The inhabitants of Malta are opposed to the construction of the Moscow Patriarchate Church in the country

The inhabitants of Malta are opposed to the construction of the first Church of the Moscow Patriarchate in the country in the village of Kappara. It is reported by Times of Malta.

One of the reasons for discontent in Cappar was that according to the project, the bell tower of the Church is supposed to be built more than 26 meters high. Local residents also indicate that the construction of the church will create problems with parking in the village. In addition, it is noted that the field selected for the building is directly adjacent to the biosphere reserve of Uid-Nollia, and in this regard they are afraid of environmental damage.

In the coming weeks, residents of the village intend to submit an application with the project criticizing the project to the Urban Planning Directorate.

Similar claims are also expressed by the eco-defensive NPO NATURE TRUST MALTA, which controls the reserve of Uid-Novia. The church project was noted by activists in their appeal to the urban planning management, and does not fit into the natural landscape. The authors of the letter called more than a 26-meter bell tower "intrusive." With the construction of the church, they noted in Nature Trust Malta, traffic will increase, the level of illumination and noise will increase - all together this will harm the ecology of the terrain and violate the unflappable natural atmosphere of the reserve.

Malta advisory council in architecture also criticized the project. The recall of the Committee states that although the design of the construction in the traditions of Russian Orthodox architecture does not cause objections in itself, the building should better fit into the local architectural landscape.

The representative of the Orthodox community noted to do this that he did not discuss the project with the inhabitants of Cappaars, but I am sure that the presence in the village of the Church, built on this project, would not create any inconvenience for them.

Public hearings on the permission of the Orthodox community are assigned to the church on September 11.

In Malta there is only one community of the Russian Orthodox Church - the parish of the apostles Peter and Paul. It has about 200 believers. The worship of the parish is now held in various Catholic churches of the island of Malta.

The relations of the community with Catholics, according to the representative of the parish, are good, but Catholics understand that Orthodox need their own church. In particular, he explained, the use of Catholic churches is unacceptable from a ritual point of view, since the altar in them is not separated from the flock with an iconostasis.

In addition, the interlocutor of the publication added until the parish does not have his own church, the permanent priest is sent to believers. Now services are held by visiting clerics, and services are performed only about 10 times a year.