UOC explains how the relics of Venerable Fathers of Caves are re-clothed

Reclothing of the relics of the Venerable Fathers of the Caves. Photo: Fr. Dimitry Harchuk's Facebook

The Secretary of the Synodal Liturgical Commission of the UOC, Archpriest Dimitry Harchuk, commented on the sacrilegious manipulations of the Reserve with the relics of the Venerable Fathers of the Caves and explained how the re-clothing of the relics has been performed in the Church.

He emphasized that today in the Lavra "an unprecedented blasphemy and sacrilege is taking place: people far from the Church, non-believers, and sometimes even those hostile towards it, dare to move the reliquaries with the relics to places not adapted for their presence and reverent storage, and to touch the exposed relics, contrary to the canons and centuries-old tradition".

Fr. Dimitry explained that annually during the days of the Peter's Fast in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, a mysterious and responsible ritual took place: UOC monks not only maintained the grounds, whitewashed the walls and the interior surfaces of the caves, and renewed the paint on the arcosolia of the tombs, but also re-clothed the holy relics.

"At dawn, around five in the morning, the monks filled with joy and reverence began singing canons and akathists praising the saints, addressing them as if they were alive. Then the monks carefully took the relics out of the reliquaries and carried them through an underground passage to a special two-story building, where the re-clothing took place. There they gently removed the garments from the relics, attaching a unique label to each vestment with the name of the saint written on it. All this was accompanied by prayer," the priest explained.

According to him, the saints' garments were hung on ropes in the open air in a specially designated place, thoroughly drying not only the vestments themselves but also the inner clothing (shirt) that wrapped the relics. Meanwhile, the relics were kept in a locked room where the brethren read prayers throughout the time.

"After the evening service, the monks dressed the saints again according to the established tradition, which had been followed for centuries, in green vestments (the color of the Venerable). Then, the vestments were changed to black or purple before the beginning of Great Lent; later, on Holy Saturday, the black was replaced with the Paschal (Easter) color; and for the third time each year – after Easter, before the feast of the Trinity," concluded Fr. Dimitry.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that in the Lavra, reserve staff tampered with the relics of the Venerable Fathers of the Kyiv Caves.

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