Society and church: Novodevichy Convent returned to the fold

The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Cyril and the Head of Rosimushchestvo (Federal Agency for State Property Management) Yuri Petrov signed the act of transfer to the unlimited use of the Russian Orthodox Church the architectural ensemble of Novodevichy Convent. The ceremony of signing the document took place at the patriarch residence in Chisty alley in presence of Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna and Novodevichy Convent Mother Superior Margarita (Feoktistova).

The Primate expressed his gratitude to the Russian state: ‘The historical justice has been restored without any damage for the Church as well as for the cultural world’.

The act concerns only the building of the convent. It does not concern the icons and other church utensils which are relics of the past. They still belong to the state. Let us remind the Novodevichy Convent built in Moscow in 1524 has remained almost immutable until now.

From 1991 the Convent ensemble is considered especially valuable object of the cultural heritage of the Russian Federation; in 1995 it was recognized the monument of federal significance. In 2004 the Convent was included into the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.

When the signed act takes effect ‘the right of the State historical museum for the building will be expired’. The transfer of the objects will be done in phases. As to the destiny of the exhibits of the State historical museum branch, according to the current RF legislation on culture the authorities ‘must provide equal premises to the culture organization’. Rosimushchestvo assured that this requirement will be observed.