Editing Alexander Nevsky (section)

==Veneration and sainthood==
{{Infobox saint
|honorific_prefix = Saint
|name=Alexander Nevsky
|major_shrine = [[Vladimir, Russia|Vladimir]]; [[Pereslavl-Zalessky]], [[Saint Petersburg]]
|patronage = Russian Ground Forces and Russian Naval Infantry|feast_day=23 November (Repose)<br/>2 May ([[Synaxis]] of the Saints of Rosand Yaroslavl)<br/>30 August (Translation of [[relic]]s)
|venerated_in =[[Eastern Orthodox Church]]
|image=Alexander Newski.jpg
|imagesize=
|caption=
|titles= [[Grand Prince of Vladimir]]
|beatified_date=
|beatified_place=
|beatified_by=
|canonized_date=1547
|canonized_place=
|canonized_by= [[Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow|Metropolite Macarius]]
}}

The veneration of Alexander began almost immediately after his burial, when he reportedly extended his hand for the prayer of absolution.<ref name="oca">{{cite web|url=https://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/08/30/102424-translation-of-the-relics-of-st-alexander-nevsky|title=Translation of the relics of St Alexander Nevsky|access-date=23 April 2019|publisher=The [[Orthodox Church in America]]|archive-date=23 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423110324/https://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/08/30/102424-translation-of-the-relics-of-st-alexander-nevsky|url-status=live}}</ref> According to Orthodox tradition, Alexander foresaw his death and before this took strict [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox Christian]] monastic vows, called [[Great Schema]], and took the name Alexey.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Святой благоверный великий князь Александр Невский — 800-летие Александра Невского |url=https://anevsky800.ru/%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B4%D1%80-%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9/ |access-date=2025-01-23 |language=ru-RU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Святой благоверный князь Александр Невский / Патриархия.ru |url=http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/908524.html |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=Патриархия.ru |language=ru}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Святой благоверный великий князь Александр Невский — в схиме Алексий + Православный Церковный календарь |url=https://days.pravoslavie.ru/Life/life6392.htm |access-date=2025-01-23 |website=days.pravoslavie.ru}}</ref>

In 1380, Alexander's remains were uncovered in response to a [[vision (religion)|vision]] before the [[Battle of Kulikovo]] and found to be [[incorrupt]]. The relics were then placed in a shrine in the church. Alexander was canonized as a saint of the [[Russian Orthodox Church]] by [[Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow|Metropolitan Macarius]] in 1547.<ref name="oca"/>

In 1695, a new wooden reliquary was made in Moscow, and the relics were placed in it in 1697.<ref name="oca"/> By order of [[Peter the Great]], the relics were then removed from Vladimir on 11 August 1723 and transported to [[Shlisselburg]], arriving there on 20 September.<ref name="oca"/> There they were kept until 1724, when they were brought to [[Saint Petersburg]] and installed in the [[Annunciation Church of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra]] on 30 August.<ref name="oca"/>

[[File:Opening of relics 03.jpg|thumb|left|1922 opening of Nevsky's relics]]
In 1753, a [[:ru:Рака Александра Невского|silver shrine with sarcophagus]] for the relics, made from 90 pounds of silver, was donated by Empress [[Elizabeth of Russia]]. With the completion of the [[Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra]] in 1790, the shrine and relics were translated there at its consecration on 30 August, one of the saint's feast days.<ref name="oca"/>

In May 1922, during the [[1922 confiscation of Russian Orthodox Church property|general confiscation of Russian Orthodox Church property]], the sarcophagus was opened and the relics removed;<ref name="RM">{{cite web|url=https://rusmania.com/north-western/st-petersburg-federal-city/st-petersburg/bezymyanny-island-and-the-south/around-nevsky-prospekt/aleksandro-nevskaya-lavra|title=Aleksandro-Nevskaya Lavra|access-date=23 April 2019|publisher=rusmania.com|archive-date=23 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423110322/https://rusmania.com/north-western/st-petersburg-federal-city/st-petersburg/bezymyanny-island-and-the-south/around-nevsky-prospekt/aleksandro-nevskaya-lavra|url-status=live}}</ref>{{bsn|date=December 2024}} and the elaborate silver shrine was transferred to the [[Hermitage Museum]].<ref name="RM"/> The relics were put into storage at the [[Museum of the History of Religion]] and Atheism, before being returned to Holy Trinity Cathedral in 1989.<ref name="RM"/> On 10 May 2023, the Hermitage Museum and Alexander Nevsky Lavra signed a contract for the transfer of the shrine to Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra for a period of 49 years.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Guzeva |first1=Alexandra |title=Alexander Nevsky's shrine: Why Petersburg relic is leaving the Hermitage |url=https://www.rbth.com/arts/336168-alexander-nevsky-shrine-orthodox-church |website=Russia Beyond |access-date=13 October 2023 |date=18 May 2023}}</ref> On 12 September 2023, [[Patriarch Kirill of Moscow]] placed the relics back into the silver sarcophagus.<ref>{{cite web |title=Patriarch Kirill Places Relics of St. Alexander Nevsky in Newly Returned Sarcophagus  |url=https://orthochristian.com/156012.html |website=Orthodox Christianity |access-date=13 October 2023 |date=13 September 2023}}</ref>

Alexander's principal [[feast day]] is 23 November. A secondary feast day was instituted on 30 August in commemoration of his relics being placed in the Annunciation Church. He is jointly commemorated with other saints of [[Rostov, Yaroslavl Oblast|Rostov]] and [[Yaroslavl]] on 23 May.{{Citation needed|date=November 2024}}

In February 2024, it was announced that the memorial of Saint Alexander Nevsky had been deleted from the [[Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar|synaxarion]] of the [[Orthodox Church of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Alexander Nevsky ejected from the liturgical calendar of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church|date=13 February 2024 |url=https://anglican.ink/2024/02/12/alexander-nevsky-ejected-from-the-liturgical-calendar-of-the-ukrainian-orthodox-church/|access-date=14 February 2024}}</ref>