Student of British higher school of design Daria Fedorova analyzed swabs from icons of the Moscow churches in the framework of the project “Journey of the human microbiome”. Interview with the researcher of bacteria in the shrines published by The Village.
Fedorov and an employee of one of the Moscow laboratories walked six churches of Zamoskvorechye and took swabs from ten icons: of St. Sergius, the resurrection of Christ, Seraphim of Sarov, St. Elizabeth, the Mother of God, Epiphany, Spyridon, “the Inexhaustible Cup”.
First, the researcher could not obtain the results of the swabs. “We even thought that the saints microorganisms that just because we will not” — said the student. But then I managed to isolate the bacteria. It turned out that the majority of organisms — opportunistic pathogens: Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas and Escherichia coli.
Fedorov added that I consider myself to be a believer. “The goal of our experiment was not to show that the Church is one big bacterium. This project does not deny God, it is about engagement of people. (…) It would be nice if the people in the gym after a workout, wipe a icon cloth with sanitizer. After all, it’s about respect for one’s neighbor and Christianity teaches love for him,” she concluded.