Mikhail Danilov, the owner of Moscow's Mutabor nightclub, recently made headlines by donating fragments of relics belonging to Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker to a church in Moscow. This gesture comes in the wake of controversy surrounding an “almost naked” party held at the nightclub, which was hosted by TV presenter Nastya Ivleeva.
Danilov acquired the relic fragments from the Vatican in November and chose to present them to the church during Orthodox Christmas in January.
In a statement to the Mash Telegram channel, Danilov said, “We have several clubs, including Mutabor, which has recently become famous due to certain events. However, we want to clarify that we stand against obscurantism and devilry, and we fully support the church.”
This donation could be seen as an attempt to align the nightclub's image more closely with cultural and religious values. The act of gifting these sacred relics might also be interpreted as a reconciliatory move following the controversial event at Mutabor.
Further, the nightclub has been facing legal challenges from the Russian Authors’ Society, which sued Mutabor for 537,000 rubles (approximately $5900).
The lawsuit is related to the music allegedly played during Ivleeva's infamous party. Danilov's recent actions could be part of a broader strategy to mitigate the club's negative publicity and establish a more positive public image.
