GRUSHKO: CATHEDRAL CHURCH IN BANJA LUKA - SYMBOL OF SERB AND RUSSIAN PEOPLES

BANJA LUKA, APRIL 21 /SRNA/ – Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Grushko stated that the Russian delegation was impressed by the magnificence of the Serb-Russian cathedral church in Banja Luka, which, as he says, is a symbol of the Russian and Serb peoples.

“This is a masterpiece, and I express gratitude to all those who, through their effort and financial contributions, helped build the cathedral church,” Grushko said after visiting together with Republika Srpska officials the Serb-Russian Cathedral Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord and the spiritual centre currently under construction.

Grushko expressed deep gratitude to the Republika Srpska leadership, Milorad Dodik, as well as representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church, the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society, the Foundation of Christian Culture and Heritage, architects, and builders.

Secretary of the Banja Luka Diocese Radojica Žagran said the visit was an opportunity to see what has been completed so far and added that the Russian delegation was very satisfied.

He expressed gratitude to Grushko for visiting the cathedral church and conveyed the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Jefrem.

Construction of the cathedral church and spiritual-cultural centre began in 2018, when the foundation stone was laid.

It is being built as a symbol of the unbreakable bond between the Serb and Russian peoples. The church will have three altars, with a Serb-Russian cultural and spiritual centre and a library within the complex where the Russian language and literature will be studied.

The Serb-Russian cathedral church and spiritual-cultural centre are being built in honour of the Romanov family; former Church of the Miracle of the Archangel Michael is used as the prototype of the cathedral church, which was built in 1358 and once stood in the Kremlin but was destroyed after the October Revolution.