Russian news-source RIA Novosti reports that relics of St George and a fragment of the Holy Cross have been transferred from Moscow to a cathedral in Donetsk (trans. via Google, tidied up a bit):
“We took them to the holy land, holy relics will remain here forever. We want bloodshed in Donbas to cease, and to be at peace “, Natalia Mezentceva, the vice-president of the Foundation of Saint Boniface (Moscow), which organized the event, told reporters.
Beforehand, the relics were brought to the location of troops belonging to the breakaway Donetsk People’s Republic, where they were venerated by the fighters.
Back in June, the same Foundation arranged for relics to be brought to the Black Sea Fleet, in a ceremony that also involved “Regional Development Minister Igor Slyunyaev, and employees of the Ministry of Regional Development of Russia”.
The Foundation has a website here; it appears to be a charity focusing on drug and alcohol addiction.
The Foundation plans to bring other religious items to Donbas: these include relics of Ilya Muromets, and the Holy Fire from Jerusalem next Easter.
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