Moscow, July 10, 2024
On July 6, 2024, on the day of commemoration of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God, a relic from Serbia arrived at Moscow's Sretensky Monastery. The hegumen of the Crna Reka Monastery, Archimandrite Andrej (Sajc), handed over to the brethren of the Sretensky Monastery the icon of St. Peter of Korish with a part of the relics as a gift from the Raško-Prizren Diocese of the Serbian Orthodox Church. The icon was specially painted for this occasion by the nuns of the Ulje Monastery and was a gift of gratitude to the Russian Orthodox Church for its participation in the life of the Orthodox people of Kosovo and Metohija.
After the festive Divine Liturgy on July 6, the transfer of the shrine took place. Presenting the relic to the vicar of the Sretensky Monastery hegumen John Archimandrite Andrew addressed a word to the brethren and parishioners:
"Your Eminence Father John, Reverend Fathers, honest brothers and sisters! For me it is a great It is an honor and a special joy on behalf of our Bishop Theodosius of Raška-Prizren, who is the Primate of the Serbian people in the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, to present to you this holy relic icon.
We, as the people of Kosovo and Metohija, have suffered and are suffering a lot, but in our suffering we will never forget the prayerful and material support of the Russian people, and the Russian Church, and especially the Sretensky Monastery. One of our great Serbian poets, Peter Petrovich Negosh, says that in such a difficult situation, instead of saying, "How do you feel?" one should say, "How can I help you?". Our Church, our diocese, our people, and especially Prizren Seminary, where I was then vice-rector - assistant rector, the Sretensky Monastery and the Russian Church helped a lot, and we considered it our duty, our duty to give you something that we consider most dear to us at this moment. And this is first of all our prayers, because we always pray for the Russian Church and for the Russian people, and the relics of St. Peter of Korish, the Wonderworker. I am absolutely certain that this saint is one of the greatest reverends of the Serbian Church and people, whose veneration spread in the Middle Ages and until now, and he prays for the entire Russian people and for you. And as a sign of this, His Eminence Vladyka Theodosius has blessed me, as his representative, to bring you this newly painted icon of St. Peter with a part of his relics.
Many thanks to Father Hegumen, the Sretensky Monastery and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. We very much hope that you will also pray to St. Peter to manifest his miracles in Russia and in your Church. Amen."
Everyone can worship the icon with a particle of relics until July 12 at the Church of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Church of Russia and the Resurrection of Christ of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery from 08:00 am Until 8:00 p.m. tonight.
Prp. Peter of Koriš is one of the most revered and ancient saints of the Serbian Church, whose relics are now located in the Crna Reka Monastery in southern Serbia. He is known for his austere ascetic exploits and numerous miracles that took place through prayers at his holy relics. Every year, the monastery of Crna Reka hosts several great feasts, with a huge number of believers. At the same time, numerous pilgrims constantly come to the monastery to visit the relics with their requests and prayers.
