Krasnodar, August 23, 2018
rusk.ru A reliquary with the precious right hand of the holy hierarch Spyridon of Tremithus will be delivered to Krasnodar, Russia from Corfu, Greece on August 24, and then to several other Russian cities until October 15. St. Spyridon is one of the most beloved saints in the Orthodox Church, and enjoys a special devotion in the Russian Church.
The bringing of his relics is a testament to the fraternal relations between the Russian and Greek peoples and a response to all the attempts of politicians to break them, Patriarchal press secretary Fr. Alexander Volkov commented today, as RIA-Novosti reports.
The visitation of St. Spyridon’s relics to Russia comes at a time of increased political tensions between Russia and Greece, with several Russian diplomats being expelled from Greece, and Greek diplomats from Russia in response, and Russian priests reporting trouble receiving visas to Greece.
“This event is of great importance for all believers. Anyone who has even the most minimal spiritual experience knows how close the saint is and how quickly he helps in all circumstances… People drive and fly to these relics, which have been a source of help for millions throughout the centuries, from all around the world,” Fr. Alexander explained.
He added that the bringing of the relics of St. Spyridon to Russia will be an “additional factor in the fraternal unity between the local Orthodox Churches.”
“We are grateful to the Metropolitan of Kerkyra that this bringing [of the relics] has become possible, that despite the political circumstances, despite the attempts to break the relationship between our peoples … our Christian relations cannot be broken. Orthodox Greeks and Russians always feel their unity,” Fr. Alexander stressed.
The reliquary will also be taken to Ekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Kemerovo, Tula, St. Petersburg, Tver, Saratov, Cheboksary, and Yaroslavl, and Moscow.
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