FRANCE: Construction of first Orthodox Church in Strasbourg begins

 

On December 7, 2013, on Saturday, feast-day of Holy Great-Martyr Catherine, on the parcel of land assigned by the city of Strasbourg for the Russian Orthodox Church on the Boussingault Street on the bank of the canal de la Marne in the quarter 15, a prayer service for the beginning of the construction work was performed.

"Orthodox Christians of Strasbourg have long been waiting for this moment. Work to obtain administrative authorization went on for several years."

This will be the new church.

 

Also, a 2.5 meters high marble crucifix was blessed. Believers will be able to pray before it for the successful construction of the church. This crucifix will remain standing in front of the future church as sign of the Lord's blessing after completion of the construction as well.
 

An intensive search for financial resources is ongoing; the funds are needed to begin construction work and are received exclusively from private sources, reports the website of the representation of the Russian Orthodox Church in Strasbourg.

The author of the project is the French architect Nicolas Berst, reports Romphea. There will be room for 300 people in the church. It will be 42 meters tall; 4 million euros will be spent on its construction.
The construction project of a church in Strasbourg was blessed as early as in 2006 by His Holiness Patriarch Alexei II.