RUSSIA: WORSHIPPERS ATTEND SERVICE IN RENOVATED CHAPEL DEDICATED TO ST BASIL, ONE OF RUSSIA'S MOST REVERED SAINTS.

Record ID: 335727

  • Title: RUSSIA: WORSHIPPERS ATTEND SERVICE IN RENOVATED CHAPEL DEDICATED TO ST BASIL, ONE OF RUSSIA'S MOST REVERED SAINTS.
  • Date: 30th August 1997
  • Summary: ST BASIL'S, MOSCOW (AUGUST 30, 1997) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. LV: WIDE VIEW SAINT BASIL'S CATHEDRAL 0.09 2. GV: CUPOLAS OF CATHEDRAL 0.12 3. GV/MV: RUSSIAN FOLK CHOIR IN FOLK COSTUMES SINGING FOLK SONGS BY CATHEDRAL ENTRANCE (5 SHOTS) 0.38 4. CU: ARCHBISHOP ARSENNI THANKING THOSE WHO SPENT MANY MONTHS SEARCHING FOR MONEY AND
  • Embargoed: 14th September 1997 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MOSCOW, RUSSIA
  • City:
  • Country: Russia
  • Reuters ID: LVA2WVTRPUJFHDOGJPJNQRQYJ5GN
  • Story Text: INTRO: A side chapel of Saint Basil's Cathedral in Moscow has reopened after decades of neglect. The chapel - which contains the body of Saint Basil himself - is one of Orthodox Russia's most holy sights. The reopening follows an extensive renovation programme.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------- Saint Basil the Blessed was a 16th century "holy fool". He was a mendicant, or holy beggar - a homeless man who lived on the donations of others and was also believed to possess extraordinary powers of prophesy and healing.

    According to legend, his fearlessness, foolishness and holiness allowed him to be the only person of his time to confront Tsar Ivan the Terrible with his iniquities -- and not to forfeit his life for it.

    The cathedral named in his honour was ordered to be built by Ivan the Terrible to celebrate his victory over the Kazan Khanate.

    Officialy named as Intercession Cathedral in the Moat, it became known as "St. Basil's" when the body of St. Basil was laid to rest in a side chapel constructed for him in 1588.

    During Stalin's rule, St. Basil's cathedral was almost demolished to clear space for military and political parades. But these plans were scrapped and the cathedral exterior became one of Russia's most widely-known images across the world.

    The cathedral interior was neglected during the Soviet era and, more recently, as a result of market realities in post-communist cash-strapped Russia. After many months of searching, church curators finally found a Russian bank to sponsor much-needed repairs.


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