On February 17, 2001, in the assembly hall of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary, constituent Assembly St. Petersburg public organization. The forum brought together representatives of the clergy of the St. Petersburg diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, Orthodox scientists, doctors, teachers and journalists working in the northern capital, as well as students of higher educational institutions cities.
In his welcoming speech addressed to the participants of the meeting, the rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary, Bishop Konstantin (Goryanov) of Tikhvin, now Archbishop of Kurgan and Shadrinsky, noted that "the need to consolidate the forces of the Orthodox intelligentsia arose long ago," "The conscience of the Russian people", always stated " serious condition of the Russian people, its spiritual decline and demographic crisis ”.
Vladyka Konstantin spoke in detail about the demographic problems leading, in his opinion, “to the deformation of society and creativity people ". Bishop Constantine sees the reasons for these processes in wars, revolutions, famine, massive repression and the social crisis of the late twentieth century. “We are calling for help from Orthodox scholars,” said Bishop Constantine. "We are called upon to monitor the adoption at the political level of decisions that could aggravate the severity of the situation." In particular, the rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Schools expressed "serious concern" in connection with environmental and other contemporary crises, "calling into question the entire civilized path," and urged those present to unite efforts to defend church views on the problems of bioethics.
On behalf of Legislative Assembly St. Petersburg meeting participants were greeted by the meeting's coordinator on religious issues, MP Igor Rimmer. “The country's revival will begin with the revival of the Russian national spirit, Russian Orthodoxy: this is the task of the intelligentsia,” said Igor Rimmer. - During the so-called "perestroika", so much "garbage" was brought into our country that we now have to clean it up. We must do this for the sake of our children, for the protection of our home. "
The director of the Interuniversity Center for Science and Religion, Alexei Shvechikov, called the Constituent Assembly of the Council a "significant event", since, according to the speaker, "the Orthodox intelligentsia in St. Petersburg is not organized." Aleksey Shvechikov considers the purpose of the Council of Orthodox Intelligentsia to be "the revival of Orthodoxy as the main religious confession of Russia."
Currently, the chairman of the executive council of the St. Petersburg public organization "Cathedral of Orthodox Intelligentsia" is the permanent author of "" Alexander Petrovich Belyakov. The organization consists of well-known people in Orthodox patriotic circles: doctor philosophical sciences, professor, head. Department of Art History, St. Petersburg State University of Culture and Technology, member of the Union of Writers and the Union of Cinematographers of Russia Alexander Leonidovich Kazin, Ph.D. Chief Editor of the journal "Russian Self-Consciousness" Boris Georgievich Dvernitsky, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Academician of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Vice-President of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Laureate of the State Prize of the USSR Georgy Nikolaevich Fursey, Candidate pedagogical sciences, writer, head of the Diocesan Outpatient and Consulting Center "Resurrection" Priest Alexy Moroz, Ph.D. cadet corps Viktoria Olegovna Gusakova, Secretary of the Union of Writers of Russia, Chairman of the Orthodox Society of Writers of St. Petersburg, member of the Council of the World Russian People's Council Nikolai Mikhailovich Konyaev, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor, Head. Department of Philosophy High school folk arts Sergei Viktorovich Lebedev, senior Researcher NIIKSI, Faculty of Sociology, St. Petersburg State University Tatyana Nikolaevna Fedorova, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor, Director of the Interuniversity Center for Religious Studies Alexey Nikolaevich Shvechikov, Doctor psychological sciences, professor, full member of the International Academy of Psychological Sciences, Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation, Director of NIIKSI, Faculty of Sociology, St. Petersburg State University Valentin Evgenievich Semenov, art critic, member of the Union of Artists of Russia Maria Sergeevna Fomina and others. Most of the members of the Council of Orthodox Intelligentsia are the authors of "". Strong and friendly fruitful relations were established between the Cathedral.
On February 11-12, St. Petersburg will host an International Scientific and Practical Conference dedicated to the tenth anniversary of the Council of Orthodox Intelligentsia.
