Hello, this is Gynnalyn. I wanted to let you all know that I have a blog as well, it is www.gynnalyn.blogspot.com

This morning we went to the Monistary a few blocks from where we are staying. It was beautiful and breath taking. We went into the temple and unfortunatly we were not able to take pictures but it was beautiful. Amazing! There was a golden casket and I asked Dennis about it and he explained it was the remains of a holy person. He said it was ok to go and see it so we stepped up and were looking into the glass covered casket. A very old man with a gold cap and long gray beard accosted us in Russian. Luckily, Dennis talked to him and explained we were just curious and didn't mean to be disresectful. I had no idea what he was saying but I did understand that he was saying this is not a museum and that we were not to step up near the holy casket. We began to walk away and younger monk like person. A deacon or "half-monk" I learned explained that the remains had a holy smell because this man lived such a holy life. He was very interested in educating us and I would have loved to of been able to tape record this entire scene. And yes I smelled the golden casket in the hole created to allow people to smell the remains and recieve grace and healing. It smelt like incense but seriously how many people can say they bent over to smell a holy person's remains throught a tiny hole in a golden casket with a half-monk holding your arm.