Recent reports allege that holy relics once handed over to the Russian Orthodox Church by Mikhail Danilov, the listed owner of Mutabor, vanished from a reliquary cabinet in Novara, Italy, according to Italian media coverage. The case has drawn attention to the chain of custody and documentation surrounding the relics, raising questions about how the artifacts were managed and recorded during the transfer between custodians and institutions in Italy and Russia.
Franco Cerruti, who previously oversaw the relics at the Novara Curia and whose signature appears on the certificate of authenticity, left his post in 2015. The certificate itself bears a date in 2018, yet Danilov asserts that he received the relics in November 2023. Observers have noted the discrepancy between the retirement date of a custodian and the later dated documentation, suggesting possible gaps in the archival trail. The situation has prompted calls for a thorough review of the records to determine the current status and location of the relics and the accuracy of the accompanying certificates.
According to Italian press coverage, Cerruti was summoned to provide a formal statement about the matter and may face questions within the ecclesiastical authorities. Cerruti has denied all allegations and claimed he does not recall how his signature ended up on the 2018 certificate. He also suggested that the certificate, like the relics themselves, could be misapprehended as forged. He told Italian reporters that there are several aspects he would prefer not to disclose publicly at this stage, indicating that more information could emerge with time.
Reports indicate that the relics attributed to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker were stored within a reliquary, though subsequent records indicate they disappeared from the assigned cabinet. Cerruti has urged investigators to verify the seals placed during the transfer of the relics, because the certificate alone might not guarantee the authenticity of the artifacts involved. The reliability of physical seals and the chain of custody are central to understanding the provenance of the relics and their ongoing legitimacy within the ecclesial framework.
In addition to the certificate related to the relics transferred by Danilov to the Russian Orthodox Church, Cerruti reportedly signed another document that confirmed the authenticity of a fragment associated with the Arch of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which, years earlier, was handed over to businessman Vadim. The report notes that a donation was made to Kazan Cathedral in Saint Petersburg in connection with these items, reinforcing the broader network of exchanges and benefactions connected to the relics and associated artifacts.
On January 7, new disclosures described Mikhail Danilov, founder of the Moscow club Mutabor, as having transferred the relics of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker to the Orthodox Church under the Sign of the Icon of the Mother of God. This development has complicated the narrative around ownership, custody, and the official recognition of the relics within church structures, prompting renewed scrutiny by church authorities and observers alike.
Earlier, Mutabor faced a dispute related to music programming, an issue linked to its broader operations and governance. The current revelations about relics and their documentation add a layer of controversy to the organization, underscoring the importance of transparent recordkeeping and provenance in matters of sacred artifacts and ecclesiastical trust.