Hungarian gov’t to purchase temple for Russian Orthodox Church

Tokaj, Hungary, August 30, 2017

Photo: ortodox.shp.hu Photo: ortodox.shp.hu
    

According to a government decree published in the Hungarian national gazette on Monday, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has instructed his government to purchase a parish building for the Russian Orthodox Church, reports The Budapest Beacon.

In accordance with the prime minister’s order, the Hungarian government will pay 313.8 million HUF ($1.25 million) for St. Nicholas’ church in the northeastern city of Tokaj, which will then be given to the control of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Hungarian Archdiocese which is under the direction of His Grace Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk.

Photo: it.pinterest.com Photo: it.pinterest.com
The issuing of the decree coincides with the start of President Vladimir Putin’s second visit to Hungary this year. Minister for National Economy Mihály Varga has been given the directive to appropriate funds for the purchase and Minister for Human Resources Zoltán Bolag to arrange for the transaction between the government and the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Hungarian government earlier adopted a resolution coinciding with President Putin’s first visit to Hungary this year in February, in which it decided to allocate $8 million in state subsidies for the Russian Orthodox Church to restore three parishes and to build one new parish. The agreement to transfer funds was ceremoniously signed by Bp. Tikhon and Prime Minister Orbán in March. The government had also allocated $345,000 to restore the tower at Budapest’s Dormition Cathedral.

$1.7 million dollars were also allocated in July by the Hungarian government to help restore damaged and ruined churches in Lebanon. Earlier this month, Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén turned over the keys to a complex of buildings in central Budapest to His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. The complex is to be used for the offices of the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Holy Metropolis of Austria Exarchate, a patriarchal academy, a Greek school, a museum of ecclesiastical arts, and a guest house.

8/30/2017

See also
Hungary allocates $1.7 million to restore Lebanese churches Hungary allocates $1.7 million to restore Lebanese churches Hungary allocates $1.7 million to restore Lebanese churches Hungary allocates $1.7 million to restore Lebanese churches
This most recent donation comes as part of Hungary’s aim to become a protector of persecuted Christians both within and without its borders. In September 2016, it became the first country to open an office specifically for addressing issues of Christian persecution in the Middle East and Europe. Hungary allocates $8 million to restore Orthodox churches Hungary allocates $8 million to restore Orthodox churches Hungary allocates $8 million to restore Orthodox churches Hungary allocates $8 million to restore Orthodox churches
The decree indicates that the government will help restore the Dormition Cathedral in Budapest, Holy Trinity Church in Miskolc, St. Nicholas Church in Tokaj, and to build a new parish in Hévíz. Greek community in Budapest claims a church belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate Greek community in Budapest claims a church belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate Greek community in Budapest claims a church belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate Greek community in Budapest claims a church belonging to the Moscow Patriarchate
During the two-day visit of His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople to Hungary on March 2-3, he met with Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
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