New Delhi to get India's first Russian Orthodox Church

[somnath]

The Indian capital New Delhi is to get its first Russian Orthodox Church soon.

The construction of India's first Russian Orthodox Church will begin as soon as planning approval and financing is settled, the country's IANS news service quoted a senior Russian diplomat as saying.

"A decision will be taken soon to begin construction of the Russian Orthodox Church within our cultural centre.

"This was the most convenient way of reaching an understanding with the [local] authorities, because no major decision, apart from architectural, will be required," Sergey Karmalito, senior counsellor at the Russian embassy, told IANS.

It said as one of the largest of the Eastern Orthodox congregations, the Russian Orthodox Church launched a parish in Delhi in 2011, but held its services and activities in Russian embassy premises.

The need for a church building was necessitated by the increasing number of Russians living in India and the need to provide religious services in the country.



"The Russian community in Delhi, comprising many women who have married Indians, families of diplomats and other families that stay here for part of the year are the inspiration for this church," said Karmalito.

The first Russian Orthodox parish in Delhi, named after the apostle Thomas, was registered in 2006 during the visit to India of the man who is now Moscow Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. He was at the time serving as head of external relations for the church.

The embassy had earlier also considered a proposal for establishing a permanent parish in Goa, where almost 10,000 Russians live for at least six months in a year.

IANS reported that the agenda of last year's Moscow talks between President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reportedly involved discussions on permission to build a Russian Orthodox Church in Delhi. They also touched upon saving Russia's only Hindu temple from demolition threatened by local Moscow authorities.

The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) temple in Moscow had been under the threat of being demolished due to issues relating to land allocation.


New Delhi to get India's first Russian Orthodox Church, Ecumenical News

 

[Skull and Bones]

While they ban our religious books? to the servile nature of Delhi.

 

[Mythal]

Interesting news. I hope they consider building it using some Russian architecture.

While they ban our religious books? to the servile nature of Delhi.

well it will not hurt you to actually follow the religious books that you are so interested in protecting. One cannot fight injustice with injustice. "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind".

 

[Indrani]

Interesting news. I hope they consider building it using some Russian architecture.



well it will not hurt you to actually follow the religious books that you are so interested in protecting. One cannot fight injustice with injustice. "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind".

No it does not. It establishes justice and the last person standing is still left with one functional eye.

 

[Mythal]

No it does not. It establishes justice and the last person standing is still left with one functional eye.

This is not a mexican standoff. This is diplomacy.

 

[Indrani]

This is not a mexican standoff. This is diplomacy.

I do not see much of diplomacy there. Just lack of spine.

 

[wolfschanzze]

They banned and stopped building ISCKON temple in Moscow and they are building Church here? great bend more mr.Manmohan singh. Secularism at work.

 

[MilSpec]

While they ban our religious books? to the servile nature of Delhi.

Hum me aur "unme" kuch fark hai, aur rehna chahiye.....

 

[jarves]

While they ban our religious books? to the servile nature of Delhi.

But the ban was lifted,wasnt it??

 

[Tshering22]

While they ban our religious books? to the servile nature of Delhi.

I don't think Shri Gita is banned. Some cleric in Russia filed a case against the Hindu holy book but the Hindus won the case.

Also, the sales of Gita quadrupled during the on-going of the case itself.

Don't worry. Even fellow Buddhists in Russia had tough times initially especially in the Siberian and Taiga provinces. But they eventually realized and accommodated us.

Russians are more understanding towards Hindu and Buddhist philosophies.

They banned and stopped building ISCKON temple in Moscow and they are building Church here? great bend more mr.Manmohan singh. Secularism at work.

There is are quite a few temples in Russia. In Moscow, there is a case going on but in other places like Nizhny Novgorod where the Hindu culture is beautifully followed.

See:

Promoting Vedic ways near Nizhny Novgorod | Russia & India Report

Also you will be pleased to know that common Russians don't have any animosity towards Hindus unlike church groups. On my travels to Russia, I came across a few ISKCON, non-ISKCON and other Hindu native followers. They are pushing the case for rebuilding the vedic centre in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

 

[bronxbull]

Russians/Slavs are the only europeans with proper cultural identity preceding over religious identity.

And orthodox christianity is much better than RC/Protestant,they are a class act and should just chill.

 

[Tshering22]

Russians/Slavs are the only europeans with proper cultural identity preceding over religious identity.

And orthodox christianity is much better than RC/Protestant,they are a class act and should just chill.

I agree. They just keep to themselves rather than running around and forcing everyone into their faith, unlike roman catholics, baptists and protestants.

 

[Developereo]

Russians/Slavs are the only europeans with proper cultural identity preceding over religious identity.

It's the other way round.

Eastern Europeans consider religion to be an important part of their culture. Western Europeans, on the other hand, are not so religious.

 

[SarthakGanguly]

Interesting news. I hope they consider building it using some Russian architecture.
well it will not hurt you to actually follow the religious books that you are so interested in protecting. One cannot fight injustice with injustice. "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind".

Who decides what is justice and injustice, eh?

But what is the purpose of the Church if no one practices Orthodox Christianity?

@Developereo - LOL
The ancient adage - an eye for an eye thing has led to the destruction of many ancient and advanced civilizations at the hand of barbarians.

 

[Developereo]

Who decides what is justice and injustice, eh?

Golden Rule: The one with the gold makes the rules.