SMOLNY REFUSES TO TRANSFER "MUSIC HALL" BUILDING IN ST. PETERSBURG TO EVANGELICALS
Authorities of St. Petersburg refused to transfer to the "Hosanna" Evangelical Christian [Presbyterian] Church the "Music Hall" complex of buildings. This is made clear in a letter from the vice-chairman of the Committee on Property Relations, Alexander German.
"With
regard to the confessional affiliation of the
property, and also taking into account information presented by
the Department
for Relations with Religious Associations of St. Petersburg of the
administration of the governor . . . one can draw the conclusion
that the
religious organization does not belong to the historical religious
confession
of the Anglican Church and is not its legal successor," says the
answer of
the official that was published on 20 May on the website of the
committee.
The representative of the committee concluded: considering the foregoing, there is no basis for transferring the buildings for cost-free use by the religious organization.
We recall that the religious organization asked to transfer to it for cost-free use the premises of the former Anglican church on Galernaia Street, building 57 A-G (English Embankment, 56).
The "Hosanna" church was registered as an organization in 1992. (tr. by PDS, posted 21 May 2021)
EVANGELICALS UNABLE TO TAKE AWAY ANGLICAN CHURCH FROM "MUSIC HALL"
Smolny [i.e. St. Petersburg city hall—tr.] decided to leave the premises of the former Anglican church on Galernaia Street in the ownership of "Music Hall."
The "Hosanna"
Evangelical Christian Church sent to
the government of St. Petersburg a request to transfer into its
possession the
complex of buildings that at the present time is occupied by the
"Music
Hall" theatre. The request appeared on the website of the
Committee on
Property Relations on 27 April 2021.
The evangelicals asked for the transfer to them cost-free for 100 years of the building, two annexes, and the church, which once was the Anglican Church of Jesus Christ. Now these buildings are occupied by "Music Hall," and the buildings themselves are being restored. In the future, Music Hall plans to conduct classical concerts in the church.
The evangelicals based their claim to the building on the fact that the "Hosanna" Evangelical Christian Church, like the Anglican Church of Jesus Christ, adheres to protestantism. (tr. by PDS, posted 21 May 2021)
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