Moscow, July 26, 2017
Photo: RIA-Novosti His Holiness Patriarch Kirill familiarized himself on Tuesday with the draft memorials to the patriarchs of Moscow and All Russia which will be installed along the walls of Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral, reports patriarchia.ru. Full-sized models of the monuments have been placed on the cathedral’s stylobate base.
The sculptures are planned to be installed along the walls of Christ the Savior and on the Patriarchal Bridge behind the cathedral. The 11.5 foot (including pedestals) monuments are being made by a collective of Moscow sculptors.
The draft monuments of the Russian Orthodox primates were presented by the Chairman of the Expert Council on Church Art, Architecture, and Restoration Archpriest Leonid Kalinin. Also present were the Executive Director of the Christ the Savior Cathedral Foundation S. G. Semenenko, Christ the Savior cleric Archpriest George Martinov, and sculptors, casters, and architects involved in the project.
All work on the creation of models, as well as manufacturing and the installation of the monuments is being carried out under the guidance of the Expert Council. The project is timed to the 100th anniversary of the restoration of the patriarchate in the Russian Orthodox Church which is being celebrated this year.
The Commission for Monumental Art of the Moscow city Duma supported the initiative to perpetuate the memory of all the patriarchs of Moscow and approved the draft in 2016. The project is being financed by famous Moscow philanthropist A. S. Chizhik.
Another new monument was recently added to the Christ the Savior ensemble. On Sunday, June 18, Pat. Kirill consecrated the new monument “Reunification,” dedicated to the signing of the Act of Canonical Communion between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. The historic event took place on May 17, 2007 at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral, with the new monument being timed to its tenth anniversary.
