The Governor of St. Petersburg Georgy Poltavchenko has not agreed to the decision to transfer to St. Isaac’s Cathedral to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) with President Vladimir Putin. This was reported by “Interfax” a senior Federal official Friday, February 17.
“It has been agreed with Russian President Vladimir Putin, although now the head of state aware of the situation,” — said the source Agency.
According to him, surveys have shown that, overall, Russians support the decision to transfer the Cathedral, “but in St. Petersburg this initiative is rejection”.
The public opinion survey also showed that a consensus on the transfer of Isaac can be achieved under the condition of sharing the secular authorities and the Russian Orthodox Church, said the source.
The transfer of a Cathedral can take more than two years, the time for compromise is, said the official. He added that they may become Church-state partnership which will preserve the legal status of the Museum St. Isaac’s Cathedral and its staff.
In the St. Petersburg administration this information refused to comment, reports the Internet-the edition “Fontanka”.
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 they refused.