The Hermitage has given the Russian Orthodox Church part of the tomb of Alexander Nevsky. It will be kept in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. There the cancer will be connected with the relics of the saint. Under the terms of the contract, the relic was transferred for free temporary use for 49 years.
"The transfer of the silver and inner wooden arks of the memorial complex of the Tomb of Alexander Nevsky from the State Hermitage to the Alexander Nevsky Lavra took place," Interfax reports with reference to the museum's press service.
The ark is planned to be placed on the second floor of the Annunciation Church — the same place where it stood before it was moved to the museum. Hermitage specialists will constantly monitor the condition and storage conditions.
It is clarified that the transfer was organized for the day of the transfer of the relics of the Holy Blessed Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, which is celebrated on September 12, taking into account the request of Metropolitan Varsonofy of St. Petersburg and Ladoga and a letter from the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.
According to TASS, the Hermitage handed over an external silver sarcophagus and an internal wooden ark. The rest of the tomb complex, including a five-tiered pyramid, two candlesticks and two trophy compositions of weapons and banners, will be handed over after the restoration is completed.
On May 10, 2023, the Hermitage and the Alexander Nevsky Lavra signed an agreement on the transfer of the memorial complex. Then the director of the museum, Mikhail Piotrovsky, said that, based on the current geopolitical situation, finding the relics of Alexander Nevsky in the lavra "acquires a special meaning."
For the last 100 years, the tomb of Alexander Nevsky has been kept in the Winter Palace.

The Hermitage has given the Russian Church part of the tomb of Alexander Nevsky
09.09.2023, 11:00