Photo via interfax-religion.com

Napolitano gives symbolic keys of Russian church in Bari to Medvedev

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano gave symbolic keys of the Russian Orthodox church in Bari, Italy, to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at an official ceremony of handing the church to Russia on Sunday, reports Interfax-Religion.

The Italian government decided to transfer the St. Nicholas church and its territory in Bari to Russia's ownership during then Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Italy on March 2007.

The Italian government completed the internal procedures on passing the church to Russia in April 2008, and a transfer act was signed in Rome on November 13, 2008. The Kremlin's property manager Vladimir Kozhin signed the document on the Russian side.

The religious center, which is located in an area of 8,000 square meters, was established at the initiative of Grand Duchess Yelizaveta Fyodorovna of Russia to accept Russian pilgrims coming to Bari to worship St. Nicholas. It was built under the design of Russian architect Alexey Schusev and with donations from religious people, including Russia's Tsar Nicolas II, in 1913-1917.

Work was not completed because of World War I. Russian emigrants, who were members of the Russian Palestinian Society, passed all church buildings to the municipality of Bari in 1937, because they lack funds to maintain the church.

Bari authorities gave some church buildings back to Russia in late 1990s; however, the church remained on control of the municipality.

The St. Nicholas church rector Archpriest Vladimir Kuchumov said it was a "historic" event that Italy is handing over some of its property to another country. He pointed out the fact that the compound is a UNESCO-registered monument.

New iPad POLL! VOTE NOW! Will you buy new iPad?

TAGS: Italy Russia Giorgio Napolitano Dmitry Medvedev Russian Orthodox church

[03/03/2009]

Print Version