly educated pilgrims in the east. But the need for sharing relics is also a liturgical need of the Church. Each church has an antimension - a platform on which the liturgy is performed. And a piece of relics is necessarily sewn into each antimension. The fact is that for the initial liturgies, the gravestones on the relics of the martyrs served as the throne. And subsequently, “anti-minsa” began to be used, that is, “instead of a throne” with particles of relics.

In anti-religious literature, blasphemous assumptions have been made more than once that, supposedly, if you collect all the revered particles of saints, then maybe some of them will have several arms or legs. This, of course, is completely untrue. Because if you really collect and count these shrines, it turns out that there are actually very few of them! For example, we say: the right hand of John the Baptist. But in fact, the right hand is made of silver or gold, and literally one finger or even one phalanx of the Forerunner can be placed in it. The same is true with many other relics. The bodies of martyrs were often thrown to be torn to pieces by beasts; the remains of others were deliberately destroyed and hidden by the persecutors in order to prevent veneration. In addition, many saints were burned at the stake or thrown into the sea, and their relics were lost.

Archive number No. 37 (779) dated September 15, 2009 - Planet of Mysteries

FAITH

One of the traditions of Orthodoxy is the veneration of the relics of saints. According to the teachings of the Christian Church, they are carriers of grace-filled powers that can be given by God to believers through the remains of saints. At the same time, it is believed that they do miracles not on their own and not according to the merits of the deceased. The benefits of power are poured out on the worthy, true believers.

Heal the sick, cast out demons

Narrating about the miraculous power of the holy relics, Saint Ephraim the Syrian says about the holy martyrs: “Even after death they act as if they were alive - they heal the sick, cast out demons and, by the power of the Lord, repel every evil attack of theirs. After all, the miraculous grace of the Holy Spirit is always present in holy relics.”

According to the teachings of the church, when a particle is separated from the relics, grace does not decrease. A particle is the same vessel of the Holy Spirit as whole relics. Their separation was initially caused by the need to be located in new churches to perform the liturgy.

It is believed that supernatural grace chooses as the instrument of its saving actions on believers not only the relics themselves, but also the various clothes that were on them, the shrines of the relics, and the ashes surrounding the shrine. Therefore, even the things of saints from ancient times were the subject of reverent veneration by believers. At all times, Christians piously preserved and revered any remains of saints, even those preserved in the form of bones, dust or ashes, which were also called holy relics.

Jerome the Blessed wrote that the highly revered relics of the prophet Samuel existed in the form of dust, and the relics of the apostles Peter and Paul - in the form of bones. Most of the ancient saints suffered martyrdom, often consisting of burning or being torn to pieces by beasts.

At the beginning of the 20th century, during the preparation for the canonization of Seraphim of Sarov, from whose remains only bones were found, a number of believers doubted his holiness. The Church began explanatory work on the issue of incorruptible relics. Metropolitan Anthony (Vadkovsky) of St. Petersburg publicly announced that the incorruption of relics is not one of the grounds for canonizing a saint.

In the “Handbook for clergy and clergy,” published in 1913, the authors considered it necessary to provide the first paragraph of the Act on the canonization of Seraphim of Sarov (1903) with a lengthy commentary explaining the position of the Russian Church on the issue of the incorruptibility of relics: “Some argue that the relics of saints are always and they certainly are completely incorruptible, that is, completely whole, in no way destroyed and undamaged bodies. But the understanding of the word “relics” necessarily in the sense of the whole body, and not its parts and mainly bones, is incorrect and leads to disagreement with the Greek Church, since the Greeks do not at all preach the doctrine that relics mean the whole body, and the relics of the greatest part of the saints in Greece and the East (as well as in the West) they are bones.”

The incorruption of relics is not a mandatory requirement for the canonization of saints and gained significance in a relatively late era, especially in the Russian Church. Even in the presence of an incorruptible body, when deciding on canonization, greater attention is given to the facts of the presence of miracles through prayers to the ascetic. In their absence, canonization does not take place.

Forms of storage of relics

The reliquary is a small box in which particles of the relics of one saint or several at the same time can be placed. The relics in the reliquary are placed under the altar of an Orthodox church when it is consecrated by the bishop. Other relics associated with the life of the saint (clothes, particles of the coffin) can also be placed in the reliquary. Arks are often made of precious metals, some of them are significant pieces of jewelry (for example, the Ark of Dionysius). The arks with especially revered shrines are carried by the clergy on their heads.

Raka is a metal or wooden coffin where the relics are placed. When they are opened for worship, they are dressed in clothing according to their status as a saint. Crayfish can be made from precious metals, decorated with casting (carving) and precious stones. A canopy (canopy) can be erected over the crayfish. On the day of remembrance of the saint, the relics in crayfish can be solemnly taken out of the temple and participate in the procession.

