First “university church” to open in Novgorod
Moscow (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The first "Orthodox Church" in a university will open in Novgorod, north of Moscow, the Provincial Cultural Committee announced. The Church of the Presentation of the Lord will be returned to the Moscow Patriarchate 80 years after it was seized.
A major example of ancient Russian architecture, the church was built between 1533 and 1535. It was closed in the 1930s and converted into a gym for Novgorod State University.
"Following a meeting between Metropolitan Lev of Novgorod and Staraya Russa and Rector Viktor Veber, it was decided that the building would become the first university church," the Committee's website said.
The first religious service in decades will be held on 7 December with professors and students in attendance on the day dedicated to the memory of Yaroslavl the Wise who unified early Russia into a single state in the 11th century.
The university has already started to raise funds to pay for repairs and restoration of the old place of worship.
At the end of 2010, Russia adopted a law for the "restitution of religious property nationalised by the state."
Catholic Church leaders objected to the law, saying it was discriminatory.
Under the new law, federal, regional and municipal governments holding assets nationalised during after the October Revolution (1917) have to transfer or grant for free such assets for specific time to religious organisations. (N.A.)
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