Govorukhin opposed the transfer of the St. Isaac's Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church

Today, January 12, the chairman of the State Duma Committee on Culture Stanislav Govorukhin spoke out against the decision of the St. Petersburg authorities on the transfer of the St. Isaac's Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church.

“I am against such an initiative. If there were no services, this is one thing. But the services are already being conducted, I do not think that some other measures are needed, ” Interfax quoted Govorukhin.

The Cathedral of St. Isaac Dalmatian, built in 1819-1858, is the museum since 1948. In 1990, the first church service was held in the cathedral, now they are held regularly on holidays and Sundays.

On January 10, it became known that by the end of 2017, the St. Isaac's Cathedral by decision of the city authorities will be transferred to the St. Petersburg diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, while retaining museum functions.

The Ministry of Culture believes that "when transmitting the Isaac's Cathedral, the preservation of current museum functions is possible only theoretically."

Almost 126 thousand signatures have collected the online patience “We demand to stop the transfer of the Isaac's Cathedral to the ROC!” .

On January 11, activists of the Youth Democratic Movement "Vesna" were posted on the colonnade of the Isaac's Cathedral Banner "NOT ROC". On January 13, a promotion is planned at the entrance to the Isaacievsky Cathedral against its transfer of the Russian Orthodox Church, which will be held in the format of a meeting with deputies.

PS at today's press conference, the vice-governor of St. Petersburg, Mikhail Mokratsov, said that the city of St. Petersburg will remain legally the owner of the building of the Isaac's Cathedral, Interfax reports. “Based on this, we will be obliged to bear the costs of the maintenance of the Isaac's Cathedral as an object of protection in proper condition,” said Moklatsov.

The vice-governor also said that the Russian Orthodox Church may lose the right to use the cathedral if the contract with the authorities of St. Petersburg on the safety of museum facilities does not comply with the concluded to conclude.