Russian Cultural and Scientific Center in Paris. Russian Spiritual and Cultural Orthodox Center in Paris

Parisians will remember this bright day for a long time. On the Quai Branly, literally a few hundred meters from the Eiffel Tower, a Russian Orthodox cultural and spiritual center was opened, which, by all accounts, has already become an adornment of the French capital, and, as you know, it is a concentration of buildings of high architectural skill in various styles, such as the current ones, as well as those relating to past epochs.

The ensemble consists of four buildings, the undoubted pearl of which is the temple of the Holy Trinity crowned with five golden domes. He is assigned the role of becoming the cathedral church of the Korsun Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, uniting parishes in France, Switzerland, Spain, and Portugal. The other three housed a conference hall, areas for exhibitions and other events, offices of the secretariat of the Korsun diocese, cultural groups of the Russian Embassy in France. An important detail: from a legal point of view, the center is a branch of the Russian diplomatic mission in Paris and, accordingly, enjoys immunity, protecting it from all sorts of attacks by those who would like to put their paw on our property under one pretext or another.

An official delegation headed by the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky flew in from Russia to the celebrations on the occasion of the landmark event. Head of the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communications Mikhail Seslavinsky, as well as French officials and politicians, including Secretary of State for Relations with the Parliament Jean-Marie Le Guin, Rashida Dati, Mayor of Paris Anna took part in them. Hidalgo, representatives of the metropolitan public, Russians living in France.

The symbolic key to the Russian spiritual and cultural center was handed over to the head of the presidential affairs Alexander Kolpakov by the director of the Bouygues construction contractor Bernard Munier the day before. And after that, an act of acceptance and transfer of the complex was signed.

At the official opening ceremony of the Center, Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky delivered a speech to the participants from Russian President Vladimir Putin. “I cordially congratulate you on the official opening of the Russian Spiritual and Cultural Orthodox Center in the capital of France,” the Russian leader noted. “The creation of this unique complex has become a visible evidence of the strength of Russian-French cultural and humanitarian ties, the mutual desire of the peoples of our countries for constructive dialogue and cooperation.” .

"The Center opens its doors to everyone who is interested in the history of our country, its scientific and cultural achievements, and strives to study the Russian language. And the Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity will undoubtedly play an important role in the spiritual life of our compatriots living in France," Vladimir Putin stressed, expressing confidence that "the Center will take its rightful place among the cultural attractions of Paris, and its activities will serve to preserve and strengthen the good traditions of friendship and mutual respect that have long linked Russians and French."

The center is a branch of the diplomatic mission of the Russian Federation in Paris and is immune from all sorts of attacks

For me, this is a long-awaited and joyful event, - Alexander Trubetskoy, executive president of the Franco-Russian Dialogue Association, shared with RG. - The face of Paris is transformed, acquires a Russian charm. Not everything was easy with this project, there were many obstacles and ups and downs, but they are behind us. Despite not the most prosperous times in relations between Russia and France due to different approaches to some topical issues of the international situation, the ties that bind our countries are so diverse and strong that nothing can break them.

And here is what Prince Dmitry Shakhovskoy, professor at the St. Sergius Theological Institute in Paris, thinks:

The center will become a convenient platform for events and manifestations dedicated to Russia, its culture, history, role it plays in the world, and, of course, relations with France.

Meanwhile

In less than a few hours after the opening of the spiritual and cultural center on Branly, the work of the XVIII World Congress of the Russian Press began there, which brought together 250 delegates from 64 countries of the world to Paris. Today WARP unites more than three thousand printed and electronic mass media, which are published in Russian in 80 countries of the world. This is the only worldwide association of Russian-speaking journalists living and working abroad, publishers and heads of print, electronic and other media. Established in 1999, the organization consistently solves the problem of consolidating Russian-language media, contributes to the preservation of cultural and linguistic ties between diasporas and Russia, promotes partnership and comprehensive development of the dialogue between Russian-language media and their counterparts at home.

