Russia Gets a Spot in France

...a place of worship on the Riviera now belongs to Russian state, court decides.
(The St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Nice, France; reportedly was vistited by 80,000 tourists last year.)

Mikus E.

P.S. Does Russia have like designs in Latvija? (Hmmm, the Russians who fled the bolshevik revolution were “wrongly” denied claim to this shrine.—-they have although vowed to appeal the court’s decision..)
P.P.S. And let us not ever confuse this with Latvia’s past “French” shrine.

My father made a contribution towards the “French” Latvia.
(—-Leading to his name “etched” onto a metal plate.) But Latvija is now to be free…. And his name will still surely continue to endure as well.

Mikus E.

What court made that decision?  Was it at he top level, or somewnere below it?

No mentioning of “which” court, but here are some other snips…

From Times Online
February 25, 2009

The Attorney-General has stepped into a High Court dispute in which a congregation is battling for ownership of the £15 million Russian Orthodox cathedral in London.

The dispute has its origins in a split in the Orthodox church in London in 2006 after the arrival of large numbers of new Russians backed by the Moscow Patriarchate.

During the communist regime, the Moscow Patriarch exercised little influence over churches overseas which were often founded by exiles who fled the Revolution.

Now, in advance of the hearing, Baroness Scotland of Asthal, QC, Britain’s chief law officer, has stepped in on the side of Moscow.

Ruth Nares, another parishioner, said no reason had been given for the Attorney-General’s decision in declaring Moscow the rightful heir to the assets.
—————————

June 10, 2009
Russian Orthodox Church in London and Great Britain – Court Decision
Mr. Justice Blackburne’s decision puts an end to a long-running controversy regarding the use and benefit of the Russian Orthodox Church’s assets in the United Kingdom, including in particular the London Cathedral. His judgment confirms that the Church should continue to have the benefit and use of such assets, including the London Cathedral. The judgment also recognises that the Church is a thriving community, that it has in recent years enjoyed a substantial increase in membership and that it continues to pursue what the judge described as a “vigorous programme of activities”.
————————

There is currently an ownership dispute over the property. The
parish, which belongs to an overseas Russian Orthodox jurisdiction under the authority of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate, opposes a claim on the property by the Patriarchate of Moscow, which has the backing of the
Russian government.
————————-

NICE, France (2006)
In February, a bailiff (huissier) of the Nice court, accompanied by representatives of the Consulate of the Russian Federation in Nice, came to the cathedral to implement the local Court’s ruling that an inventory of the contents and property of the Cathedral be made on behalf of the Russian Federation. Permission to enter the Cathedral, property of the local parish and registered as such under French law, was refused and in April the higher court denied the right of the Russian Federation to make this inventory. In fact, the French Ministry of Culture had just previously completed a very full inventory of the icons, wall paintings and other items in the building as part of the registration of the Cathedral as a historical monument.
———————————————

Wed Jan 20, 9:59 am ET
PARIS – A French court says Russia is the rightful owner of an ornate Russian Orthodox cathedral built nearly a century ago under Czar Nicholas II on the French Riviera resort of Nice.
The case over Saint Nicholas Cathedral had long pitted the state-backed Russian Orthodox Church against descendants of Russians who fled the Bolshevik Revolution and now want Moscow to stay away.
Father Jean Gueit says the Nice court ruled Wednesday that the long-term lease on the cathedral had run out and Moscow can now reclaim it. The cathedral is one of the largest of its kind outside Russia.
Gueit said by phone that his congregation will appeal the decision.
In a similar case last year, Italy returned a Russian Orthodox church in southern Bari to Russia.

Mikus E.

Well, don’t forget that the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia signed the Act of Canonical Communion, which is a way to reunite the churches.

PS The decision was handed down by Tribunal de Grande Instance de Nice.

PPS Found this interesting.

J’ai le sentiment que la démarche est honnête. I feel that the approach is honest. La Russie n’est plus l’Union soviétique. Russia is no longer the Soviet Union. Ce qui m’a frappé à l’ambassade de Russie à Paris, c’est l’immense portrait du tsar qui trône à l’entrée. What struck me at the Russian Embassy in Paris, is the huge portrait of the Tsar that sits at the entrance. Les Russes d’aujourd’hui sont fiers de leur longue histoire. The Russians today are proud of their long history.

