The Russian Orthodox Church has begun drawing up lists of objects of church and religious heritage intended to be transferred from museums to the Russian Orthodox Church, following the example of Andrey Rublyov’s “Trinity” and the Donskaya and Vladimirskaya Icons of the Mother of God.

This was reported by “Echo,” citing a source who wished to remain anonymous.

According to the source, the list could include several thousand items, primarily icons dating from the 11th and 12th centuries that are held not by major museums such as the Tretyakov Gallery, but by regional museums. The Echo source added that icons from the 19th and 20th centuries could also be included, although such cases would be rare.

“Any museum is at risk of having its holdings transferred,” the Echo source said.

A priest who wished to remain anonymous told Echo that museums and storage facilities hold “many items that were confiscated during the persecution of the Church.” In his view, some objects, particularly those dating from the 19th and 20th centuries, could be returned to the Church if they are items of church furnishings rather than icons such as Andrey Rublyov’s “Trinity.” However, he said this did not apply to ancient icons.

“That is an entirely different matter and a different issue. These objects are of global significance, not merely of ecclesiastical and practical value,” the Echo source said.

Back in 2015, Rosimushchestvo, Russia’s Federal Agency for State Property Management, compiled a list of state-owned properties that could be transferred to religious organizations. The list contained 2,015 properties, most of which were proposed for transfer to the Russian Orthodox Church. Over the following year, the state transferred 133 properties to the Russian Orthodox Church. Rosimushchestvo received a total of 214 applications from religious institutions seeking the transfer of property. The Russian Orthodox Church submitted 90% of those applications.

As LF reported, the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow transferred two treasures from its collection, the ancient Vladimirskaya and Donskaya Icons of the Mother of God, to the Russian Orthodox Church. Religious affairs commentator Aleksandr Soldatov believes the Russian Orthodox Church received the icons because of the military-patriotic associations they evoke.

Earlier, we reported that the “Trinity,” which was transferred to the Russian Orthodox Church in 2023 and placed in the Trinity Cathedral of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, is kept in a special display case designed to maintain appropriate climatic conditions, but the system broke down several months ago.

It subsequently emerged that a copy of the “Trinity” had been placed in the cathedral’s iconostasis at the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.