A particle of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker’s relics will be transported to Russia from the Italian city of Bari where they were kept in the Pope’s basilica, TASS informs. In view of the head of the Russian Orthodox Department of External Church Relations Metropolitan Hilarion, this is the rarest and even unique event as the holy relics had never been taken beyond the city borders over the last thousand of years.
As per the priest, the relics will arrive at the Russian capital on May 21st. It will be stored at the territory of our country until July 28th. Metropolitan Hilarion has added that this agreement has been reached with the head of the Catholic Church this February.
He has explained that the relics are sealed underground in Bari. To get a particle of them to Russia, they had to be partially extracted.
St. Nicholas is one of the most honored saints among the Christians. Annually hundreds of Orthodox believers travel to Italy to worship his relics, however the majority of Russian nationals don’t have an opportunity to do it.
Hilarion has added that The Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill extended hope that the prayer near these holy relics would strengthen the faith in people’s hearts.
The relics will be placed in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow for worshippers. They will be transported to one of the central churches of St. Petersburg in July.
Russkiy Mir
