Recovery and use of Dmitry Donskoy relics

During archaeological and restoration work at the Archangel Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin, the remains of Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy were recovered. The discovery occurred while workers were addressing sinking floor slabs, uncovering three white-stone sarcophagi. The exact location of the prince’s burial had been uncertain since 1864. Following authentication by the Russian Academy of Sciences, Patriarch Kirill led a service to present fragments of the relics to the faithful.

Following the discovery, the Russian Orthodox Church moved the relics to the Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces in Patriot Park to bolster the morale of troops fighting in Ukraine. The Church and the Kremlin have supported plans to transport the reliquary to territories currently occupied by Russian forces. While the Church held processions in Moscow, various Russian political figures and journalists have characterized the recovery of the remains as a “miraculous event” and a “sign of imminent victory.”

In September 2026, the Moscow Patriarchate expanded this initiative by sending a fragment of the Grand Prince’s right hand—described as the hand used to wield a sword during the 1380 Battle of Kulikovo—to the front lines in the occupied Donetsk region. Housed in a decorated casket under reinforced glass, the relic is intended to be displayed to combat units along more than 1,000 kilometers of the frontline. The Church described the move as a way for the 14th-century saint to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the troops to provide “spiritual strength.” President Vladimir Putin personally inspected the remains in August, describing the find as a “marvellous discovery.” Critics have noted that such actions place religious tradition in service of Kremlin political and wartime objectives.