“Under a secret” is a form of storing relics in tightly sealed reliquaries when they are not opened for worship. In ancient times, temples were built on relics “under cover.”

Reliquaries can be of various shapes. These include encolpions and pectoral crosses, with particles of relics embedded in them. Often in small reliquaries, a particle of the relics is placed in the icon of the saint. When a particle of relics is placed in a reliquary, it is filled with wax, which protects it from falling out or being damaged.

The relics were also placed in small objects of decorative and applied art: some bishops had a piece of the saint’s relics embedded in a panagia, cross or ring.

Kursk residents can venerate the relics of Ilya Muromets

In every Orthodox church there are relics of saints, which are placed under the altar in a special reliquary (if the church is consecrated by a bishop) or placed in the antimension (when the church is consecrated by a priest). Many Kursk churches also have icons with reliquaries built into them.

In the Znamensky Cathedral you can venerate the relics of Seraphim of Sarov and the holy blessed elder Matrona. She was canonized for local church veneration in Moscow and the Moscow diocese. Her relics were transferred to the capital's Intercession Monastery, where they still rest in one of the churches. The blessed one predicted that after her death, “in many years people will learn about me and will come in crowds for help in their sorrows and asking the Lord God to pray for them, and I will help everyone and hear everyone.”

Among other troubles and illnesses in life, they pray to Matrona for healing from alcoholism, smoking, and drug addiction. It is customary to come to Matrona with flowers. After consecration, the petals can be brewed into tea, added to food, carried with you, or applied to sore spots. A piece of the relics of the old woman is also in the house church in honor of St. John the Theologian in the monastery of the Znamensky Monastery of Kursk in the Znamenskaya Grove tract. Particles of the relics of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk, the saint of God St. Elijah of Muromets, and the holy noble prince Oleg of Bryansk are also kept there.

Tikhon of Zadonsk was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1861. His memory is celebrated on August 26. It is especially customary to pray to St. Tikhon for the healing of mental illnesses: depression, alcoholism, insanity, demon possession.

The saint of God, the Venerable Elijah of Muromets, nicknamed Chobotok, lived in the 12th century and died as a monk of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra around 1188. Memory according to the church calendar is January 1. Ilya Muromets was officially canonized in 1643. The Russian army considers the holy hero their patron.

Oleg Romanovich (baptized Leonty) - Prince of Bryansk, son of Roman Bryansk, grandson of Mikhail Vsevolodovich of Chernigov. Mentioned in the Galicia-Volyn Chronicle in 1274 as a participant in the campaign against Lithuania. In 1286 he took part in his father’s unsuccessful campaign against Smolensk. He left his reign and took monastic vows with the name Vasily in the Bryansk Peter and Paul Monastery, giving up the throne to his brother Mikhail. Canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church as Saint Oleg Bryansky. On August 10, 1995, thanks to the efforts of search engine specialists, the relics of the holy prince were rediscovered.

Pieces of the relics of Seraphim of Sarov are in several churches in Kursk. In addition to Znamensky, this is the Sergius-Kazan Cathedral, the Resurrection-Ilyinsky Church, as well as the temple in the name of St. Seraphim of Sarov and the saints who shone in the land of Kursk in the Railway District.

In the Sergius-Kazan Cathedral you can venerate the icon of Sergius of Radonezh with the relics of the saint. On the second floor there is a shrine containing the relics of more than 40 saints. Among them are Equal-to-the-Apostles Mary Magdalene, the apostles Andrew the First-Called, Matthew, James, the brother of the Lord, the prophet Daniel, the righteous Lazarus, Anna, Procopius, the Great Martyr Barbara, the Venerable Alexei, the man of God, the noble princes Alexander Nevsky, George of Vladimir, Vladimir of Kiev, the Venerable Zosima Solovetsky, martyr John the Warrior.

There is also a reliquary with particles of holy relics in the Resurrection and Elijah Church. In the Church of the Great Martyr and Healer Panteleimon in the KZTZ microdistrict (it is located in the building of a former kindergarten), a piece of the relics of Panteleimon the Healer is kept in a reliquary mounted in the icon of the saint.

Irina SMIRNOVA

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Relics of Saints Sergius and Herman, Valaam Wonderworkers

The relics of St.
Sergius and Herman are hidden in the lower church of the Transfiguration Cathedral (Comm. June 28/July 11, September 11/24) The founders of the Valaam Monastery of the Transfiguration are Reverends Sergius and Herman. Historical information about them is very scarce. More than once during enemy invasions (XII, XVII centuries) the monastery experienced devastation, and monastic service was interrupted here for many decades. During the invasions, church monuments and monastery shrines were destroyed. The life of Saints Sergius and Herman of Valaam was also lost. There are two opinions of historians about the origin of the monastery. According to one of them, according to church tradition, the saints were Greek monks who came to the possessions of Veliky Novgorod in the 10th century along with the first Orthodox missionaries.

