The Russian Orthodox Church Could Become the Biggest Property Owner (After the State)
The Russian government is considering a bill which would return the ownership of all religious premises to the Russian Orthodox Church. If approved, the church could become the biggest property owner after the state.
Monasteries bearing the scars of World War II require expensive repairs. The New Jerusalem Monastery, for instance, requires an estimated $1 billion in repairs. There are around 500 Orthodox monasteries in Russia. People against the proposed law fear that the church will not be able to maintain and restore the monasteries. They argue that when owned by the state, there is some some assurance that funds will be available for the buildings' restorations.
Russia's Jewish and Muslim leaders have said they might rent out empty premises, but some in the government fear that this will allow the churches to become business enterprises.
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