Last week, a unique historical exhibit was delivered to St. Seraphim's Monastery on Russian Island - part of a spiral staircase that once led to the bell tower of the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Vladivostok. A large-scale metal structure with a height of 4 meters, a diameter of 1.5 meters and a weight of about 350 kilograms has been stored at the city's CHPP-1 for almost nine decades. 
As historians have established, after the destruction of the Pokrovsky Temple in 1935, the staircase was dismantled and moved to the boiler shop of Vladivostok TPP-1, the oldest power plant in the Far East, commissioned on February 18, 1912. For many years, the artifact has been used for technical purposes, remaining unclaimed as a historical monument. 
The transfer of the shrine was preceded by an appeal from the Museum of the Primorsky Archdiocese to the management of the energy company. With the blessing of Metropolitan Pavel of Vladivostok and Primorsky, the museum staff asked the CHP staff to consider the possibility of returning the staircase as a historically significant object for future display or use in one of the diocesan churches. The station's management met them halfway, and on July 7, the artifact was solemnly delivered to the monastery. 
The Vladivostok Diocese expresses its deep gratitude to the management and staff of the Primorye Thermal Networks Joint Venture for their active assistance and support in preserving historical memory. 
A final decision on the location and status of the exhibit will be made in the near future. Now all pilgrims have a unique opportunity to see this staircase and touch it directly on the territory of the monastery — the exhibit is located directly opposite the monastery gates.