Church tradition and ancient Novgorod chronicles became evidence of the monastic feat of the saints. The meaning of the monastic life of the Monks Sergius and Herman was to enlighten the pagan Karelian tribes with the light of Christ, to establish Orthodoxy in the North of Rus', to found a monastic monastery, which became a stronghold of Orthodoxy in the early centuries of Christian enlightenment. This is evidenced by ancient lives, in particular the life of St. Abraham of Rostov, which tells of his stay on Valaam and the existence of an Orthodox monastery here already in the 10th century.

Ancient Novgorod chronicles report the discovery of the relics of Saints Sergius and Herman and their transfer to Novgorod during the Swedish invasion in 1163-1164. It was then that the local glorification of the founders of the Valaam monastery took place and the beginning of the church veneration of Saints Sergius and Herman within the Novgorod diocese was laid. According to the second opinion, the monastery was founded in the 14th century.

In 1611, the monastery was destroyed by the Swedes, and Swedish colonists lived on the island. In 1685, the Swedes wanted to dig up the relics of the saints and abuse them. A legend has been preserved that during their first attempts, the Lord sent them a severe illness. The Swedes realized how weak and insignificant they were before God and His saints. From then on, they did not even think of touching the holy relics; moreover, they began to venerate them. So that the resting place of the holy saints would not be disturbed, they erected a wooden chapel over it.

Decades later, the chapel, erected hastily in 1685, began to collapse; the wooden cross that overshadowed the grave of the saints was barely holding on to its base. Gentiles began to forget the holiness of the place and the miraculous power that protects it. One of the residents, finding himself on the monastery territory, dared to encroach on the holy place - to overthrow the old cross, but immediately the punishment of God befell him - terrible ulcers covered his entire body, the unfortunate man could not move.

The agony he experienced terrified everyone. When he told his family how and where everything happened, they remembered the holiness of the saints of God resting there. The sick man was taken back to the church, and there, having asked for forgiveness over the holy grave, he was healed. The gentile realized the folly of his audacity and, contrary to the teachings of his faith, became a reverent admirer of the saints. He settled at some distance from the ruins and restored the cross and chapel. It stood until 1717, when, by order of Peter the Great and with the blessing of Bishop Aaron of Korelsky and Oreshkovsky, Archimandrite Irinarkh of the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery began to renew the Valaam monastery.

By June 28, 1789, the treasurer Innocent and the brethren built and consecrated the new cathedral church of the Venerable Sergius and Herman of Valaam wonderworkers, where their relics rest in secret. In 1817, Archimandrite Hilarion of the Konevsky Monastery compiled a service to St. Sergius and Herman, the Valaam wonderworkers, and published it in the Synodal Printing House with an instructive word attached in their memory.

In 1819, on October 20, the Holy Synod prescribed all-Russian veneration of the Valaam saints and determined the days of church celebration of their memory.

The silver shrine, where the holy relics of Saints Sergius and Herman rest in secret, was built in 1823. The weight of the shrine is about 79 kg with full-length figures of the saints forged on the top board; on the sides - images of the transfer of their relics; on the front - inscriptions about the construction of the shrine, and on the back - views of the monastery. The eaves of the reliquary were decorated with four cast forged cherubs and other decorations. In 1896, Elizaveta Semenovna Lyamina presented a silver lid to the shrine, made in the famous St. Petersburg jewelry store Ovchinnikov. The cover depicts the venerable fathers Sergius and Herman of Valaam in the robes of schema-monks. The icon of Saints Sergius and Herman located under the lid was painted in the icon-painting workshop of the monastery in 1882.

In March 1940, the reliquary was transported along with the monastery sacristy to Finland. Nowadays the shrine has been exhibited since 1969 at the Finnish Orthodox Church Museum in Kuopio. In the middle of the 20th century, the lower church of the Transfiguration Cathedral was used as a food warehouse.

In 1989, the first monks installed a simple wooden shrine, upholstered in green cloth, over the relics of Saints Sergius and Herman. In 1996, a new bronze shrine was made.

In 1892, a gilded wooden canopy was erected over the shrine. In 1940, the canopy was completely lost. Work on recreating the carved canopy began in 2007 as part of the Program of the Patriarchal Board of Trustees for the restoration of the monastery. On March 24, 2013, on the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, a new canopy was installed. The canopy was recreated using archival photographs from the New Valaam Monastery

The relics of Saints Sergius and Herman still rest hidden in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Valaam Monastery. Evidence of the gracious prayerful help of the saints is the numerous miracles revealed through the faith of those asking and praying.

The collection “Miracles of St. Sergius and Herman” has been preserved in the monastic archive of the New Valaam Monastery (Finland). It was compiled with the blessing of Abbot Damascus.