Govt. to strengthen Russian Church's presence in Holy Land

Jerusalem, October 1, (Interfax) - The Russian Government will continue to help the Russian Orthodox Church to expand and strengthen its presence in the Holy Land, Russia's First Vice Premier Viktor Zubkov stated.

"We shall continue to help the Church in its strengthening of Orthodox positions, its property, as well as promote its church construction and increasing the number of pilgrims (to the Holy Land - IF)," Zubkov said Thursday during a visit to Trinity Cathedral of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.

Head of the Mission Archimandrite Isidor (Minayev) told Vice Premier about the history of the "Jerusalem Moscovia" - a quarter in Jerusalem which was almost completely owned by the Russian Church and private patrons in the early 20th century. He also mentioned the current tasks and challenges of the Russian Orthodoxy in the Holy Land.