Incidentally, Latvian Orthodox Church is under the Moscow Patriarchate.

Fine and dandy that Aleksejs responded, but did he not ignore this one snip?…

During the communist regime, the Moscow Patriarch exercised little influence over churches overseas which were often founded by exiles who fled the Revolution.

So were these exiles then the true government (even though now exiled) at the time?

Mikus E.

P.S. Aleksejs PS’s with… “Incidentally, Latvian Orthodox Church is under the Moscow Patriarch [sic].”

—-Does this mean “owned by Moscow” or is just a member of the Patriarch?

Aleksejs et al.,

“Incidentally, Latvian Orthodox Church is under the Moscow Patriarchate. “

I am confused, who exactly owns that beutiful orthodox cathedral in downtown Riga now ?

Visu labu,

I’m not sure about the ownership of the Orthodox Cathedral. I suspect it’s owned by the Latvian Orthodox Church, which is part of the Moscow Patriarchate.

Also, it’s interesting that Estonia has two orthodox churches. One that serves under the Moscow Patriarchate and another that is independent of it.

Aleksejs et al.,

“Also, it’s interesting that Estonia has two orthodox churches. One that serves under the Moscow Patriarchate and another that is independent of it. “

In that case, would the independent one not be called the Estonian Orthodox Church ?

Visu labu,

From Aleksejs’s blog about his millionaire Riga Old Believers:

“Today the Grebenschikov congregation whose temple now fits more than 5,000 believers is considered one of the largest congregations among the Old Believers. The congregation owns the land — from Krasta iela on the shores of Daugava to Purvciems — whose cost is estimated at 5.235 million lats (USD 13 million) and is by far the largest private landowner in Riga.”

Time for Old Believer soup kitchens for the impoverished Orthodox, Catholics, and Lutherans of Latvia and a humanitarian bailout of their beloved Latvia.

Where are the believers in the separation of Church and State???  Haven’t heard even a peep from any of them!!!

Why should we hear from them??

After all,  those are the properties of religious institutions!  What f Italy tried to annex the Vatican?  What if any Western government tried to confiscate a property belonging to a church. or a Catholic diocese?

If Italy tried to annex the Vatican?  You mean invade Vatican City?

spectator speculates: “What if any Western government tried to confiscate a property belonging to a church. or a Catholic diocese?”

Do you mean the successful confiscation of a whole host of properties belonging to the Orthodox Church of Latvia by the government of Latvia in the early years of the First Republic?  Just a few examples in Riga (there are many throughout the country):

Confiscation of the St. Alexis Monastery and Cathedral—turned over to Rome. 
Confiscation of the Orthodox Theological Seminary (built and staffed for the express purpose of educating future generations of priests to minister in their native tongues—Latvian and Estonian), now the Faculty of Biology of LU on Kronvalds Bulv.
Confiscation of the oldest standing Orthodox Church in Vecriga—Sts. Peter and Paul—first turned over to the Lutheran Church, then to “civil use,” mostly known today as the concert hall of “Ave Sol.”  Those who don’t recognize it are forgiven—no “onion domes”—it was built by Russian merchants in the Gothic style to blend in with the existing skyline of its day.  BTW, the Church in recent years has prevailed in a series of lawsuits to reclaim its property, only to be stymied by the Riga Municipality, which refuses to abide by the highest court orders to turn over the property to this very day.

Fortunately, the Latvian government’s effort to confiscate and destroy the Byzantine-style Cathedral of the Nativity of Christ on Brivibas iela failed, due to the heroic efforts of the Latvian patriot and religious leader Archbishop Janis Pommers, the first head of the Autonomous Latvian Orthodox Church, who made his residence in the dark, damp basement of the cathedral in order to personally, if necessary, prevent its desecration.  That is where he officially entertained a steady stream of distinguished visitors, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, the President of the League of Nations, and various European leaders. 

Just some historical facts to ponder.  The rest of this thread is so full of ignorance and misinformation, it’s hard to know where to start to respond.  Perhaps I’ll find some time later.

ak