Russian Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, head of the Federal Agency for Press and Mass Communications Mikhail Seslavinsky, head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Communications Alexander Zharov, and other Russian representatives are taking part in the congress. The forum session was opened by the President of the World Association of Russian Press Vitaly Ignatenko.

Greetings to the participants of the congress were sent by the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.

cultural policy

Yesterday, the Russian Spiritual and Cultural Orthodox Center was opened in Paris, which included a school, a cultural center, a clergy building and the Church of the Holy Trinity. The Paris correspondent of "Kommersant" ALEXEY TARKHANOV visited the opening.

business holiday

The opening was postponed three times - they were waiting for President Putin, without him the temple would not be a temple. The President didn't come. Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky arrived. Without a president, there is no trace for the patriarch to go either - he was represented by Anthony, Bishop of Bogorodsky. They are waiting for the patriarch on December 4, when the church should be consecrated and the first service should be held in it.

The Russian diplomats in Paris were led by Ambassador Alexander Orlov, who greeted the guests and talked with Jean-Marie Le Guin, Secretary of State for Parliamentary Relations.

“Look, here you have both left and right,” said my neighbor, a French journalist, looking at the idyllic conversation of the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte with the fierce socialist mayor of Paris, Anna Hidalgo, and the mayor of the wealthy 7th arrondissement, where the Russian temple nestled, right "Republican" Rashida Dati. Instead of habitually exchanging party kicks, the ladies politely listened to the author of the project.

The ex-Minister of Culture Frederic Mitterrand, who had previously dubbed the project "St. Vladimir's Cathedral", came, the former ambassador to Russia, Jean de Gliniasty, who is fondly remembered in Moscow, came. And since tomorrow the most important exhibition from the collections of the Hermitage and the Pushkin Museum opens in Paris, the museum public gathered - Mikhail Piotrovsky and Marina Loshak, journalists appeared on business, their bosses, including the editor-in-chief of Ekho Moskvy, Alexei Venediktov, were idle.

After the speeches given by the representatives, the architect and builders, the mayors of the city and the district, the guests moved to the church and for the first time were able to appreciate the building. The mise-en-scène in the church, filled with an enlightened audience in costumes, was somewhat reminiscent of a rich wedding in the autumn suburbs. The walls and vaults have not yet been painted, icon painters will come from Russia, and we will not soon see their work. Clerics in black robes scurried up the steps like sailors getting to know a new ship.

Request History

Russia bought a site in Paris on Quai Branly in 2010. Other applicants - and among them were Canadians, Chinese and Saudis - lost the tender. Some for monetary reasons, others, it was said, for ideological reasons. We got the plot for an amount from €60 million to €70 million. The winner of the architectural competition, Manolo Nunez-Yanovsky, was dismissed - and since then he has been vainly threatening to sue and ruin Russia, the Parisian mayor's office and the architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, who received a rejected project and brought it to the end.

Wilmott is not a stranger in Russia, we know him from the projects of Greater Moscow and from the reconstruction of the Small Marble Palace in St. Petersburg. He is known for his diplomatic skills, heads a huge architectural bureau, builds all over the world and gets along well with contractors. Yesterday, he spent most of his speech explaining the craftsmanship of the builders who developed the special masonry system, how the yacht builders' exceptionally precise molding of plastic domes, and the development of the special 24-karat gilding alloyed with palladium. "It took only 800 g of gold for all the domes," Wilmott said proudly, "we didn't throw money down the drain here." The question of money is painful, the cost of the complex is estimated at about € 100 million, in private conversations they say "more, much more", but we will not believe the rumors.

Domes on the Seine

Jean-Michel Wilmotte's project is criticized by many. And from different sides - some for timidity and boredom, others for expressive "cardboard Orthodoxy." However, if we look at the proposals of other contestants (they are still open and available), we will see much more controversial options. The French there arrange modernist fireworks from the church, the Russians are so painfully serious and meticulous in their historicism, as if they are afraid of sin.

