Grozny, January 31, 2011
Grozny begins to build the Orthodox center, Archbishop Feofan of Stavropol and Vladikavkaz said.
"Today, I asked the head of the Republic Ramzan Kadyrov to build the Orthodox center. He regarded this idea with favour. Ramzan Kadyrov promised to make all efforts to implement this project," Archbishop Feofan told Interfax last Sunday.
He remembered that before, the Chechen Republic had reconstructed the Church of Michael the Archangel located in the city center.
"The life in Chechnya is going back to normal. People begin to show the signs of more intense spiritual life, both in Islam and in Orthodoxy. So we realized that Grozny needs the Orthodox center where all believers may get together. Grozny is the capital of Chechnya and, naturally, we should create conditions so that the visiting believers could stay overnight. There should be a small hotel and a place where they could eat, rather than go around the market place or visit cafes," Archbishop Feofan said.
He expressed his appreciation to Ramzan Kadyrov and noted that "if Ramzan Akhmatovich gives a promise, he always keeps it."
Archbishop Feofan also expressed hope that Ramzan Kadyrov will participate in the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the church in the Naursky District.