30 Icons of Alexander Nevsky To Be Consecrated
and Delivered on Board International Space Station
May 4, 2010
On the eve of the Victory Day, over thirty icons of St. Alexander Nevsky will be consecrated in the Moscow Church of this heavenly protector of the Russian army.
Next day after the consecration ceremony one of the icons in a wooden casing will be delivered to the Borodino field (where the Russian army defeated Napoleon in 1812 – IF) to participate in festival events, the Moscow Patriarchate's Publishing House told Interfax-Religion on Tuesday.
On May 6, Thursday, after the festal divine service in the Church of St. George the Victory Bearer at the Poklonnaya Gora, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will convey the icon to the Central museum of the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945.
Thirty St. Alexander Nevsky icons of smaller size will be transferred to the International Space Station. Icons are especially made on fabrics to meet all requirements to space cargoes.
After coming back from the space trip, the icons with special certificate will be handed over to veterans and other deserved persons.