Every year on September 12, the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates an important historical and spiritual event — the transfer of the relics of St. Alexander Nevsky from the city of Vladimir to the then new capital of the Russian Empire, St. Petersburg.

Historical Context

Why did Peter the Great decide to transfer the remains of this Russian hero and saint? The decision of the emperor to transfer the relics of Prince Alexander Yaroslavich Nevsky from Vladimir to St. Petersburg was deeply symbolic and politically significant. It was a powerful symbolic move.

Peter the Great founded St. Petersburg on the lands conquered from the Swedes in 1703. The city was built in a Western style. But it needed its own local heavenly patron and spiritual foundation to win over the Russian public and aristocracy.

Peter I’s Motivation

The image of an ideal warrior ruler was something that Peter I wanted to connect himself to. Alexander Nevsky, who defeated the Swedes on the Neva River in 1240 was the perfect choice. This is the very same river that still runs through St. Petersburg today. The emperor and founder of the city saw Alexander as a reflection of victory over the basically same opponent he just defeated in the Northern War. This hero of battle personified valor, wisdom, and defense of the Fatherland.

By transferring the relics of the holy prince from the ancient capital of Russia to the new capital of the empire, Peter emphasized the continuity of his power from the princes of ancient Russia and the divine blessing for his reforms and military campaigns. This provided a spiritual legitimation of his empire for many.

The official order for the transfer of the relics was issued in 1723, and the preparation process itself took several months. The most famous street in the city Nevsky Prospekt is actually named in honor of the relics of the great saint and not for the city’s main river as many believe.

This Medieval Saint is still Relevant to Russians

Just 10 days before the celebration of the transfer of Alexander Nevsky’s relics, there was a massive Christian march though St. Petersburg in his honor on September 2nd, 2025. The city-wide procession had thousands of participants chanting “we are Russians, God is with us!”.

Tens of thousands of people marched through St. Petersburg from the Kazan Cathedral to Alexander Nevsky Square and the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. Among them were hundreds of activists from Tsargrad, the Double-Headed Eagle Society, and the student Fraternity of Academics.

It should be noted that Russia itself began with the procession of the cross in 988, a prayer procession to the Dnieper Baptismal Font. Moscow became the Third Rome, and Russia became an Empire, with the all-Russian crusade in 1525, which marked its victory in the Russo-Lithuanian War.

Today, many see the nation as being revived by these processions like the one to honor St. Alexander Nevsky.