Church property confiscated by the Soviet...
the ownership structure of the property used by religious groups, including buildings and land plots.In almost two decades since the collapse of the officially atheist Soviet Union, the Orthodox Church has through government decrees regained ownership of just 100 or so of 16,000 churches and cathedrals.
While the Orthodox Church will not get back churches now on the UNESCO world heritage list, including St. Basil"s Cathedral on Red Square and the churches within the Kremlin walls, it is expected to have Moscow"s Novodevichy Convent returned to it later in 2010.
Most religious buildings in Russia are currently rented from the government free of charge, but the economics ministry has sought to change the ownership structure of property used by religious groups in a bid to cut budget spending.
Muslim and Jewish groups have welcomed the proposals, and the Roman Catholic Church in Russia has also expressed hope that it will get back Catholic churches and
Pages: 1 [2] 3