Olomouc, Czech Republic, August 13, 2026
Photo: Olomouc-Brno Diocese
Part of the relics of St. Gorazd I, a disciple of Sts. Cyril and Methodius, have returned to Greater Moravia from Albania after 1,200 years, and they’re now resting in the cathedral church of the Olomouc-Brno Diocese of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.
Bishop Isaiah of Olomouc and Brno brought the relics from Albania on August 8, along with relics of St. Angelar, another disciple of Cyril and Methodius. Both saints were laid to rest in the cathedral church of St. Gorazd in Olomouc, reports the Union of Orthodox Journalists.
In a video documenting the moment, Archpriest Alexei Kuchta says the timing coincided with the church’s feast day, calling it a huge blessing from God. He says the moment is a historic one not just for the church and the diocese, but for all of Moravia and the Czech Republic, since St. Gorazd is returning to Greater Moravia after more than 1,200 years.
Getting the relics took a long journey to Albania, where St. Gorazd is buried. Bishop Isaiah says he’d been thinking about the trip for years before finally going, hoping to venerate the relics and possibly obtain some for the diocesan cathedral.
The situation wasn’t simple. The church housing the relics operates as a museum, and the church hasn’t had access to them because of the historical atheization of the Albanian state. Bishop Isaiah says the Albanian bishop overseeing the site told him that in all his years going there, he’d never once seen the relics himself.
Despite that, museum officials ultimately agreed to the request. Bishop Isaiah explains they could see that his group wanted not just to pray but to see the relics themselves, and after much pleading, the officials allowed them to take part of the relics so that St. Gorazd could dwell in their church.
Photo: YouTube screenshot
Bishop Isaiah notes the event is extraordinary for the diocese because they now feel not just the spiritual support of St. Gorazd, but his bodily presence as well.
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