The relics of Prince Dmitry Donskoy have been discovered in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin

During extensive restoration work at the Archangel Cathedral in the Moscow Kremlin, the relics of Saint Dmitry Donskoy, the Righteous Grand Prince, were discovered. The unique discovery was made by specialists while opening up the floors and dismantling brick tombstones in the southern part of the cathedral. RIA Novosti reports this on .

The investigation led to the discovery of three white-stone sarcophagi belonging to Prince Dmitry Donskoy, Grand Prince Ivan Ivanovich Krasny, and Prince Dmitry Ivanovich Zhilka. It turned out that in the 1860s, the sarcophagi had been moved, and Dmitry Donskoy’s remains had been temporarily placed under Ivan Krasny’s sarcophagus to allow for the installation of utility lines.

Experts determined that the lid of the prince’s sarcophagus had sustained critical damage that posed a threat to the preservation of the remains. After receiving the blessing of Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, the restorers carried out the necessary emergency repairs. Experts confirmed that the prince’s remains are in good condition and are nearly complete, with the exception of a single heel bone.

Dmitry Donskoy, who became ruler of the Grand Duchy of Moscow at the age of nine, is known as an outstanding statesman and defender of the Orthodox faith. He was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1988, and his memory has been honored on June 1 ever since.