In most perspectives and photographs of Wilmotte's new work, the domes glow against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower. This proves (depending on the position of the critic) either a successful correspondence or a complete alienation of the building to the Parisian street. But these photos are tricks that require the photographer to walk on rooftops or shoot through a telescope. Domes are generally visible only from a few points, and nowhere do they look too intrusive.

Wilmott specifically spoke of the unwillingness to "make a caricature" and the desire to "root the building in Paris." For this, gilding was muted, Parisian limestone was used, and boulevards were planted. By dividing the total volume into four parts and revealing the 19th-century façade along the far boundary of the site, he rather cheered up the street than suppressed or spoiled it.

In this sense, by the way, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral of 1861 is more alien, which looks no more organically on the Parisian street Daru than the Church of the Savior on Blood on the St. Petersburg embankment.

In some ways, the building of the church reminds me of the "Russian bridge" of Alexander III thrown across the river nearby and the national pavilions of various exotic countries, including the Russian Empire, which were built on the banks of the Seine for the World Exhibition of 1900. According to the Parisians, they were no damage, but even decoration.

Right to the Church

The Russian Spiritual and Cultural Orthodox Center included a seminary, an elementary Russian-French school, a cultural center, including a Russian library and the premises of the cultural mission of the embassy. The architect's idea was to create gardens and boulevards between the buildings, but it is difficult to say whether they will be open for walking - after all, this is the territory of a diplomatic mission, and the already installed fence does not look very hospitable.

The fact that the 4,000 m2 purchased by Russia has acquired the status of diplomatic land and, therefore, cannot be alienated by any Yukos lawyers (who have tried to do so) has been confirmed. In this regard, the task of the church in the project can be considered in a new way. In addition to the symbolic role of shining domes in the middle of Paris, it is very important for the status of the site.

According to experts, our lawyers took advantage of the so-called right to a chapel, which, according to the law of 1924, diplomatic missions have. If diplomats have nowhere to pray, they have the right to buy land and build themselves a corner for worship. In the era of the USSR, it would be strange to use this right, but in our God-fearing times, why not.

Of course, they immediately began to say that this was "a cunning plan of the Russians, who want to demonstrate their power, and that the complex will obviously be inhabited by persons not of a spiritual, but of a military rank." Nearby is the administration of the President of France, special communications centers and the leadership of the General Staff. Let's see if this is so and if the General Staff will not be transferred out of harm's way to the new French Pentagon, which is being built according to the project of the same Wilmott.

In the very heart of Paris, a great historical event is the solemn opening ceremony of the Russian Spiritual and Cultural Orthodox Center. A grandiose project, in which both the Russian soul and French chic are combined - the Center as a symbol of the spiritual ties between the two peoples. The President of Russia sent a welcoming message to the participants of the ceremony in Paris.

Vladimir Putin is confident that the Center will take its rightful place among the cultural attractions of Paris, and its activities will serve to preserve the traditions of friendship and mutual respect that bind Russians and French.

There were more people who wanted to see the historic event with their own eyes than the organizers could have imagined. Public figures, writers, deputies, emigrants, politicians - both Russians and French. Next to the Minister of Culture Medinsky is the mayor of Paris, Anne Edalgo. Applause, rave reviews and heated discussions. An incredible project has become a reality. Orthodox Cathedral in the center of Paris. In granite and marble - for centuries.

Stone from Burgundy - Notre Dame de Paris was built from the same stone, 600 meters to the Eiffel Tower. A few years ago, the project of the center seemed ambitious, a pipe dream. But everything went well, the center opened, and today journalists and guests were allowed in here for the first time. It is incredibly light, spacious, a lot of air. The center is not one building, but a whole complex of buildings, and in the heart is an Orthodox church - a five-domed, five-domed cathedral in Paris, which is visible from everywhere.

Literally glowing with pride, the chief architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte received congratulations today. Both the French and the Russian side accepted his project with enthusiasm. The cathedral and the buildings around were built in a year and a half. A complex architectural solution that combines Orthodox canons with unique Parisian architecture and modern technology. For example, domes are made of fiberglass with an unlimited service life, while covered with gold leaf.

