MOSCOW, MARCH 29, (RIA Novosti). - A house of prayer of the Russian Orthodox Church will appear in Havana, Cuban capital. "We hope construction will start even within the year," says Archpriest Nicholas Balashov. Secretary for contacts between Orthodox Christian communities at the Moscow Patriarchate Department of External Church Relations, Father Nicholas has just come back to Moscow from a trip to Havana.
There are many Russian nationals in Cuba, and it is high time to build a Russian Orthodox church for them. It has to be a big place as a congregation of up to three hundred gathers for festive liturgies in Havana. Meanwhile, the Russian trade representation has to host those liturgies in its hall. That has been so since 2001.
The Cuban top is aware of religious Russians' need for a church, and willing to assume a greater part of expenditures.
Cubans ardently worship Our Lady, so the host country desires the new church to be consecrated to Her, added Father Nicholas.
