On the feast of the transfer of the relics of the Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky (1724), on September 12, 2024, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia led celebrations in St. Petersburg dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the transfer of the relics of the Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky to St. Petersburg.
On this day, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill also marks a personal memorable date — September 12, 1971, Hieromonk Kirill (Gundyaev) was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the Annunciation Church of the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
In the upper church, consecrated in honor of St. Alexander Nevsky, the ark with the venerable relics of the blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky, the patron saint of St. Petersburg, transferred from the Trinity Cathedral of the Lavra on September 12, 2023, rests in a historical silver shrine.
In the temple, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill worshiped the relics of the holy prince.
The clergy of St. Petersburg and Moscow concelebrated with His Holiness at the Liturgy.
During the Liturgy, the abbess of the St. John's Stavropol Convent on Karpovka in St. Petersburg, Abbess Lyudmila (Voloshina), with the sisters of the monastery, students of the cadet corps of St. Petersburg, participants of the youth volunteer service "Thousand Friends" of the St. Petersburg Metropolis prayed.
There was a guard of honor in the temple — the banner group of the St. Petersburg Military Order of Zhukov of the Institute of the National Guard of the Russian Federation.
Special petitions were made at a special litany. After a special litany, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill offered a prayer for Holy Russia.
The sermon before communion was delivered by Archpriest Alexander Sorokin, Chairman of the information Department, Secretary of the Diocesan Court of the St. Petersburg Diocese, rector of the Church of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God in memory of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov House, the church of the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia in St. Petersburg.
At the end of the Liturgy, His Holiness was greeted by Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga. The head of the St. Petersburg Metropolis presented His Holiness with an icon of the Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky in a schema and a set of two panagia and a cross.
The Primate of the Russian Church addressed the participants of the divine service with the Primatial word.
As a gift to the Lavra, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill handed over an ancient altar Gospel, as well as a reliquary with a particle of the Honest and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord, presented by the benefactor V.N. Zhimirov. Service books were handed over to the inhabitants of the monastery.
Next, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia led a procession with the relics of the Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky from the Annunciation Church of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra to Alexander Nevsky Square.