Relics of St Luke are brought to Moscow

The relics of St Luke, the Apostle and Evangelist, were brought to Moscow from the Holy Mount Athos on 9 June 2007. Metropolitan Vladimir of Tashkent and Central Asia, head of the Board of Trustees of St Andrew-the-First-Called Foundation V.I.Yakunin and many clergymen met the relics at ‘Vnukovo’ airport.

The St Andrew-the-First-Called Foundation and the Russian Monastery of St Panteleimon on the Holy Mount Athos where the relic is kept sponsored the bringing of St Luke’s precious head to Moscow.

The relics of St Luke were solemnly brought to the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in the evening of June 9. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia who celebrated the All-Night Vigil together with the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church received the shrine with the relics. After the prayer service celebrated in front of the shrine, His Holiness the Patriarch addressed the worshippers, congratulating them with the bringing of the great sacred object to Russia and invited them to pray to the apostle of Christ ‘to strengthen us in the Orthodox faith and heal the ailments of our souls and bodies.’

‘Every time we approach the sacred object, the living witness of the deeds of our Lord and Saviour helps us,’ His Holiness Patriarch Alexy said.

Attending the divine service in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour were the head of the ‘Russian Railways’ and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the St Andrew-the-First-Called Foundation V.I.Yakunin, a member of the Council of Federation S.Ye.Scheblygin, and Metropolitan Vladimir of Tashkent and Central Asia.

Over three thousand people gathered in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and around it to worship the relics.