New protests against the construction of the Russian-American Christian Institute in Moscow

Residents of the Babushkinsky district of Moscow held another protest rally against the construction of the Russian-American Christian Institute (RAHI). In addition, the participants expressed their dissatisfaction with the difficulties in teaching the Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture. Kirill Frolov, spokesman for the Union of Orthodox Citizens, said that "we are talking about an attempt to change the confessional balance in Moscow."

The rally participants demanded the construction of an Orthodox church on the site allocated for the construction of the RAHI, and promised to start a "people's siege" by setting up tents, in one of which services will be held.

According to K. Frolov, more than a hundred people took part in the rally.

On January 14, 2007, another protest took place. About 30 people took part in it. According to the portal "Interfax-religion" , those gathered "with icons in their hands ... offered up a prayer to the holy noble Alexander Nevsky - 'the defender of the Russian land from foreign, Western conquerors'".

On March 1, Russian Line reported that Oleg Kassin, coordinator of the People's Cathedral movement, sent an appeal to the prefect of the North-Eastern Administrative District demanding that the construction of the RAHI be banned. "The non-state RAHI, which has foreign citizens as members of the Board of Trustees, is focused on training social workers, while in Moscow there is already a well-established Russian State Social University (RSSU), the main part of the educational buildings of which is located in the North-East Administrative District. Curricula RAHI are built on a pronounced Protestant basis - on an ideology that is not traditional for Russia and is generally alien," the document says.

At the same time, the commentary of the deputy head of the DECR MP, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, is quoted, according to which "a careful study of the materials of the RAHI shows that the leadership of the institute is concerned, first of all, with the preaching of the Protestant doctrine." “Yes, Protestants, like other religious communities, have the right by law to establish educational institutions. But our Church consistently opposes proselytism, which, in particular, is expressed in attracting, in parallel with the provision of secular education, to the Protestant version of Christianity, including prayer practice , people baptized in Orthodoxy, belonging to it by family tradition and not previously striving to enter the Protestant communities," said Fr. Vsevolod.

The appeal against the construction of the Russian-American Christian Institute has already been signed by 11,000 people. "Indignation is growing among all sections of the population over the imposition of American influence. The position of the people corresponds to the policy pursued by the leadership of our state, which is clearly evident from the speech of Russian President V.V. Putin in Munich. Using constitutional law, Muscovites are showing their civil position, protecting Russia from dominance and influence, a way of life alien to them," writes O. Kassin.

As emphasized by the Russian Line, "in the appeal of the People's Cathedral movement addressed to the prefect of the North-Eastern Administrative District, special attention is drawn to the inconsistency of the information published in the Zvezdny Bulvar newspaper in response to another protest rally against the construction of the RAHI, which reports that "there are rumors about the demolition of part of the Raevsky cemetery" under the highway. "These rumors about a partial demolition are confirmed by an official document. The cemetery contains a memorial burial of Soviet soldiers who fell during the Great Patriotic War and the civilian population, mostly Orthodox," the document says.

Sources

• Members of the public begin a "popular siege" of the construction site of the Russian-American Christian Institute // Interfax-religion. 2006. October 19.
• Orthodox Muscovites again protest against the construction of the Russian-American Christian Institute // There. 2007. January 15.
• No to Protestant proselytism in Moscow! The "People's Cathedral" movement demands that the Moscow authorities ban the construction of the Rakhi and erect a monument to the Defenders of the Fatherland on this site ... // Russian line. 2007. March 1.