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MINSK, 7 August (BelTA) - During the restoration and archaeological work near the southern wall of the Transfiguration Church of the Saint Euphrosyne Monastery in Polotsk the archaeologists unearthed a seal (12th century) of Saint Euphrosyne, according to the official website of the Belarusian Orthodox Church, BelTA has learned.

The seal is double-sided. On the one side it has the image of Saint Euphrosyne of Alexandria, the patroness of Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk. She is depicted as holding a cross in one hand. The other hand is raised in a gesture of blessing. According to the associate professor of the universal history and history teaching chair at the Maksim Tank Belarusian State Pedagogical University, candidate of historical sciences Inna Kalechits, there are reasons to attribute the seal as belonging to Euphrosyne of Polotsk. The scientist drew attention to the inscription “Iefrosinia” on both sides of the image. “When they referred to Saint Euphrosyne of Polotsk herself they would write “Ofrosinia” apparently to distinguish between the two. Judging by the surviving piece of the inscription around the edge “unto many years”, it probably read “O Lord, preserve Ofrosinia

unto many years”. The rest of the inscription was deliberately damaged. Perhaps, the blacksmith was not happy with the way the seal turned out, Inna Kalechts said.

On the back of the seal there is the image of Christ the Pantocrator, which is almost identical to the fresco image in the Transfiguration Church of the Polotsk monastery. “This means that this is the seal of Euphrosyne of Polotsk herself and the seal of the monastery,” the specialist added.

The seal was found by Alexander Soloviev, a senior researcher at the scientific and restoration department with the Polotsk Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve. The find will be explored by scientists. “This is a pendant seal. They were usually attached to the documents back then. The seal was found in the arcosolium tomb that was opened this summer,” Alexander Soloviev said.

Another Saint Euphrosyne's seal was found during the excavations in the square of the Saint Euphrosyne Monastery in Polotsk in 2015.