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RIA Novosti
The question of the transfer of the Russian Orthodox Church objects of Tauric Chersonesos is not at the moment relevant, it should not be linked with the theme of St. Isaac’s Cathedral, said the head of the Synodal Department for Church and society and the media Vladimir Legoyda.
Simferopol and Crimea diocese is preparing a second request in the Federal property management Agency on the transfer for gratuitous use 24 objects of the Museum-reserve “Chersonese Tavricheskiy”, which previously belonged to the Vladimir monastery, said to RIA Novosti, the rector of St. Vladimir Cathedral on the territory of the reserve Sergei Haluta. According to him, the transfer of the reserve will in no way harm the status of Khersones as a UNESCO site. In turn, the Director of “Chersonese” Svetlana Melnikova believes that the transfer to the use of the Church the objects of the reserve will cause him great harm.
“We support constructive relations between the diocese and the reserve, ensuring of the diocese the opportunity to perform worship in the temples of the former Chersonesus Prince Vladimir monastery, however, do not believe that is currently relevant to raise the question of the imminent transfer of the objects of the diocese,” leads Tuesday words Legoyda the Synodal Department.
According to him, the talks about transfer of objects of the reserve “Chersonese” “are groundless to provide for located at the national Museum collections the necessary premises, who will agree the Museum.” Besides, he has noticed that in this case we are talking about the transfer of churches and monastic buildings, not other Museum objects.
“In contrast to the “Tauric Chersonesos” for St. Isaac’s Cathedral providing any facilities for Museum collections is not required, and therefore considered unreasonable to link the two situations and use them to exacerbate the conflict”, — concluded Legoyda.
The fate of St. Isaac’s Cathedral has stirred the public once the authorities of St. Petersburg announced the transfer of the Russian Orthodox Church free use while maintaining the Museum and educational functions. Later they said that the Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church is transferred to the gratuitous use for 49 years without a change of legal status — its owner is the city. Representatives of the ROC stated that its function as a Museum of the Cathedral will be expanded, and the entrance to the Cathedral will be free.