In connection with the upcoming anniversary, the editorial board of "" received a congratulatory address from a member of the board of the "Aleksandro-Nevsky Brotherhood", Chairman of the Council of Entrepreneurs of the Business Community "DeloRus"
On February 17, in the assembly hall of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary, the founding meeting of the new public organization, the Cathedral of Orthodox Intelligentsia, was held. The forum brought together representatives of the clergy of the St. Petersburg Metropolitanate, Orthodox scientists, doctors, teachers and journalists. northern capital as well as university students.
On February 17, in the assembly hall of the St. Petersburg Theological Academy and Seminary, the founding meeting of the new public organization Cathedral of Orthodox Intelligentsia was held. The forum brought together representatives of the clergy of the St. Petersburg Metropolitanate, Orthodox scientists, doctors, teachers and journalists of the northern capital, as well as students of higher educational institutions.
In his welcoming speech addressed to the participants of the Council, the rector of SPbDAiS, professor, Bishop of Tikhvinsky Konstantin noted that "the need to consolidate the forces of the Orthodox intelligentsia has arisen a long time ago," since it was she who, being the "conscience of the Russian people", stated "the difficult state of the Russian people, its spiritual decline and the demographic crisis. ” Bishop Constantine sees the reasons for this in wars, revolutions, famines, mass repressions and the social crisis of the late 20th century. "We are calling for help from Orthodox scholars," Vladyka Konstantin said. In particular, the rector of the St. Petersburg Theological Schools expressed "serious concern" about ecological and other contemporary crises that "cast doubts over the entire civilized path," and called on those present to unite efforts to uphold "church views" on bioethics.
On behalf of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg, the participants of the Council were greeted by the coordinator of the meeting on religious issues, Deputy Igor Rimmer. “The revival of the country will begin with the revival of the Russian national spirit, Russian Orthodoxy: this is the task of the intelligentsia,” he said. “During the so-called“ perestroika ”, so much“ garbage ”was brought into our country that we now have to clean it up. We must do this for the sake of our children, to protect our home. "
Director of the Interuniversity Center for Science and Religion Alexei Shvechikov called the founding meeting of the Council a "significant event" because, according to the speaker, "the Orthodox intelligentsia in St. Petersburg is organized." Aleksey Shvechikov considers the purpose of the Council of Orthodox Intelligentsia to be "the revival of Orthodoxy as the main religious confession of Russia." The speaker noted that one of the most difficult issues on this path is the problem of relations with the authorities, which, according to Alexei Shvechikov, "for the most part remains irreligious or religiously indifferent." The director of the Interuniversity Center for Science and Religion supported his argument with the information that the growth in the number of followers of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization in St. Petersburg is associated with the patronage of Jehovah's Witnesses by individual officials, whose names he did not name. Aleksey Shvechikov suggested relying on those representatives of state power who are "interested" in the revival of Orthodoxy.
Following an open vote, the rector of SPbDAiS, Bishop Konstantin Tikhvin, was elected as the honorary chairman of the Sobor of the Orthodox Intelligentsia, and Alexei Shvechikov was elected co-chairman. In the near future, according to Alexei Shvechikov, the Cathedral will be registered with the Ministry of Justice of Russia as public organization.
The meeting between the Pope and Patriarch Kirill, which sparked worldwide interest, has many implications. As it turned out, she served as a catalyst for the conflict within the ROC. For the first time, disagreements among the Orthodox were at the public level. Secular "Fontanka" understood the claims and reasons.
Andrey Mosienko / Kommersant
About 400 people (the majority are members of the religious organization "Cathedral of Orthodox Intelligentsia"), who gathered in St. Petersburg on March 6, criticized the current leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church. The "schismatics", as they were called in the diocese of St. Petersburg and Ladoga, booed the envoy from Metropolitan Barsanuphius, who was trying to stop the "church revolution". As observers say it comes not at all about a run-of-the-mill dispute.
