Metropolitan Hilarion
The actions of the opponents of transfer of Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) of the building of St. Isaac’s Cathedral in Saint-Petersburg aimed at “rocking the boat”. The Chairman of the Department for external Church relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk said on air of the program “Church and world” on the channel “Russia 24” on Saturday, February 18. He also likened what is happening with the February revolution of 1917.
“We see now how sometimes trying on the most trivial and minor incidents rocking our boat. Here is the ongoing controversy surrounding St. Isaac’s Cathedral. Well, it would seem, what is there to say? Once the Church returned to the Church,” said the Metropolitan.
According to him, “this is a world scandal” because there are “people who want to rock the boat.” “They like a hurdy-gurdy twist here is that his liberal song to show that everything bad that is happening clericalization, that our Church captures all positions,” said Hilarion.
In addition, he noted that the Russians “don’t have to let anyone to destabilize our country from within, (…) to allow to encroach on our traditional Christian religious values, because such an attack can turn into a tragedy for the entire country and for all people.”
February 17, Patriarch Kirill called the transfer of St. Isaac’s Cathedral, the Russian Orthodox Church in the centenary year of the revolutionary events of 1917 a symbol of reconciliation of the people.
January 10 the St. Petersburg authorities have agreed to transfer the St. Isaac Cathedral, the Russian Orthodox Church for free use for 49 years. Governor Georgy Poltavchenko has promised that the Museum function of the building will remain. For the first time the St. Petersburg diocese has requested the transfer of Isaac in 2015, but then she was denied.
The decision has caused discontent of local residents. The city held a rally of supporters and opponents of the transfer of the building.