Parishioners of the Trinity Church in Nikitniki protest against the seizure of icons for restoration

Parishioners gathered in front of the Trinity Church in Nikitniki to protest against the expected confiscation of icons. “We want to express the opinion of our parish that the former owners, that is, the State Historical Museum, want to take away the iconostasis. These icons have been standing in the temple for 300 years,” Rector Arseniy Totev commented on the situation. Representatives of the State Historical Museum on June 20 should pick up the icons for restoration.

At the moment, the parish is arranging the rights to the temple, which for a long time was a branch of the museum. Believers are ready to take responsibility for the safety of the icons and conclude an appropriate agreement. Those gathered - several dozen people - are holding posters: "Dear art historians, where is your conscience!", "Now is not 1917", "Ruining the temple, ruining Russia."

Sources

• Believers protest against the removal of icons from the Church of the Trinity in Nikitniki // Portal-Credo.ru. 2006. June 20. (With reference to RIA Novosti)