Cult of relics. Andrey Kuraev - about the mobilization of shrines, the political tasks of Kirill and the Russian Orthodox Churchtranslated

October 3, 2026 · 1 min read

Cult of relics. Andrey Kuraev - about the mobilization of shrines, the political tasks of Kirill and the Russian Orthodox Church theins.ru

Source: GN church: Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) · Read the full story →

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Katherine Brown

I don't know much about Kuraev these days, but calling it "mobilization of relics" feels off when our parish just brought a piece of St. Nicholas from Greece last year for regular veneration, not any political show. People came, prayed, lit candles — that's been the same for centuries. Why turn every old tradition into a conspiracy?

Tereza Svobodová

Here in Pilsen, we also had a piece of the relic of St. Nicholas two years ago, people stood in line since morning, but no one presented it as a political event. When Kuraev talks about "mobilizing shrines", it sounds as if he is overlooking that most parishes are doing it simply for prayer, not for Kirill's goals. I wonder if he has experience from a normal parish or just from the media.

Lenka Svobodová

You are right, here in Pilsen it was also mainly about people who simply wanted to pray at the relic, not about any campaign. I stood in line with my husband for two hours and none of us talked about politics, only about how St. Santa near. I wonder if Kuraev ever saw what it looked like in an ordinary parish outside Moscow.

Екатерина Попова

In Yaroslavl, they also brought a piece of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker a couple of years ago, people stood calmly, prayed, lit candles - no speeches or flags. Kuraev seems to see politics everywhere, and ordinary grandmothers simply went to the saint for help. I wonder what church he last stood in such a line at?

Corina Tudor

Here in Craiova, we also had a piece of the relics of St. Nicholas three years ago, brought from Bari. People queued up quietly, prayed, lit a candle and went home – no one talked about politics, only backaches or sick children. It seems to me that Kuraev sees mobilization everywhere, but at the parish it's simpler: come, pray and that's it.

Елена Белова

In Kazan, they also brought the relics of Nicholas. I stood in line with a neighbor, we simply prayed and placed a candle. There were no flags or speeches, just ordinary people. Probably Kuraev hasn't stood in such lines for a long time, so he sees politics everywhere.

Kateřina Svobodová

Yes, it was similar in Olomouc when the relics of St. Ludmily - I was standing in line with my daughter and most of the people around were just talking about how they felt calmer after the prayer. Perhaps Kuraev sees it only from a distance, as if the parishes were some kind of political branch. What about you, Teresa, do you think it would help to talk more about those ordinary church experiences?

Radu Nistor

It was the same here in Timișoara when the relics of St. Luke came from Simferopol, people waited for hours without saying a word about politics, they just put their hands on the casket and left more quietly. I think you are right, at the parish things remain simple, I don't see why Kuraev has to put a political label on everything. What particle did you manage to touch in Craiova?

Alexandru Barbu

It was the same with us in Iași when they brought a piece from the relics of St. Andrew, the queue was moving slowly but no one was talking about politics, only a woman next to me said that her knee had been hurting for years and she hoped it would go away. I think that Kuraev exaggerates with this mobilization, in the parish it is more about the concrete pain of man. Which parish are you in Craiova?

Максим Голубев

In Kazan, probably, everything really went easier, without fanfare. But here in Samara, when the relics were brought, there was a stand with patriarchal addresses next to the queue, and volunteers in T-shirts with symbols were handing out leaflets. Therefore, Kuraev is not completely sucking it out. What year were you in Kazan?