Relics of St. Tikhon Visit Belgorod, Will Continue Nationwide Procession in Russia

Photo: beleparh.ru

BELGOROD — On July 30, a reliquary containing the relics of St. Tikhon of Moscow arrived in the Holy Belgorod region, where it was welcomed at St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral by a large gathering of faithful. The relics were brought from Alekseevka, marking their first visit to residents of Belgorod Province, reports the diocesan press service.

The relics are traveling as part of an all-Russian cross procession marking the 100th anniversary of St. Tikhon’s repose, which began April 6 in Moscow and will end October 9, visiting more than 90 cities in Russia and Belarus. Fr. Maxim Maruk of the Sergiev Posad Diocese, accompanying the relics, underscored their spiritual importance:

“It’s very important that we pray specifically to St. Tikhon here and now, because he himself endured much during the years of persecution of believers. He endured much, but thanks to humility and meekness he withstood and defended the Church, the unity of believers. There are no persecutions of faith now, but there is another sorrow—this internecine strife between the fraternal peoples of Russia and Ukraine... It was sad to hear from local residents how shelling occurs, how innocent people die."

Metropolitan John of Belgorod and Stary Oskol, together with Bishop Avel of Gubkin and Graivoron, carried the reliquary to the cathedral, where a moleben was served with local clergy. Metropolitan John then led the All-Night Vigil, notably wearing an omophorion that once belonged to St. Tikhon himself.

Photo: beleparh.ru

“St. Tikhon was in America and conducted missionary work there to establish Orthodoxy. His vestments remained there. Once, while serving in an Orthodox church in Boston, people who kept this holy relic approached me and presented it to me, saying: ‘We’d like you to ordain priests of the Russian Orthodox Church in this omophorion.’ Following this covenant, I continue to this day to celebrate the rite of ordination in the omophorion of His Holiness Tikhon, Patriarch of All Russia and Confessor,” the Metropolitan explained.

On July 31, the faithful of Stary Oskol bid farewell to the relics before they were transferred to Transfiguration Cathedral in Gubkin. The reliquary will next travel to Kursk, continuing its journey through Russia’s cities.

Previously, UOJ reported Matthew Namee of the Orthodox Studies Institute recently offered a lecture on the great St. Tikhon, who built Orthodox parishes and promoted English-language church services in the U.S.

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