The icon handed over by Putin was delivered to the positions of the Zapad group – Kommersant

The icon with the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, which was handed over by President Vladimir Putin, was delivered to the advanced positions of the Zapad group. The video with the icon is published by the Russian Ministry of Defense. As reported in the department, the icon was delivered to the military so that “the soldiers would raise their prayers to the Lord.”

“The servicemen of one of the military units of the Zapad group of troops were delivered to the front lines with an icon with the image of the Savior Not Made by Hands, so that in front of this image the soldiers offered up their prayers to the Lord,” the statement says. message Ministry of Defense of Russia.

The assistant to the commander of the military unit for work with believers, priest Andrey Grishaenkov, held communion for motorized riflemen at the positions of the group. According to him, the icon, as a symbol of faith, unity and solidarity, will travel around all the positions of the grouping of Russian troops. “We have a fighter, he did not sleep all night, because he knew that the icon would come. For him, it’s like Easter, ”said the military in the video of the Ministry of Defense.

The Savior Not Made by Hands is the canonical image of the face of Jesus Christ. According to legend, the face of Christ was imprinted on a handkerchief when he wiped his face on it. Vladimir Putin gave it to the military for Easter. In the past, the icon belonged to the Minister of War of the Russian Empire under Alexander III, Peter Vannovsky (1881–1898). It was in a private US collection until it was acquired by the Russian authorities.

In May, the Savior Not Made by Hands gifted by Vladimir Putin transported by units of the Dnepr group of troops.

Anastasia Larina