“We are faithful to what the Russian martyrs have always confessed. We are members of the church that is faithful to orthodox dogmas, we do not accept new heretical teachings, as well as the corruption of our church from within. We do not want the corruption of the church from the inside, we want our church to save people, lead them to the Kingdom of Heaven, and not turn into some kind of external church bureaucratic organization like the Catholic Church without spirit and faith ... I say right away, this is our church, and we are from We are not going to leave it, "he began his speech at the round table" The Russian Orthodox Church and the Havana Declaration - Victory or Defeat? " its organizer father Alexy Moroz, winning the applause of those present.
Then he continued in more detail: Patriarch Kirill, they say, does not observe the principle of conciliarity, but decides everything on his own. “How could it be that Cyril concealed his visit to the Pope, concealed from the Council of Bishops his meeting with the heretic, declared him his brother? - asked Father Alexy. - Everything was done secretly and presented personally from him, the patriarch. This is impossible, this is a violation of the conciliarity of the church. "
Moroz's other claim was more mundane - parishes are financially dependent, and corruption and bureaucracy reign in all structures of the Russian Orthodox Church: “Everything is done for money: moving to departments, parishes. Moreover, all property belongs to the patriarch, the parish - nothing. "
Following him came Olga Chetverikova, associate professor of MGIMO, who put forward a theory, the essence of which is short retelling sounds like this: you cannot meet with Catholics, since they are spies who want to seize power over the world, and Russia in particular. "Vatican and Catholic Church- a theocratic state with an extensive financial system and developed special services working in conjunction with Western intelligence communities. They work under the guise of religious organizations and orders. One of these is the order of the Jesuits ... The Jesuits were always launched forward - they established control over the elite, excluding it from the general cultural environment. Any unity with them leads to a split, ”said the learned lady. In a half-hour speech, she also noted that the Vatican has always placed bets on a country engaged in globalization: for example, on fascist Germany, and now - on America, and every time the Catholics played against Russia. “This is a sabotage against the Orthodox Church,” she summed up, referring to the meeting of the heads of the two churches.
There were a dozen more similar performances, however, among them there was one speech of a different tone. I went to the pulpit Deacon Vladimir Vasilik representing the St. Petersburg diocese, and tried to convey a different point of view: “I have published more than once on various resources, including analyzing the Havana Declaration (adopted in Havana during a joint meeting between the Pope and the Patriarch. - Ed.) and those provocative statements that are buried in it, connected with the murky clause on euthanasia and non-condemnation of homosexuality. But now I'm talking about something else. We must understand what is happening, namely the terrible onslaught of the pro-Western forces. On most holy patriarch Cyril is under pressure. The result of these forces is the Havana trip. ... It is wrong to declare His Holiness Patriarch Kirill a heretic, because we are his children. " Outraged voices were heard from the hall. In response to Vasilik's call to admit that "our father is mistaken, he trusted the swindlers, but the people cannot judge him," they shouted from the audience: "Our father is Christ!" The deacon accused the critics of the Russian Orthodox Church of wanting to arrange a provocation and schism.
“I came to the hall rented from Rosatom to testify to the need to preserve the unity of the church and loyalty to the hierarchy. My presence was agreed with Metropolitan Barsanuphius. I tried to convey to the audience my personal opinion that the Havana Declaration is an ambiguous document, but in general it is aimed at preserving the life of Eastern Christians, preserving moral Christian values in the West. Unfortunately, there were provocateurs who, instead of a discussion, staged a booth and with screams tried to drown out my speech, ”Vladimir Vasilik told Fontanka.
According to him, the conference itself was attended by people who have nothing to do with the diocese. “None of the authoritative priests of the St. Petersburg Metropolitanate supported the event. Priest Alexy Moroz is a supernumerary cleric of the Novgorod diocese, serves in the Alexander Lyceum, but without the permission of the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg Barsanuphius, a man with dubious views. "
“People with dubious views” on March 6 at the conference turned out to be several hundred in a room rented from Rosatom on Aerodromnaya Street. As the interlocutors of Fontanka say in the diocese, some of them have been taken out of the church: the same Alexy Moroz is allegedly banned from ministry in the Novgorod region, the books of the cleric from Yekaterinburg Sergei Maslennikov are not recommended by the patriarchate, and the parishioners allegedly disown from Elder Rafail Berestov. Some ministers of the Russian Orthodox Church call the "Cathedral of Orthodox Intelligentsia" "a circle of church opposition," which has been formed, in particular, in St. Petersburg since the late 1990s. Others are revolutionaries.
