On September 9, 2024, the ark with the relics of St. Euphrosyne of Moscow brought to the capital of Belarus.
The day before, on September 8, at the Sretensky Stavropegic Monastery in Moscow, before the service began, a solemn meeting of two arks with the venerable relics of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk and St. Euphrosyne of Moscow to keep. The relics of the Venerable Euphrosyne of Polotsk were delivered from the Spaso-Euphrosyne Monastery in the city of Polotsk, the relics of the Venerable Euphrosyne of Moscow – from the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in the city of Moscow. At the Sretensky Monastery, the Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’.
In the coming weeks, the ark with the relics of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk will be taken to the bishops of Russia, and the ark with the relics of St. Euphrosyne of Moscow to the diocese of the Belarusian Orthodox Church.
The first point on the way of the shrine in Belarus was St. Helen’s Monastery in the city of Minsk. The solemn meeting at the monastery was led by Bishop Auxentius of Nesvizh, Vicar Exarch Patriarchal of All Belarus, who performed a prayer service with an akathist to St. Euphrosyne in Moscow. In the end, images of St. Euphrosyne of Polotsk and St. Euphrosyne of Moscow with a Patriarchal blessing distributed to the worshippers.
The introduction of the memorials is expected to coincide with several important dates, which are celebrated in 2024 – the 25th anniversary of the creation of the State of the Russian Union and the Republic of Belarus, the 920th anniversary of the birth of Saint Euphrosyne. of Polotsk, who founded a female monastery in Rus’, and the 155th anniversary of the canonization of Honorable Euphrosyne of Moscow (in the world – Grand Duchess Evdokia Dmitrievna), wife of Prince Dmitry Donskoy, also canonized by Russian Orthodox Church.
Bringing out the relics of Saints Euphrosyne of Polotsk and Euphrosyne of Moscow is a symbol of the people of Russia and Belarus, united by history, culture, shrines and values. Bringing out the relics of these saints is a visible symbol of the unity of the believers of the two states within the framework of one Local Orthodox Church. The organizer of the introduction of the relics of two great Russian saints – the Venerable Euphrosyne of Polotsk and the Venerable Euphrosyne of Moscow – was the Commission of the Russian Orthodox Church for the Development of Pilgrimage and Shrine Making together with Foundation Charitable Saint Equal to the Apostles Prince Vladimir.
