Sacred Symbol of Unity in a Divided World
The right hand of St. John the Baptist in front of the myrrh-streaming icon of the great Saint
On July 2, the 26th day of the pilgrimage through Russia to which the right hand of St. John the Baptist was brought on June 7, the icon of St. John that is accompanying the hand began streaming the holy myrrh. This miracle took place in the city of Rostov, in the Church of Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God, during the Divine Liturgy. At the crux of liturgical celebration, the Eucharist, the large icon of St. John the Precursor started streaming the holy myrrh in several places upon the face of the Lord's Holy Prophet and around his head.
June 19/ July 2 is the day of St. John Maximovitch the Wonderworker, one of the greatest Saints in the newer history of Church, who was of both Serbian and Russian blood and who, within his person, was embodying and uniting the Serbian and Russian nation.
This is the second miracle that occurred since St. John's hand was brought from Serbian Orthodox Archdiocese of Montenegro, from Cetinje Monastery to Russia a month ago. The first great miracle took place on June 8, when Muscovite Vladimir Ivanovich Mastyukov regained the strength in his lifeless legs and was able to walk again, to the marvel of all the faithful who came to venerate the sacred relic.
His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II meeting the precious relic brought to Russia by Serbian Orthodox Archbishop Amfilohije, along with Metropolitan Vladimir of Russian Church and Metropolitan Michael of Russian Church Abroad.
The holiest relic of the Christian world, the hand that baptised our Lord, has journeyed a long way through history before reaching Cetinje in the embrace of Serbian Orthodox Church where it is kept at present. From Jerusalem the hand was taken to Constantinople from where it was stolen by the Crusaders during the Fourth Crusade, known as the sacking of Constantinople. The Crusaders kept the relic on the island of Rhodes and later, from the mid-sixteenth century, on Malta. During Napoleon wars the general of the Maltese Order handed the relic over to the Russian Orthodox Tsar, Paul I Romanov. The ceremonious transfer of the relic from Malta to Russian Court took place on October 20, 1799 by the old calendar. It was kept on Romanov's court in St. Petersburg from where it was occasionally taken to the royal summerhouse in Gatchino, until the Bolshevik revolution in 1917.
At the outset of the Revolution mother of the Holy Tsar Martyr Nicholas II, Maria Feodorovna, took the relic to Copenhagen and, before her repose, handed it over to the great Russian Metropolitan, Antony Khrapovitsky who brought the relic over Berlin to Belgrade. In Belgrade the holy relic was given as a gift to Serbian King Aleksandar Karadjordjevic, as a sign of gratitude of Russian people and Russian Orthodox Church for accepting a large number of Russian refugees and emigres. The relic was kept in the Royal Palace on Dedinje until the German occupation in 1941, when Serbian King Peter II together with Patriarch Gavrilo Dozic took the holy hand to the Ostrog Monastery in Montenegro for safekeeping. From there, the relic was confiscated by the Montenegro officials in 1952 and taken to the state treasury. Afterwards, it was handed over to the Montenegro Metropolitan Danilo Dajkovic in Cetinje Monastery, where it remains to this day.
Serbian Bishop Joanikije, on the right, speaking about the holy relic in Cheboksary, the city on Volga.
Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church Pavle have blessed the tour of the holy relic through Russian Orthodox lands, which would give the opportunity to all the faithful Russians to venerate the precious relic. St. John the Baptist's right hand will be touring the churches of all the major cities in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine from June 7 to July 16 this year, when it will be returned to Cetinje.
On the occasion of the arrival of the holy hand to Minsk on July 1, Metropolitan of Belarus, His Eminence Filaret said:
The beginning of the third millennium since the Birth of Christ is marked by the new divisions between nations which are apparent today. In this great event of veneration of St. John the Baptist's relics through the lands of our Motherland we therefore recognize the magnificent symbol of unity in the world of continuous divisions.
Three Local Orthodox Churches - Russian, Serbian and the Russian Church Outside of Russia have, through joint effort and prayer, brought about this sacred accomplishment. By paying respect to the shared relic, Orthodox sons and daughters of Montenegro, Serbia, Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are bearing witness to their brotherly union that opposes all divisions which are spreading throughout the world.
His Eminence Metropolitan Filaret has invited the faithful to pray with one mouth and one heart in front of the great and holy relic.
The venerable journey of the sacred relic through Russian lands is devotedly followed by Bishops, Archpriests and Monks of Serbian Orthodox Church from Cetinje. They are present and take part in each service and, through them, Serbian Orthodox Church along with Archdiocese of Montenegro receives the timely and faithful testimony of the events surrounding the holy relic on its journey. There are already dozens of articles available on the web site of Montenegro Archdiocese, Svetigora, but unfortunately, they still haven't been translated into English. This entry relies on the information contained in the articles available on Svetigora web site.