“In the 1990s, our city was the center of church conservatism. The flock was ruled by Metropolitan John Snychov, who has semi-nationalist views. Several right-wing Orthodox publications have established editorial offices in St. Petersburg. Since then, the city has become the capital of such trends, "- said the interlocutor of" Fontanka ".
Fontanka asked experts to assess what was happening at the conference.
Deacon Andrey Kuraev I am sure that the correct name for the last meeting is a sect. “This is a group of people who have been feeding each other bad news for decades. They are less interested in Christ than demons or Antichrist, to whom they turn all their thoughts. Official church does not agree with them, once Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin negotiated with them, but even then their opinion was not listened to, and they still gathered at the conference and adopted memoranda. The most that they can do is to take several dozen parishioners out of the ROC after them, as was the case with the "Penzin Zakopans" (a group of believers who in 2007 went into a voluntary seclusion in a makeshift cave in anticipation of the end of the world. - Ed.)».
When asked how the Church allows the existence of an opposition in its ranks, challenging the leadership of the patriarch's opinion, Fontanka's interlocutors answer almost in unison that excommunication is the highest measure that will no longer allow true path schismatics. “You can excommunicate them from the church, but they work with them. However, they rarely visit temples. In the parishes, no one is interested in the opinion of this "round table", "Fontanka said. famous activist from Orthodoxy Vitaly Milonov... On the other hand, the interlocutors add, not all criticism and propaganda should be responded to, primarily in order not to give it the proper effect and importance.
Nevertheless, the effect has already been produced - they have heard a lot about the church gathering not only in religious circles, but also in secular ones. “I have heard about this meeting and I believe that these people need help and support. These are not soulless church officials who are willing to worship the penguin. These are intellectually strong or poor - it doesn't matter - people who want to keep the traditions of their faith. They were violated. In the not too distant past, significantly smaller adjustments to church course have flooded the country with blood. Orthodox Russia she responded to insignificant changes in her spiritual traditions with self-immolations and unrest, ”I am sure publicist Alexander Nevzorov.
Despite the position of ignorance on the part of the ROC, the support of only light and, in fact, the inability to influence the change leadership positions in the ROC (the same patriarch - for life), the "renegades" sent a resolution of the "round table" to members Holy Synod(is the governing body of the ROC in the period between the Councils of Bishops, headed by the Patriarch. - Ed.) and are waiting for an answer: “We urge you to raise your voice in defense of Orthodoxy and overcoming the heresy of ecumenism. To this end, we ask you to take measures to convene a Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church with the participation of representatives of the clergy and Orthodox laity to condemn the ecumenical heresy, to refuse further meetings of the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church with the heretic Pope. "
Ksenia Klochkova, Fontanka.ru
St. Petersburg public organization
CATHEDRAL OF ORTHODOX INTELLIGENCE
Russian Federation, 190068, St. Petersburg, Voznesensky pr. 46, 4th floor, room 466, t / f: 570-25-93
Dear Sergey Alexandrovich!
In our country, favorable conditions have been created to meet the religious needs of all citizens and military personnel as well. Article 28 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation guarantees "freedom of religion, including the right to profess, individually or jointly with others, any religion." Order of the Minister of Defense No. 79 dated February 28, 2005 "On improving educational work in the Armed Forces Russian Federation"Recommends to commanders and chiefs" in accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation to assist servicemen in religious needs, religious education and upbringing within the framework of traditional confessions. "
In this regard, the actions of some officials in matters of observing the constitutional rights of their subordinates and fulfilling the order of the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation cause surprise and deep regret.
