Building of 200 new churches in Moscow

29 September 2011, 10:04

Deputy mayor promises not to prolong building of 200 new churches in Moscow "for decades"

Moscow, September 29, Interfax - First deputy of Moscow mayor Vladimir Resin responsible for building 200 new Orthodox churches in the capital, promises to carry out the project actively.

"The main goal is not to prolong the construction of these churches for decades, but to do it at least in five years," Resin said on Wednesday at the ceremony of consecrating the foundation of St Stephan Church in South Butovo chaired by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

"We're striving to do it (200 churches program - IF) and I'm sure we will do it. Your Holiness, we will soon meet at such ceremonies more than once," Resin said.

The church in Butovo is erected in frames of the mentioned Program 200 carried out together by the Mayor Office and the Patriarchate.

Patriarch Kirill said that the churches in the capital were erected "to commemorate the destroyed Moscow shrines."

"We can't build churches at those places where they used to be as they were long ago replaced by other buildings. However, those great shrines that protected our nation from evil, venerated by previous generations can't be wiped away from people's and church memory," he stressed.

The Patriarch thanked Resin for his efforts to realize Program 200 in "new districts of Moscow, where there's lack of such churches," and prefect of the south-west district of Moscow Alexey Chelyshev for his contribution in building the Church of St.Stephan of Perm.

The 200 Churches Foundation was set up in Moscow in April 2011. It is chaired by Patriarch Kirill and Moscow mayor Sergey Sobyanin.

Program 200 started on April 29, when Patriarch Kirill and Sergey Sobyanin laid the first stone in foundation of the church near theatre center in Dubrovka.

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