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"On Point"
MINSK, 4 February (BelTA) - The famous Cross of Euphrosyne of Polotsk was considered a symbol of the Belarusian land and its people, tour guide Sofia Macharashvili said in the latest episode of the V Teme. Nashi [On Point. The Nation’s Pride] project on BelTA’s YouTube channel.
In the history of Belarus, the name of Euphrosyne of Polotsk is associated by many with the one-of-a-kind Cross created on her order. This relic disappeared many years ago, and its whereabouts remain unknown to this day.
“Indeed, there is a very extensive history connected to the Cross. If only because it was not only in Polotsk itself but was also in Smolensk, Orsha, Mogilev, and stored in museums in Minsk for a time. Then it disappeared somewhere near the city of Mogilev, and that was it,” Sofia Macharashvili said.
According to her, the enlightener created it as a great relic and symbol. “Firstly, it was considered a major symbol of the Belarusian land and its people. Secondly, she believed it would be a relic to which many who revere Orthodoxy would come. And this Cross was brought out for every major service,” she said.
The tour guide is convinced: “We are all very fortunate that a master craftsman made [a copy of the Cross]. It was possible to restore it exactly. The Cross was adorned with pearls, gold, and bore the images of saints. A very important incantation against theft, that terrible sin, was also inscribed on it. It is important that the Cross was restored, and now it serves its purpose,” she emphasized.
Answering the question of how material and spiritual values coexist in the enlightener’s legacy, Sofia Macharashvili stressed that perception depends on each individual’s education and culture. “We cannot impose on others the feelings and thoughts we have. If a person goes to a church, whether near home or having traveled to Polotsk, they go for something of their own. They go to see Euphrosyne’s shrine, to speak with the abbess, and leave with a light soul, with the understanding of having been in a holy place, having touched the relics of that great woman who created such a thing for us in the 12th century. How many people travel to Polotsk from everywhere! From Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, our children, students, and residents of Minsk. Why do people travel 240 km from Minsk to Polotsk? Because it is a patriarch-city, a Mecca-city, a giant city, a passionate city,” she concluded.
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