So, by decision of the deputy commander-in-chief Navy RF on the educational work of Vice-Admiral F.S. Smuglin excluded from the lists for the cruise of the training ship Perekop, Archpriest Alexander Ganzhin, Chairman of the Department for Cooperation with the Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies of the St. Petersburg Diocese, and Priest Georgy Volobuev, an employee of the same department. The question arises: How will the departure of cadets, sailors and officers of religious needs be ensured within three months, and how will it be carried out religious education and education without priests on board?
In the St. Petersburg Missile and Artillery Cadet Corps, the head of the 5th Directorate of the Main Personnel Directorate of the Ministry of Defense considered it inexpedient to introduce the course “Spiritual and moral traditions Russian army"Aimed at studying the best national traditions, at instilling in future officers a sense of patriotism and love for military service.
At the Military Space Academy. A.F. Mozhaisky, for the first time in many years, the head of the academy, Lieutenant General O.P. Frolov. forbade inviting a priest to celebrations dedicated to the graduation of young officers.
All these facts, in our opinion, indicate the violation by individual commanders and chiefs of both the constitutional rights of servicemen and the orders of the higher command.
The assertion of these leaders that the preference for Orthodox priests in spiritual and moral education and upbringing can cause religious conflicts is not consistent on the following points:
First, the history of the Russian Armed Forces does not know of religious conflicts. At all times, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Jews have defended their homeland shoulder to shoulder, respecting the faith of their comrades. This respect was nurtured by Orthodox priests. Just the absence of a spiritual shepherd can cause negative phenomena in the relationship between representatives different religions;
secondly, among all traditional confessions there are no contradictions in matters of spiritual and moral education of servicemen. Back on December 25, 2006 the Federation Jewish communities(FEOR) and the Central Spiritual Directorate of Muslims (TsDUM) of Russia announced their positive attitude to the introduction of the institution of military clergy in the army;
third, giving priority to the Armed Forces Orthodox clergy fully comply with the democratic norms, the champion of which our state has declared itself. According to the Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of Educational Work of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, Rear Admiral Yu.F. Nuzhdin. of the number of believers in the military, 83% are Orthodox Christians, 6% are Muslims, 2% are Buddhists, 1% are Protestants, Catholics and Jews. Hence it follows that Orthodox priests many more other confessions must visit ships and units.
The statements of some commanders and chiefs that in our country the Church is separated from the state, and therefore the priests have nothing to do in the Armed Forces, are also not consistent:
firstly, the Church is separated from the state in most democratic countries, which does not prevent them from having the institutions of military chaplains;
secondly, the Orthodox Church, spiritually nourishing servicemen, does not in any way interfere in the activities of the Armed Forces, in the orders, orders and orders of commanders and chiefs. The Orthodox Church condemns and even prohibits in the ministry of those priests and bishops who are included in political struggle or they turn their flock against the actions of the secular authorities. The decision of the last Council of Bishops is a clear confirmation of this position;
thirdly, the experience of the 90s of the last century shows that if Orthodox priests are not allowed into military units and ships, their place is taken by sectarians whose activities are aimed at agitation against service in the Armed Forces,
to destroy our statehood and our national traditions.
The Council of the Orthodox Intelligentsia, as an Orthodox public organization, which also includes representatives of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, expresses concern about the above facts and hopes that they are just an annoying misunderstanding.
Then we discussed the problems of preserving historical heritage in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, built today to replace the blown up one. In the Novodevichy Convent, fortunately, one could see how the restoration of this historical and cultural monument, protected by UNESCO, is going on. And so - new meeting... This time - in the Moscow Diocesan House, where State Duma Deputy Vladimir Resin met us with Father Vladimir (Vorobyov), the rector of the Orthodox St. Tikhon's Church located here. Humanities University, to whom, as the owner, our first question was addressed.
Pure sound from time immemorialFather Vladimir! Why is this building in Likhov Lane valuable not only for the capital, but also for the country?
