Another scandal around the Russian Orthodox Church?

Metropolitan Mercury of Rostov and Novocherkassk may soon have a second residence worth more than 200 million rubles. As Vedomosti writes (www.vedomosti.ru/realty/news/2719331/mirskoj_interes_mitropolita), the regional authorities will give a building for it on Cathedral Square in Rostov-on-Don. The lyceum, which previously lived there, is already removing things. Before the Metropolitan’s arrival, the building will be renovated at the expense of the budget. According to the publication, the Metropolitan himself asked the regional authorities to give the diocese the building of the professional fashion lyceum 21. Last Friday, at a meeting of regional and city officials led by the vice-governor and with the participation of the Metropolitan, it was announced that the diocese will receive a lyceum, which will become the residence of the metropolitan, said a participant in the meeting. Two officials said that before the lyceum building is transferred to the diocese, it will be renovated at budget expense.
Metropolitan Mercury has a three-story residence in the Western residential area of ​​Rostov, all his predecessors lived there, “but he wants to walk to the cathedral,” the regional official sneers.

“It was also decided that for the comfort of the metropolitan in the area between Budennovsky Avenue and st. Semashko tram tracks from the street. Stanislavsky (the lyceum has a pediment facing it) will be moved to the wide Moskovskaya Street (about half a kilometer of tracks will be shifted), and the famous Boyarkin building on the street will also be demolished. Semashko" (see inset), tram tracks will run along it. “This will require serious expenses from the Rostov budget,” says a meeting participant.

It looks like another scandal is breaking out around the Russian Orthodox Church. Apparently, the recent story with the Patriarch’s apartment does not teach anything. The tenacity is truly impressive.

With pain in my heart, I have to admit that the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church does not draw any conclusions from such stories, at best, and at worst, they are once again exposing the Patriarch to the whole country...