Russian Orthodox Church lost part of St Dmitry of Donskoy's relics during Russian troops' retreat

Loss of the relic at the front line

The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) reported the loss of part of the relics of Prince Dmitry of Donskoy. This portion of the remains, which was considered a holy object, was delivered to the combat zone to boost the morale of Russian military personnel. It emerged that the relic was lost during a retreat near the settlement of Lyman.

History of discovery and transportation

According to agency reports, the sarcophagus containing the remains of the 14th-century Moscow prince was discovered in the summer during restoration work in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. In August, Vladimir Putin personally inspected these remains. Experts noted at the time that they were well preserved.

On 10 September, the Reuters agency reported that part of the relics was being sent to Donetsk. On 6 September, the relic was displayed during an Orthodox procession through the streets of Moscow, after which it was transported to occupied territories. The Russians brought a fragment of the prince's right hand to the front, which the ROC had canonised as a saint.

Intended use and circumstances of disappearance

It was planned that this "holy object" would be transported along the front line, which exceeds 1,000 kilometres in length. The relic was to be shown to military personnel and used during religious events. ROC leadership claimed that the remains would help maintain the combat morale of the occupiers.

Meanwhile, the exact circumstances of the relics' disappearance and their current location currently require further confirmation.