Relics of the Right-Believing Grand Prince Dimitry Donskoy Uncovered

On August 8, 2026, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ celebrated a moleben at the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, where the relics of the Right-Believing Grand Prince Dimitry Donskoy were uncovered during restoration work.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church blessed several fragments of the relics of the Right-Believing Prince Dimitry Donskoy, taken from the relics resting in the sarcophagus by the southern wall of the cathedral, to be placed in reliquaries for the future veneration of the faithful.

At the entrance to the cathedral, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill was welcomed by I.O. Shchegolev, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District; S.N. Udovenko, Commandant of the Moscow Kremlin; Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensk, Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate and First Vicar of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ for the city of Moscow; and Protopresbyter Vladimir Divakov, Secretary to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’ for the city of Moscow.

Upon entering the church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill blessed the worshippers with one of the reliquaries. The reliquary was then placed in the center of the cathedral. His Holiness addressed those gathered in the church:

“Today we shall pray before the relics of the Holy Right-Believing Prince Dimitry Donskoy – a great saint of our land and a great ruler. The memory of the Holy Right-Believing Prince Dimitry is carefully preserved in our Church, especially here, in the place where his holy relics rest.”

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill then celebrated the moleben. Concelebrating with His Holiness were Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensk; Bishop Alexy of Ramenskoye, Personal Secretary to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill; Protopresbyter Vladimir Divakov; and Archpriest Vyacheslav Shestakov, Rector of the churches of the Patriarchal Metochion in Zaryadye, Moscow, and Sacristan of the Patriarchal Dormition Cathedral and the churches of the Moscow Kremlin.

Present at the divine service were V.R. Medinsky, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation; I.O. Shchegolev, Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District; A.V. Eremin, Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Central Federal District; S.G. Novikov, Head of the Presidential Directorate for Social Projects; N.A. Makarov, Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Director of the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences; A.L. Batalov, Deputy Director General for Research of the Moscow Kremlin Museums; and A.V. Gromova, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Foundation for the Revival of the Traditions of Mercy and Charity “Elisabeth-Sergius Educational Society.”

Also praying in the cathedral were V.R. Legoyda, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Church Relations with Society and the Media; S.Yu. Rudov, Deputy Head of the World Russian People’s Council; and employees of the synodal departments of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The liturgical hymns were performed by the choir of the Danilov Stavropegial Monastery under the direction of G.L. Safonov.

Following the moleben, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill approached the opened sarcophagus of the saint by the southern wall of the cathedral and venerated his holy relics.

The reliquaries containing the relics of the Right-Believing Grand Prince Dimitry Donskoy are expected to be transferred to the Cathedral Church of Christ the Savior and several other churches, where the sacred relics will be made available for veneration by the faithful.