With the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, the greatest Christian shrine, the right hand of St. Spyridon of Trimifunt, was brought from the island of Corfu to Russia on August 17, 2026, for the worship and spiritual support of the faithful.
For millions of Orthodox believers in Russia, this event will be a unique opportunity to venerate the relics of St. Spyridon, who is revered by the entire Christian world.
The ark with the holy relics will remain in Russia from August 17 to September 20. It will be possible to worship the shrine in 13 regions of Russia from August 20.:
• August 20 — Cheboksary,
• August 21-24 — Kazan,
• August 25 — Diveevo,
• August 26-27 — Nizhny Novgorod,
• August 28-31 — St. Petersburg,
• September 1-2 — Pskov,
• September 3-4 — Smolensk,
• September 5-6 — Irkutsk (a large—scale procession with relics will take place on September 6),
• September 7-9 - Khabarovsk,
• September 10-11 — Chelyabinsk,
• September 12 — Yekaterinburg,
• September 13-14 — Vladimir,
• September 15-20 — Moscow.
"Saint Spyridon, the wonderworker, is one of the saints most revered by our people. The patron saint of the needy and destitute, the speedy helper of the suffering and all in distress, this saint of God responds with unfailing alacrity to every sorrow and sorrow, embracing with his love and care everyone who seeks support and intercession. Spiritual simplicity and sensitivity, boldness in prayer and zeal for the Gospel truth attract the hearts of millions of people to Bishop Trimifunt — and no one leaves him inconsolable. I am convinced that bringing this great shrine and the opportunity to touch a piece of the holy relics of the wonderful saint of Christ will spiritually strengthen our people, confirm them in faith and piety," His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia noted in his address.
The first access of pilgrims to the shrine will be organized in Cheboksary (Vvedensky Cathedral) August 20th. A detailed schedule and time of access for pilgrims in the regions will be published on the website. www.spiridon2026.ru and on VKontakte vk.ru/spiridon2026 .