The Russian Orthodox Church has sent a reliquary containing part of the remains of Dmitry Donskoy, a 14th-century prince, to Russian forces in Ukraine. Church officials stated that the relic would provide spiritual reinforcement to soldiers and contribute to their military objectives. The reliquary was transported to the Savur-Mohyla war memorial in Russian-occupied Donetsk, where Orthodox clergy and military representatives conducted a prayer service.
Donskoy is venerated in Russian Orthodox tradition for his military leadership, particularly his role in a 1380 conflict against the Mongolian Golden Horde. The Metropolitan Vladimir of Donetsk and Mariupol indicated that the relic’s presence would help soldiers and civilians strengthen their resolve. The church’s statement described the relic as joining soldiers in their current efforts to defend the territory.
The remains were uncovered only recently during restoration work at the Cathedral of the Archangel in the Kremlin. Putin attended the ceremony marking their discovery. The decision to open Donskoy’s tomb has drawn criticism from some observers, including Orthodox priest and historian Alexander Zanemonets, who noted the church had made no prior effort to exhume the remains despite Donskoy’s canonization in 1988. Zanemonets suggested the timing appeared connected to wartime circumstances and efforts to align religious narrative with government messaging regarding the conflict.
The relocation of Donskoy’s remains reflects broader involvement by the Russian Orthodox Church in supporting military operations. Earlier this year, relics of Alexander Nevsky, another medieval military figure venerated by the church, were similarly sent to the front. Since the beginning of the conflict, church leadership has become closely integrated with the military effort, including deploying priests to military units and instructing churches to conduct prayers for military success.
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