Summary: | The article deals with the role of the sacred objects «keepers» in communication with believers at the earthly remains of saints in the Kyiv-Pechersk large monastery out of participating in divine services at the end of 18th — the first decades of 20th ct. For Orthodox Christians the sainted place became the centre of social system, where prayers and «keepers» of sacred object co-operated. Separately of participating in divine services the «keepers» of relics in Lavra spared attention to communication with believers foremost at the level of caves guide. Not only ordinary monks but also deputy and even metropolitan could execute this duty depending on a situation. Guides were to carry out such duties: safely conduct people from a cave and, probably, to watch after an order round sacred objects. Special monk to the cross of st. Mark Pechernyk, could be selected to help the guide not only for an additional honouring of saint but also in an order to accelerate and more rationally send the stream of prayers. In fact even the placeof implementation of duty was carried for a comfort and for prevention of crush. Duty of celibate priest near shrine can be considered directed on saints and their relics honouring, but not on socializing with strangers. But changing of clothes on the earthly remains enabled the prayers to get «sacred things».
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