“See how the four buildings fit into the block. Nothing was done by accident. The cathedral is located on the same axis as the Alma Palace, which we are rediscovering for ourselves. All facades face the avenue. It is an extension of the city,” explains Jean-Michel Wilmotte.

In terms of scale, the center is difficult to compare with something else. Prior to this, the Alexander III Bridge was considered the most significant and grandiose Russian building of the tsarist times.

“This project is truly unique. I am sure that this will be one of the favorite places to visit not only our compatriots, not only the Orthodox who come to Paris, but I think that this will be one of the favorite places for mutual communication, visiting guests of Paris, the French, our friends,” he said. Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky.

“We have been waiting for this moment for years. It was very hard work to build this wonderful center. And now the doors are opening. It's a party on our street, a party on a Parisian street. This center will certainly become an ornament of Paris,” said Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to France Alexander Orlov.

Until recently, the Russian community in Paris gathered in the basement of a bicycle factory. The majestic temple on the banks of the Seine is a symbol of the spiritual ties between the two nations. Here the French will meet, discuss and discover Russia for themselves. The center is also a place of cultural pilgrimage.

“Culture and spirituality or religion as part of culture is the most important thing that exists. It is more important than politics, economics and everything. I think that the event that is taking place now, on the one hand, shows how important this is, and on the other hand, shows how important it is not to break these ties. And how bad it is if sometimes they even try to use them for political purposes,” said Director General of the State Hermitage Museum Mikhail Piotrovsky.

The Hermitage and the Pushkin Museum brought to Paris these days a grandiose exhibition. Without exaggeration. In the exhibition complex near the Russian Center of Culture - Picasso, Matisse, Van Gogh. A century later, the Shchukin collection, divided by the revolutionaries into two museums, was reunited. His grandson, a Frenchman by birth, walks around the halls with excitement on the eve of the opening.

“Four months to see this, which you will never see, even despite the fact that the paintings will be returned to you, that they will hang in the Hermitage and in Pushkin, but this is not at all this feeling, it is completely different,” the grandson assures S.I. Shchukin Andre-Marc Deloc-Fourcot.

"This is one collection that exists in two wonderful museums, it's true. But combining it is also a very important part of the debt that we give to Shchukin. And it's especially great that this is happening here in Paris, in the homeland of those artists who, in fact, they are the heart of this collection," said the director of the Pushkin Museum im. A.S. Pushkin Marina Loshak.

Russian seasons. This begs the comparison, looking at the list of Russian events in Paris. Immediately after the opening of the Cultural Center on its first working day, the Congress of the Russian Press under the auspices of TASS is here. Delegates from 60 countries gathered in the hall.

“For a long time this has not happened, when information about our country, about our actions, about our ideas is completely wrong, completely perverted. The good is hushed up, the negative comes to the fore. This hasn't happened for a long time, and our task is to overcome it. And the Russian-language press will be in the forefront here,” said Vitaly Ignatenko, President of the World Association of Russian Press.

Exhibitions and concerts will be held here, French children will study Russian here, and they will pray here. And the very architectural image of buildings is already called by French politicians a symbol of openness. This is how the Russian Center in Paris was conceived.

One of the most beautiful cultural centers in the world, Paris has also become the spiritual Mecca of Europe. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism - such different and sometimes contradictory religions harmoniously coexist on the streets of the most romantic metropolis.

Recently, among the many churches, the Orthodox spiritual and cultural center has been located in the capital of France.

The beginning of the story

The decision to build a Russian center in Paris came from Patriarch Alexy II. During one of his visits to the world capital of romance, His Holiness noted that the number of Orthodox Parisians has increased significantly in recent years. The former temple could no longer accommodate so many parishioners, which means that the Primate had to take care of his flock.

Of course, the issue of erecting a new sanctuary on the territory of a foreign, albeit friendly state, had to be resolved at the state level. Immediately after the visit, Alexy II petitioned the presidents of both countries.