Father Vladimir: The Diocesan House was built in 1902 by Metropolitan Vladimir Bogoyavlensky as a center of public education. Almost immediately, it turned into one of the most beloved centers of church and cultural life in Moscow. What was happening here! Every Sunday in the church of St. Vladimir, located right there, there was a service, during which a huge working choir sang - up to 100 people. The society for the fight against drunkenness, the society of folk literacy, the missionary society were working ... In a word, the house lived a full-blooded life.
But the house went down in history more than others. Here, in the Cathedral Chamber adjacent to the Prince Vladimir Church in 1917, the Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, which restored the Patriarchate, met. This decision was made on November 18, 1917 by 600 delegates elected throughout Russia. By this time, revolutionary events were already flaring up everywhere, street battles were going on, the siege of the Kremlin began, the royal power... The understanding that it is getting worse and worse put an end to the discussions about whether Russia needs a Patriarch again, who by that moment had not been there for 200 years. So in the end, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Tikhon was elected.
And soon most of the participants in the cathedral were repressed. Many were shot or tortured, many died in dungeons. 50 of them were subsequently canonized. The diocesan house was taken away, museum collections and church valuables were plundered, the golden dome and bell tower were demolished ... To return the church house, we went through three dozen ships.
And you, Vladimir Iosifovich, when did you first visit the Diocesan House? How did you see him?
Vladimir Resin: It was already 2013. The building was in complete ruin. During the earthquake in Armenia, I headed working group in Leninakan. I will say: even there, some houses were in best condition than this one. But Father Vladimir was here with his great desire to restore a unique monument of history and culture. The time that has passed since 2004, when the Moscow Diocesan House was handed over to the Church, he did not sit idly by, he already had serious studies to restore the building.
I came to Likhov Lane on behalf of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin to see and evaluate how this can be done in as soon as possible... Together with Father Vladimir, we came to a common opinion: the Cathedral Chamber is a monument of history and culture, it is necessary to restore, and when restoring the entire building, create conditions in which the university can work in accordance with the requirements of the time. Which was done in just two years. Prince Vladimir Church at the Diocesan House again became the same as it was. The icons for him were written by the teachers and students of the university, which has its own faculty of church arts. The Cathedral Chamber, separated from the temple by a thick curtain, as before, during various lectures and conferences, again pleases people with its unique acoustics. It is no coincidence that in Soviet times when the Central Studio was still in the Diocesan House documentaries, it was in this hall that the best musical records were recorded. Connoisseurs classical music and now they are happy to come here for concerts.
The facades were restored to their historical appearance. The area of the house due to the adaptation of the basement and the construction of the attic floor has almost doubled - up to 9.5 thousand square meters... Thanks to this, university students received modern, well-equipped classrooms. The builders managed to fit even an elevator into the historic building.
We repay the debt of our fathersVladimir Iosifovich! Just the other day, another church was returned to the Church - Nicholas the Wonderworker on Dolgorukovskaya Street. He was occupied by a studio "Soyuzmultfilm" who moved. Will this church be restored too?
Vladimir Resin: I don't know the details yet, but most likely yes. A lot of work is being done in Moscow to put the churches in order. In 2017 alone, 11 unique religious sites were restored. Work is underway for another 56. John the Baptist Stavropegial convent, The Holy Gates and the gallery of the Northern Palace in the center of Moscow, the Church of the Assumption Holy Mother of God in the Troitsky and Novomoskovsky administrative areas, a temple Life-giving trinity in Riga lane in the north of the capital - another wonderful creation of the early twentieth century ... Destroyed their entire state, but by the hands of our fathers and grandfathers. We can only repent for them now. And the Church and the people are restoring these shrines. The restoration work of historical monuments is financed by the state.
In 2015, we were at the Novodevichy Convent, was restoration work just beginning there? Are they continuing?
Vladimir Resin: Continue. It should end in 2024, when the monastery turns 500 years old. A big date not only for Russian, but also for world history. Taking into account the preparations for it, a decree of the Russian government was issued. It approved the whole range of works that must be performed "to preserve the historical appearance of a particularly valuable object cultural heritage of the peoples of the Russian Federation "The Ensemble of the Novodevichy Convent".
