RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Another controversy over Orthodox church construction

ASTRAKHAN PROTESTERS CONDUCT PICKET AGAINST BUILDING CHURCH ON YABLOCHKOV STREET

Arbuz Today, 17 September 2019

 

Opposition politicians of Astrakhan oblast are continuing a series of one-person pickets at a site of the possible construction of an Orthodox church near the Stepan Zdorovtsev boarding school on Yablochkov Street. "Yesterday we were praying for the salvation of children's souls from obscurantism and demon possession. People support us, in the main. This time drivers honked at us as they drove past," Mikhail Doliev, the chairman and executive director of the regional division of the Parnas Party in Astrakhan oblast, writes in summary.

 

We note that this is not, by far, the first such demonstration against building a church on a part of the territory of the Stepan Zdorovtsev boarding school. Previously representatives of opposition political forces also conducted there several one-person pickets, in order the call attention of the public to this issue. Several times, those who support the appearance of the church on this territory got into a fight with them.

 

Information about the possible construction of an Orthodox church on the territory of the Stepan Zdorovtsev boarding school was announced by a deputy of the Astrakhan oblast duma from the "A Just Russia" fraction, Alexander Kamanin, in May of this year.

 

"I tell you that this is not speculation. There are no documents but I know for sure. I have nothing against religion, but it is possible to find a site on Yablochkov without infringing upon the orphan children and to build that church," Kamanin stated then in the course of discussion of deputies of the regional parliament with the acting head of the oblast at the time, Sergei Morozov. Then the Just Russian himself participated in the one-person pickets at the proposed site for building the religious facility. (tr. by PDS, posted 17 September 2019)


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