Thus, having secured the approval of the heads of Russia and France, His Holiness the Patriarch initiated the process of building a modern Orthodox church in Paris.

Structure of the complex

The center of Orthodox culture cannot be unequivocally called a pagoda for prayers. The plans of the clergy included the creation of a full-fledged complex, where Orthodox Christians could take care not only of the immortal soul, but also of their cultural enlightenment.

So, several buildings are located on the territory of the mission: the Orthodox Church of the Holy Trinity, a bilingual Russian-French school, an exhibition center and outbuildings for staff.

It is interesting that the building of the Russian Spiritual and Cultural Center in Paris has received the legal status of an integral part of the Russian Embassy, ​​which means that it has the same rights and privileges as the official representative office.

Diplomatic immunity helped, at one time, to avoid the Orthodox complex of seizure of land assets. The conflict arose in 2015, when the former shareholders of the Yukos oil company decided to take advantage of judicial exequatur and ban development on the left bank of the Seine.

Search and acquisition of land

Several years passed from the idea to the first laid stone. The first problem faced by the organizers of the project was the lack of a suitable piece of land in Paris. It was important for the diocese that the center take the most advantageous location for the Orthodox diaspora.

And so, in 2009, the city council puts up the perfect lot for sale. The building of the meteorological station, located on the central Quai Branly, was being prepared for demolition. Of course, there were many who wanted to get a tasty morsel on the banks of the Seine. The favorable location in the heart of the French capital, the nearby Eiffel Tower, the Museum of Primitive Art and the Alma Palace made such an acquisition a profitable investment for many states.

To avoid accusations of a biased decision, the French authorities announced a competition for the acquisition of land in the central district of Paris. At the end of the auction, the main potential buyers were Russia, Saudi Arabia and Canada.

Of course, the results of the auction were influenced not only by the amounts that the representatives of the three states operated on. Friendly relations between the presidents of Russia and France, as well as the desire to strengthen the spiritual and historical ties between the two nations, played an important role in the decision.

So, in February 2010, following the results of the tender, the project "Opening of the Russian Spiritual and Cultural Center in Paris" was approved. The future complex for Orthodox Parisians now has an exact address: Quai Branly, building 1.

Secrets and mysteries of the future complex

When a matter acquires state importance, it cannot do without behind-the-scenes intrigues. This time, the "secrets of the Madrid court" touched upon such a seemingly charitable deed.

Admittedly, not everyone was sure that the Russian Orthodox Spiritual and Cultural Center would be able to accept. Some members of the city commune openly opposed the construction of the complex, motivating their protest by the fact that the new architectural structure would not fit into the historical appearance of the capital.

There are rumors that, in order to resolve this issue, the Russian special services had to deploy Operation Cathedral. We are unlikely to know how the special agents convinced the French authorities of the correctness of the decision. It is only obvious that, as a result of a secret operation, the officials managed to come to a mutual agreement.

Another reason for the rumors was the amount that Russia invested in the purchase of Parisian land. Since the financial results of the tender agreement remained a secret to the public, the local media had the opportunity to fantasize about this topic. According to various estimates, influential publications in France published amounts from 60 to 170 million euros.

Competition for the best architectural design

When the first difficulties were over, a period of, so to speak, pleasant troubles began: the formation of an evaluation jury and the organization of a competition for the design of construction.

More than 400 architects took part in the tender. Each of the participants understood that the name of the winner would forever go down in the history of Russian-French relations.

As the members of the jury later said, the first round of the competition was overwhelming. 109 projects that met all the requirements of the commission were accepted for consideration. There was a lot of work to be done.

Each project for the construction of an Orthodox church was interesting in its own way. Russian architects saw the future of the Holy Church in the classical Orthodox style. While the Russian Spiritual and Cultural Center expected to see Paris more modern, corresponding to the main architectural idea of ​​the city. The innovative views of the Franks sometimes acquired intricate forms, for example, a temple “wrapped in paper” or in the form of a burning candle.

