Polotsk, Belarus, May 5, 2020
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On Monday, April 27, in the second week of Pascha, His Grace Bishop Ignaty of Polotsk led the festive transfer of the relics of Hieromartyr Konstantin Zhdanov from the city of Dzisna to the city of Polotsk.
The day began with the Divine Liturgy in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Dzisna, celebrated by Bp. Ignaty and clergy of the Polotsk Diocese, reports the diocesan press service.
Archpriest Nikolai Voitov, the head of the Diocesan Department for the Canonization of Saints, offered a homily noting that, “Today we are witnessing a very important event for the entire Diocese of Polotsk: The transfer of the holy relics of Hieromartyr Konstantin Zhdanov, presbyter of Sharkovschinsky, from the small but very beautiful city of Dzisna to the most ancient city of Polotsk.”
This year marks two memorable dates, Fr. Nikolai noted: the 145th anniversary of his birth (March 22, 1875) and the 120th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood (April 30, 1900).
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Fr. Nikolai also recalled the circumstances of his martyric repose: St. Konstantin was brutally murdered by the communist authorities in 1919. Guards forced him to dig his own grave and threw him in. They began to beat him with a shovel and cut off his left foot. Then the murderers asked the priest if he had a last wish before he died. Fr. Konstantin replied that he would like to pray, which the guards granted. He was then struck on the head and covered with earth.
His memory was greatly honored by the locals, who petitioned for his canonization for many years. “By the providence of God, Fr. Konstantin became the first New Martyr of the 20th century to be canonized in the Diocese of Polotsk,” Fr. Nikolai said.
St. Konstantin was then approved for Church-wide veneration by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church on March 11 of this year.
“Take comfort, people of Dzisna: Fr. Konstantin will not leave you. Rejoice together with the people of Polotsk and glorify God, Who gave us such a great man of prayer. Pray and imitate the sanctity of the life of the Hieromartyr Konstantin,” Fr. Nikolai preached, comforting the people who were “losing” the relics of their beloved saint.
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Following the Liturgy, a procession took place around the church with the relics of the holy New Martyr of the Belarusian Church and Bp. Ignaty offered icons of St. Konstantin to all present.
His Grace then noted that, following the transfer of the relics to the Theophany Cathedral in Polotsk, where daily services are held, prayers to the great saint will be offered every day.
The precious relics of St. Konstantin were then transferred to Podolsk, a city 30 miles away. Many parishioners came out to greet the procession and their new Heavenly intercessor.
After leading a procession around the Theophany Cathedral, Bp. Ignaty led a moleben to St. Konstantin. The faithful then venerated the holy relics of St. Konstantin, and Bp. Ignaty again offered an icon of their beloved saint to all present.
