The Sretensky Monastery in Moscow received an icon of Saint Peter of Korisha with a relic from the Raška-Prizren Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The sacred item was delivered by Archimandrite Andrew (Saitz), abbot of the Crna Reka Monastery.

The handover of the icon took place during the Divine Liturgy on July 6. Presenting the icon to the abbot of Sretensky Monastery, Father Ioann, Archimandrite Andrew addressed the brethren and parishioners:

“Your Reverence, Father Ioann, venerable fathers, dear brothers and sisters! It is a great honor and special joy for me, on behalf of our bishop, Teodosije of Raška-Prizren, who is the leader of the Serbian people in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, to present you with this sacred icon with relics. We, as the people of Kosovo and Metohija, have suffered and continue to suffer greatly, but in our suffering, we will never forget the prayerful and material support of the Russian people and the Russian Church, especially the Sretensky Monastery,” said Father Andrew.

According to the Sretensky Monastery's website, the icon was given as a token of gratitude to the Russian Orthodox Church for its involvement in the lives of the Orthodox people of Kosovo and Metohija. In 2012, with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, the Sretensky Monastery undertook a project to restore the Prizren Theological Seminary, which was devastated and burned by Albanian extremists in 2004. Funds were collected with the participation of laypeople, parishes, and stauropegial monasteries. This aid benefited not only the seminary but also several other Serbian monasteries.

Saint Peter of Korisha is one of the most renowned saints of the Serbian Church, who lived in the 13th century. His feast day is celebrated on June 18. The veneration of this saint is comparable to the veneration of Saint Sergius of Radonezh and other ascetics in Russia. In his youth, he withdrew from the world and lived as a hermit on the slopes of the inaccessible Korisha Mountain, spending his days in prayer and overcoming demonic temptations. In the last years of his life, a monastic community of disciples formed around him. After his death, he was buried in a cave, and miracles began to occur at his grave.

The relics of Saint Peter of Korisha are now located in the Crna Reka Monastery in southern Serbia. Many miracles are reported to occur at the site of his relics. The monastery hosts several major celebrations annually, attracting a large number of faithful. Pilgrims constantly visit the monastery with their requests and prayers.

Photo: Sretensky Monastery / monastery.ru