In the Transfiguration Church, which was the last blown up in Khrushchev's times in Moscow - in 1964, which you also restored, services are probably already underway?
Vladimir Resin: Yes, its reconstruction was timed to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the Great Patriotic War... The temple was restored in its former appearance, fortunately, the dimensional drawings of 1883 and photographs of the twentieth century have been preserved. On the eve of the holiday, on May 8, 2015, the temple was consecrated. Since then, it has been open to parishioners, services have been held, and a Sunday school for children has been operating. I even baptized my great-granddaughter Sophia there. The multimedia museum of the Preobrazhensky regiment and the Russian army operating at the temple is also interesting.
And at whose expense temples are being restored and built, readers ask. With the budget money of Moscow?
Vladimir Resin: Where historical monuments are identified objects of historical and cultural heritage, budget funding from the state is allocated for the restoration of an architectural monument. But if we talk about new construction, then the temples are being built on the people's money. There are many who want to help, and the poor donate to the temple, and wealthy citizens. The difficulty is how to collect this money. But it is surmountable when a community or a parish gathers around an existing or just being laid church. This is where it begins real life any temple - and the smallest, on the outskirts of the city, and such as the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
You participated in its revival in the most direct way. A lot of money was donated to the site of the blown up temple, and then the pool “ Moscow " rose again the Cathedral of Christ the Savior?
Vladimir Resin: The chief foreman at that gigantic construction site was Patriarch Alexy. Now Patriarch Kirill and Mayor of the city Sergei Sobyanin are at the head of the work on the revival of churches in Moscow. Money is from the people. Donors have raised more than a billion dollars for the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The people donate to all other churches. The people have money - construction is underway, there is no money - construction is suspended. Fortunately, not for long - people donate about 3 billion rubles a year for the construction of new churches.
People often do not just give a certain amount, but express their wishes on what exactly they would like to spend it on. For example, a parishioner recently came to one of the temples under construction and said: let's cover it with a copper roof. “It's very expensive,” the abbot explains. "Nothing, I'll pay." And there are hundreds of such cases in Moscow.
How much does it cost to build a temple?
Vladimir Resin: We are now building not even temples, but entire temple complexes. With Sunday schools, various administrative offices for the work of the parish, church shops, bakeries and even cafes. Depending on the technical conditions-140-150 million rubles.
The state destroyed churches, but by the hands of our fathers and grandfathers. We can only repent for them now. And the Church and the people are restoring these shrines, and the state finances the restoration of destroyed monuments of history and culture.
They go to God on foot
Of course, Moscow is a big and rich city. There are already a lot of churches here, and if you need to get there, no problem, the metro will take you there. In Troparevo, for example, there are five churches located close to each other and one chapel. And if you leave Moscow for 100-200 kilometers, you see how desolate the temples are in the same Lipetsk region, for example, or Oryol. But they are even more needed there than in the capital! In the provinces, temples are needed not only to sing a service to the deceased or to bless cakes. It is often the only cultural center there. Why not organize a missionary action for Moscow to revive rural churches?
Vladimir Resin: The wave of construction of new churches is taking place not only in Moscow, but also in other regions. I judge this in St. Petersburg, Smolensk, Tomsk, the Moscow region, and other Russian regions and territories. But the fact that it is already good with churches in Moscow is a big delusion. I realized this when a program for the creation of 200 temples began to be developed in the capital. The discovery was that we, it turns out, have areas in which, for 300 thousand of the population, not only a single church, but also a chapel! And the numbers spoke about it. If in the country there was one church for 11 thousand parishioners, then in Moscow there was only one for 40 thousand, while before the revolution there was a church for every 1.5 thousand citizens.
Father Vladimir: I confirm that in the whole of Moscow there are about 500 parishes-communities, 33 monasteries, 26 bishops, about 1,700 clergy. This is with a population of 12.5 million people. And, for example, in Greece with its 10.5 million population there are about 8 thousand parishes, about 600 monasteries, 109 bishops and more than 9 thousand clergy. As you can see, the proportion is far from in favor of Moscow.