After long ups and downs, disputes and doubts, the evaluation jury chose several, in their opinion, the most interesting proposals. The top three were French architect Frédéric Borel, French urban interior designer Jean-Michel Wilmotte, and Spanish urban architect Manuel Nunez-Yanovsky.

As a result, Jean-Michel Wilmotte's idea became the main plan for the construction of an Orthodox center. But more on that later.

Project difficulties

In fact, there were two architects in the history of the creation of the spiritual complex. In March 2011, according to the results of the competition, Manuel Nunez-Yanovsky received the palm of leadership. His idea was based on the ideas of postmodernity - the connection of the incompatible. It was supposed to erect a temple, with a classical, Orthodox foundation, covered with a glass cover and domes. The entire transparent part of the structure, at night, was to be illuminated with golden light.

The daring project of the Spanish architect caused a flurry of emotions. Someone called it "a combination of Orthodox traditions and modernity." Others joked that Nunez-Yanovsky was trying to bring the Tale of Tsar Saltan to life, A.S. Pushkin.

"An island in the sea lies,
The city stands on the island
With golden-domed churches,
With towers and gardens"

There were also ardent opponents of the project. Bertrand Delanoe, the then mayor of Paris, began to argue that the Nunez-Yanovsky project would not fit into the architectural environment of the entire area and would inevitably spoil the landscape on the Quai Branly.

The resistance of the city authorities was so strong that the question touched not only the historical traditions, but also the safety of the city. Even political motives were attributed to the defiant plan of the Spanish architect. The idea to build an Orthodox center in Paris became a stumbling block for the Western European Exarchate of the Russian Peoples.

Without waiting for the problem to escalate into an international scandal, the Russian government terminated the contract with Manuel Nunez-Yanovsky. So, the palm of leadership passed to the second finalist of the competition - Jean-Michel Wilmotte.

From dream to apparent reality

In the spring of 2013, Jean-Michel set about developing a new plan for the construction of the Russian Orthodox Cultural Center. This time, the architect carefully studied the mistakes made by his predecessor, and took into account the recommendations and wishes of the city authorities. However, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' became the main consultant in the design of the new complex.

As a result of such unanimous cooperation, the city planner was able to develop a plan that satisfies both the Russian Patriarchate and the Parisian department.

In December, the head of the city department approved the drawings and signed the building permit.

In April 2015, literally a kilometer from the Eiffel Tower, the ceremony of laying the sacred stone for the Church of the Holy Trinity took place. The entire Orthodox beau monde, headed by the bishop of the Korsun diocese, Nestor, gathered for the solemn event. The idea to build a Russian spiritual and cultural Orthodox center in Paris is no longer just a dream.

Features of the Orthodox Center

The construction of the complex lasted almost two years. Not everything went smoothly this time either. Twice representatives of Yukos tried to stop the construction, claiming their rights to a plot of land allocated for the construction of an Orthodox church. And twice the Parisian court rejected the shareholders' claims, guided by the diplomatic immunity of Russian real estate.

By the end of the summer of 2016, construction and cladding work came to an end, and the center of Orthodox culture in Paris shone on the Quai Branly in all its splendor.
The ensemble, as expected, consists of several buildings. The center of Christian culture and two exhibition halls look at the Seine embankment.

Near Rappa Avenue there is the Church of the Holy Trinity, as well as administrative buildings and service premises. On the side of the Alma Palace, educational facilities for an elementary school are located, capable of accommodating up to 150 students.

The landscape designer, Louis Benes, took care of the green part of the Orthodox center. An experienced reenactor of the Tuileries Garden, the architect developed a planting plan that not only corresponds to the landscaping scheme typical of Paris, but also repeats the natural flora of the Russian plains.

The main event of Paris in autumn 2016

The official opening of the Russian Orthodox Center in Paris took place in October 2016. As expected, there were many guests wishing to join the solemn event. Representatives of the clergy, ambassadors and authorized delegates, politicians and ministers, public figures, descendants of Russian emigration and Orthodox parishioners, representatives of the international press came to the holiday.

