Before they just prayed, now we decided to directly ask

What are they talking about in the queue for the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker. Reporting Sasha Sulim

On May 21, the relics of one of the most revered Christian saints - Nicholas the Wonderworker were delivered to Moscow from the Italian Bari; For the first time in 930 years, they left the city. From May 22 to July 12, believers will be able to apply to the ark with the shrine in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. On the first day, a huge queue lined up there-similar to those that stood to the Virgin’s belt in 2011 and the Gifts of the Magi in 2014. The Medusa correspondent Sasha Sulim stood in the many hours of queue - and talked with those who had already bowed the relics of the saint.

The parishioners of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, who had already managed to attach to the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker, sat at two in the afternoon on a curb near the Gallery of the Pushkin Museum. “We stood in line by one of the first,” Pilgrims from the city of Kulebaki of the Nizhny Novgorod region told Meduza. - We gathered a whole bus - 35 people. We left the day before at six in the evening, and at half a night at night we already approached the temple. Previously, we [in line] were only Kursk pilgrims, and Voronezh already stood behind us, ordinary people began to approach from four in the morning. ”

One of the women showed the ancient family icon of Nikolai the Wonderworker, she specially took with her to attach to the relics of the Orthodox saint.

“At half a day we were allowed into the temple, and the service began at half a year, Patriarch Kirill himself led the liturgy,” the husband of another woman shared his impressions. She herself added: “Of course, we swayed during a prayer, turned off periodically - well, nothing, did not fall, everyone survived. I hope everything that you made will be fulfilled. They prayed for the family, for our country, so that there were no wars and epidemics. ”

The Kropotkinskaya metro station closest to the temple was closed to the exit - they even hung a special pointer on the platform: “Exit to the city on special passes”. The police officer could not clarify what kind of passes we are talking about - he only showed the Medusa correspondent a list with the names of those who have the right to go to the temple through this lobby. Representatives of the volunteer organization “Orthodox volunteers” worked next to the police on the platform and at the exit of the metro. One of them told Medusa that they help disabled people and people to go to the relics: “My grandmother had just approached me - completely blind. I asked social workers who are also present here, to help her. ” According to the “Orthodox volunteer”, his wife, a parishioner of the temple in Kurkino Moscow Region near Moscow, was persuaded to sign up in the ranks of the volunteers: “We registered in a group in Vaiber. Today I had a day to be on duty, and my wife was next week. ”

“In the soul of peace and harmony,” the pensioner from Tula at the exit from the temple shared the impressions of the “jellyfish” with the “jellyfish”. However, her Moscow peer came with a different mood. “The press is possible, but I, a seriously ill person, cannot be passed. You’ll get sick as I, too, will come out of here, ”she shouted at the police officer who tried to convince her that the entrance to the temple from the other side today. “You go to the temple! And you have already hit me five times. There is further riot police - you will definitely not be allowed, ”the employee tried to admonish the woman. But the pensioner switched to her colleague, who admitted to her that even “the child-robber was not missed here,” and advised me to go to the end of the line.

Ulyanovsk Orthodox gypsies were also among the first to enter the temple. The Medusa correspondent talked with them when they were photographed against the background of the temple. “We are already in Moscow for a week already, we decided to come to attach to the shrine. Although we are gypsies, we observe all Orthodox holidays. Everything is very well organized here, ”the men said and demonstrated their crosses.

Another interlocutor of Medusa - from Ivanovo - came to Moscow specially to see the relics. “900 years were Nicholas the Wonderworker on our land, how could it be not to come! It is only a pity that all this is very fast, I did not even have time to put the cross. On the other hand, everyone needs to get, ”the man said and went to look for a passerby who would photograph him against the background of the temple.

The crush began already at the entrance to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where parishioners usually buy candles and icons - some took a dozen at once to attach to the holy relics, and then distribute to relatives and friends. The queue was heard in the queue. “Why are you digging with money! - shouted an elderly man who, after some time, added in the same tone: "And not at all, we are in the temple." People with small children (one young couple came with a two -month -old child), disabled people in strollers, grandparents were lost here into an impatient crowd - although there were already a few minutes to the sarcophagus with the relics.

The ministers of the church carefully watched that each parishioner spent no more than a few seconds at the relics - he managed to cross and kiss the glass, under which the relics are in the golden sarcophagus. If someone lingered, he was not sharply, but persistently pushed to the exit. Near the sarcophagus there were also people in civilian clothes and participants in the Orthodox movement “Forty Sorokov” (the special correspondent of Medusa Daniil Turovsky wrote in detail about this organization, read his text here ). One of them, a strong man in a red T -shirt with the image of Prince Vladimir, told Medusa that one of their tasks was to protect the Orthodox churches from “atheists”: “We sow the ideas of Christ. We, like no one else, can ensure security in the temple, we have the greatest experience in this matter. ”

At the exit from the temple, kneeling, a young man was baptized for a long time. Next to him was a blond two -year -old baby, who carefully copied his movement - however, a little later he was distracted by passers -by. “At our place, icons are everywhere at home, as he sees them somewhere, he himself begins to be baptized. Today, Rustik kissed the relics of Nikolai the Wonderworker, ”the man said proudly - the family came to bow to the shrine from Stavropol.

* * *

The entire territory of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, as well as the Simonovsky passage adjacent to Him, and the Prechistenskaya embankment were encouraged by iron barriers along which police officers were located. To get to the beginning of the line, you need to go to the Park of Culture - it was there, near the Crimean bridge, that the framework of metal detectors was set.

“Orthodox volunteers”, congratulating citizens on the holiday, met the framework of the framework of the framework: May 22 - the day of memory of St. Nicholas. When asked how much you have to stand before you go to the temple, neither they nor the police could answer. A one and a half -meter line to the temple was divided into blocks, between which - tens of meters of free space.

“Nikolai the Wonderworker is the most important saint. I think that all believers will certainly come to the temple. Our priest yesterday told us that it is better not to go here on the first day. But, as you see, we are here, ”a man with his family, holding the hand of a seven -year -old son, told Medusa.

A pensioner from St. Petersburg admitted that it was not the first time that she addresses Nikolai the Wonderworker: “This is a saint who can be asked from anything-and he will hear you. Many years ago I asked him for an apartment - we are a military family, but we were not allocated to us. And what do you think? A month later we were given a four -room apartment. I’m sure the time that I will be here is not in vain for me. ”

Many in the queue read prayers, periodically baptized, sang church songs, others spoke by phone or among themselves. Two friends admitted to the Medusa correspondent that they want to get to the relics out of curiosity: “I wonder what influence it will have on your life.” The young woman told Medusa that she was going to go to the Italian Bari, where the relics are constantly stored: “And here it was not necessary to go far. I had a free day and I decided to go. "

The man in a business suit reported that his wife was forced to come - she stood nearby. The woman said that Nikolai the Wonderworker had already helped them, so they even decided to get out of work: "We used to pray before, but now we decided to ask directly."

Sasha Sulim