On the Day of the Celebration of Orthodoxy, March 1, 2026, the charity foundation of the Holy Martyr Boniface donated icons with fragments of the relics of the Blessed Tsarina Theodora and the Righteous John Russian to the Synodal Committee for Cooperation with the Cossacks.
With the blessing of Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk, Chairman of the Synodal Committee for Cooperation with the Cossacks, the shrines brought within the framework of the Patriarchal program "Spiritual Strengthening of the Russian Army" were received by the executive secretary of the Synodal Committee, rector of the church of St. Nicholas of Myra in Zayatsky, Moscow, Priest Timofey Chaikin.
The priest noted that the brought shrines will be available to believers who come to pray at the temple. At the same time, special attention will be paid to soldiers and Cossacks, including those participating in a special military operation. Fr Timofey stressed that defenders of the Motherland, who risk their own lives every day, especially need spiritual support, and that is why icons with relics are so important to them.
The clergyman also thanked Natalia Mezentseva, President of the St. Martyr Boniface Charitable Foundation, for the donated shrines: "With the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, the St. Martyr Boniface Foundation takes care of military units, regimental churches and Cossack units. A large number of icons with fragments of holy relics have already been delivered to various dioceses, military units, churches, including the Synodal Committee for Cooperation with the Cossacks. We thank you for this gift and give thanks to the Lord for His great mercy to all of us."
Natalia Mezentseva noted that the foundation's mission is to support Russian soldiers through the transfer of shrines — icons with relics are donated to military units and other units, as well as to field churches and Cossack societies. At the same time, she stressed that the transfer of the shrine for the spiritual support of the Cossacks was not accidental, because at all times they were brave warriors and defenders of the Orthodox faith.