The Hermitage handed over part of the tomb of Alexander Nevsky to the Russian Orthodox Church for 49 years – Kommersant

The State Hermitage Museum handed over to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) part of the memorial complex of the tomb of Alexander Nevsky. It will be kept in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, reports Interfax with reference to the press service of the museum. The tomb will be transferred to the Lavra for free use for 49 years.

Part of the complex was transferred to the Day of Transfer of the Relics of Alexander Nevsky, which is celebrated on September 12. St. Petersburg Metropolitan Barsanuphius asked about this, and a corresponding letter was also received from the Ministry of Culture. As transmits TASS, The Hermitage donated the outer silver sarcophagus and the inner wooden ark. The rest of the tomb complex, including a five-tiered pyramid, two candlesticks and two trophy compositions of weapons and banners, will be handed over after the restoration is completed.

The Hermitage and representatives of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra are working to create optimal conditions for storing the tomb. Work will continue until the entire complex is completely moved to the Lavra, which is planned to be completed by the end of 2024. The director of the Hermitage, Mikhail Piotrovsky, said that the agreement spells out rules for the maintenance of the tomb, most of which are already being implemented. The condition of the monument will continue to be checked on a daily basis.

The transfer of the tomb to the Russian Orthodox Church for temporary use has been discussed since the 2010s. The Ministry of Culture said that they planned to make a copy of the tomb for the Hermitage, and the original would be transported to the Lavra. However, Mikhail Piotrovsky stated that creating a copy costs about 330 million rubles, and the museum does not have such funds.

On May 10, 2023, the Hermitage and the Alexander Nevsky Lavra signed an agreement on the transfer of the memorial complex. Then Mr. Piotrovsky said that, based on the current geopolitical situation, the presence of the relics of Alexander Nevsky in the Lavra “acquires a special meaning.”

On July 12, the Russian Orthodox Church concluded an agreement with the Tretyakov Gallery on the transfer of the icon to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra “Holy Trinity” Andrei Rublev. It was transferred to the church for free use for 49 years. Now the icon is in the All-Russian Art Scientific and Restoration Center named after. Grabar.

Read more about the transfer of the tomb of Alexander Nevsky to the Russian Orthodox Church in the Kommersant article “State Tomb”.

Lusine Balasyan