DAMAGED SARCOPHAGUS SLAB ALLOWS ACCESS TO THE RELICS OF DMITRY DONSKOY

MOSCOW, August 18 /SRNA/ - A damaged sarcophagus slab of Dmitry Donskoy has allowed access to his relics during restoration work in the Cathedral of the Archangel in the Moscow Kremlin, a source from the Russian Orthodox Church told TASS.

"During the inspection, experts determined that the sarcophagus lid of the Holy Right-Believing Prince Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy had two transverse cracks, and that the central part was in danger of collapsing, which would have led to the damage or destruction of the holy relics," the source said.

He added that museum curators received the blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' to carry out an emergency restoration of the sarcophagus.