It seems that this is one of the few cases when a new building has become not just the center of world and public attention, but an occasion to gather under its roof people of various faiths, political beliefs and historical views.

Despite numerous obstacles, the Church of the Holy Trinity and the Russian Orthodox spiritual center in Paris harmoniously fit into the general architectural mood of the capital. The appearance of a new building on the left bank of the Seine was another advantage in the city of religious values.

The Orthodox French received a new parish and the opportunity to support the cultural traditions of Christianity, and the city authorities received another historically significant object.

Located in the very epicenter of the tourist route, the Orthodox complex has become a new pearl of the cultural capital of Europe.

Russian Spiritual and Cultural Center in Paris Photo

Photo gallery of the Russian Spiritual Center in Paris

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Jean-Michel Wilmotte (Jean-Michel Wilmotte)

Russian spiritual and cultural center

On October 19, 2016, the opening ceremony of the Cathedral Church of the Life-Giving Trinity and the Russian Spiritual and Cultural Center took place on the Quai Branly in Paris.

The event was attended by the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation V.R. Medinsky, head, director of the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg M.B. Piotrovsky, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to France A.K. Orlov, Mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris Rashida Dati, French Secretary of State for Relations with the Parliament Jean-Marie Le Gen, General Director of the construction contractor Bouygues Bâtiment Bernard Munier, Chief Architect of the Center Jean-Michel Wilmotte, French politicians, diplomats, public figures, representatives of business circles and the scientific and educational sphere, clergy, descendants of Russian emigration, parishioners of Orthodox churches in Paris, representatives of Russian, French and British media.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation V.R. Medinsky and Bishop Anthony of Bogorodsk cut a symbolic ribbon at the entrance to the spiritual and cultural center.

At the solemn meeting V.R. Medinsky announced the greeting of the President of Russia V.V. Putin, in which the leader of the Russian state expressed confidence that the center will take its rightful place among the cultural attractions of Paris, and its activities will serve to preserve and strengthen the good traditions of friendship and mutual respect that have long connected Russians and French.

Bishop Anthony of Bogorodsk conveyed to the audience a greeting on behalf of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'. Vladyka emphasized that the presence of the Russian Orthodox Church in France has a long history, and the completion of the construction of the cathedral church in Paris was a long-awaited event for the large flock of the Moscow Patriarchate, which until now served in a small church occupying the basement of a residential building on Petel Street. The archpastor stressed that the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity would become another visible symbol of Russian-French friendship, and tireless prayer for the well-being of Russia and France would be offered within its walls.

The chief architect of the spiritual and cultural center, Jean-Michel Wilmotte, spoke about the architectural features of the spiritual and cultural complex built on the Quai Branly, and the mayor of the 7th arrondissement of Paris, Rashida Dati, that the project to build an Orthodox church in the heart of Paris won unconditional support from the residents of one from the most prestigious districts of the French capital.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Secretary of State Jean-Marie Le Guin and Bouygues Bâtiment CEO Bernard Munier also delivered welcoming speeches. The latter, at the end of his speech, donated a piano to the spiritual and cultural center.

At the end of the official part, Minister of Culture V.R. Medinsky, Ambassador A.K. Orlov and Bishop Anthony of Bogorodsk were presented with commemorative medals depicting the spiritual and cultural center.

Then a short film about the construction of the spiritual and cultural center was shown, after which the distinguished guests answered questions from journalists.

At the end of the interview with V.R. Medinsky and Bishop Anthony visited the Trinity Cathedral. The choir of students of the Parisian Orthodox Seminary gave a small concert to the distinguished guests.

The distinguished guests also viewed several expositions located in the exhibition halls of the Spiritual and Cultural Center.

On the same day, a festive reception was given at the Embassy of the Russian Federation in the French Republic on the occasion of the opening of the Russian Spiritual and Cultural Center.