ROAC MAY LOOSE 14 CHURCH BUILDINGS IN SUZDAL REGION SOON
(Vertograd, Suzdal)
Court is in session concerning the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church (ROAC) serving in 14 church buildings in the Suzdal region. The Governmental Property Agency presented to the court the argument that these church buildings cannot be used by ROAC anymore because the agreement was signed with another organization: Free Russian Orthodox Church (FROC). In fact, FROC is the old name of ROAC. The name was changed in 1998 during the re-registration at the request of the Administration of Justice.
The ROAC is a direct successor of the FROC, but the court insists that the new name was given to another organization. So, most probably the 14 churches will be taken over from ROAC. In this case, the official "competition" will be announced and the parish of any church will be able to apply for the properties. It is easy to predict that the "official" church (Moscow Patriarchate) will get them.
The churches are: St. Constantine the Great Cathedral (built in 1707), Joy of All Who Sorrow (1750 г.), Dormition (17th century), St. Lazar (1667), Holy Cross and St. Nicholas, (1770), Epiphany (1781), St. John the Forerunner (1739г.), St. Cosmas and St. Damian (1725г.) in Suzdal; Church of St. Archdeacon Steven (1780 г.) with the bell-tower (18th century.) and the fence with Holy Gates (18th century) in the village of Kideksha, St. Antipas (1745), Church of Tihkvin Icon of Mother of God (17th century) and the Church of Resurrection (17th century) in the village of Novoselki.
