The secret tomb with relics of Kyiv Metropolitan, supposed to be destroyed by the Soviets, was found in St. Sophia Cathedral
The relics of Kyiv Metropolitan Raphael Zaborovskyi, which were considered destroyed by the Soviet authorities, were found in the St. Sophia Cathedral, the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy reported.
Previously, it was believed that the relics of the Kyiv Metropolitan were destroyed during the Soviet era, but they have miraculously survived.
During the “Raphael Zaborovskyi era,” masterpieces of architecture were founded, built, or restored in Kyiv. These are St. Andrew’s Church, the bell tower of the Kyiv-Pechersk Monastery, the Old Academic Building of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, the Greek St. Catherine’s Monastery in Podil, the bell tower, and the walls of Saint Sophia, the Zaborovsky Gate and the Metropolitan Palace in the courtyard of the St. Sophia Cathedral.
Now, it is known that in 1937 archaeologists discovered the tomb of Metropolitan Raphael. Items from his burial are now kept in the funds of the National Sanctuary “Sophia of Kyiv.” The study of archival documents left little hope that the relics of Raphael are still in Sofia. After all, the fact of removing the skull and bones of the deceased arcpriest from the tomb was documented.
Till now, it was believed that the bones of Raphael Zaborowski, stored in the reserves of the sanctuary, were destroyed during the Soviet era with the wording “have no scientific value,” but recent research has completely refuted this.