But now the situation is changing.
Vladimir Resin: Of course, we did not reach the pre-revolutionary indicators, but there is hope that we will reach one church for 25-30 thousand people in terms of security. In the eight years that have passed since 2010, when Program-200 was adopted, 62 temple complexes have been built in the city - 45 according to the program and 17 on top of it, 35 more are being built. Why do I say "complex"? Yes, because now in Moscow not small churches are being built, as someone might think, but temples for at least 500 parishioners. A smaller size is possible only where conditions do not allow building, but even then only with the permission of Patriarch Kirill. Each church has a parish house, a Sunday school, all the necessary engineering. There is still a lot of work ahead - 231 areas have been reserved for the program.
Moscow has launched a program for the renovation of a dilapidated housing stock. In the course of it, the districts of the former five-story buildings will be rebuilt. Will temples be built there too?
Vladimir Resin: Undoubtedly. I always say: how is smart different from a fool? He learns from the mistakes of others, and the fool learns from his own. Now Moscow is being built up not in the form of residential areas and industrial zones, but in a complex manner, in accordance with the general plan. There will, of course, be temples in the renovated districts. They should be there, as a rule, within walking distance. So that people can walk from home in five to ten minutes.
Are they also building in New Moscow?
Vladimir Resin: In the annexed territories, 6 churches have already been built, 18 designated areas are waiting for their hour.
Are all new churches in the capital typical?
Vladimir Resin: The idea was to apply standard construction to speed up construction. But then they abandoned it. Each one is being erected mainly according to an individual project, of which not a single temple has yet been repeated.
Temples erase sectarian strifeAnd what can be said in our time about the attitude of the intelligentsia towards the church? Not only writers, filmmakers, but also architects, builders, artists who participate in the revival of churches? Is there a stratum of Orthodox intelligentsia appearing in our country?
Father Vladimir: Undoubtedly. There are a lot of representatives of the intelligentsia in our churches now. There are many young people in the parish; graduates of Moscow State University and other Moscow universities study at our university. This is facilitated by the fact that at last a vertical has been built in theology, both an educational discipline and a scientific one. Now you can get a state diploma of a theologian, defend a candidate and doctoral dissertation in theology. We have been fighting for this for 25 years. And now about 50 departments with the teaching of theology in public universities... Wherever they are opened, normal relations with the Church are forged. Such a university quickly "turns its face" to the Church. Many of its teachers and administrators gain faith, some are baptized, build temples and chapels in their university. Students also begin to relate to religion differently. In a word, there is live missionary work. But it is the university that supplies personnel for any province. Prepares officials, managers, school teachers ... This correct process, which allows our people to return to its historical, spiritual and moral roots. They support him at all levels of government.
The intelligentsia, which acts in opposition to the church, is a very small stratum. And I am not ashamed to say directly that it was initiated by the West. Just like it was in late XIX and the beginning of the XX century, when the revolution was imported to us from abroad.
Vladimir Resin: I will add: it is no coincidence that the first churches from Program-200 were built for MGIMO, the FSB Academy, the temple at Plekhanov University was restored. And at Moscow State University, although there was already a temple, now another one is being built. And it is impossible not to notice that many representatives of our generation - former pioneers, Komsomol members, members of the Communist Party, have now turned from atheists into believers.
Vladimir Iosifovich! But Moscow is still a multi-confessional city. Not only will be built in it Orthodox churches but also new mosques, synagogues?
Vladimir Resin: I repeat once again: any religious buildings in our country are not built by the state. They are created by the confessions themselves. In the same way, they collect money, the city holds public hearings, and if residents do not mind, a temple, a mosque, a synagogue are being built ... In Mitino, for example, residents opposed the construction of a mosque. We are not at war with our people. This means that it will be built elsewhere. There is nothing terrible or insulting in this. Do you know who we have first Orthodox church built out of two hundred? Muslim, builder Gadzhi Gadzhimusaev. The beautiful temple of Dmitry Donskoy, in the north of the capital, on Polyarnaya street. I built it with my own money from start to finish.
