Reconstruction work at the Martha and Mary Convent in Moscow in March 2007
The Advisory Board of Trustees of the Martha and Mary Convent in Moscow announced that the restoration work on the convent shall be completed in time for the celebrations of Moscow Day in September 2008. “The work proceeds, the complex is much improved. Most of the work on the buildings is nearly complete”, said Mayor Yuri Luzhkov of Moscow, one of the co-chairmen of the Board, who presided over this session of the trustees. He noted that the pace of the restoration was on track with the plan approved previously by the Board and blessed by Patriarch Aleksei of Moscow and all the Russias. Mayor Luzhkov reported that nearly all structural repairs and reconstruction are virtually complete, and, now, all that remains is to outfit the buildings with the proper fittings and equipment, which is intended to be completed over the next three months. “I am confident that I can give the Board this guarantee”, he stated.
Choir of the Convent of St Yelizaveta the New Martyr in Minsk
Patriarch Aleksei intends to bless the Cathedral of the Martha and Mary Convent in September with great solemnity and pageantry, and he shall also bestow church decorations upon those who aided its restoration. “The revival of the Martha and Mary Convent, founded by the New Martyr Grand Princess St Yelizaveta, is an evident sign of the unity of the entire Russian world”, he stated. The patriarch expressed his appreciation to the Foundation of St Andrew the First-called for its support of the restoration of the convent. Vladimir Yakunin, who is the chairman of both the Foundation of St Andrew the First-called and the Centre for Russia’s National Glory, agreed with the patriarch, saying that the revival of the Martha and Mary Convent has “become a symbol of the link between the Orthodox Church in Russia and all our Russian compatriots”. He also expressed his appreciation to the Moscow city government, which was able to complete the restoration earlier than planned. “All of Russia shall always give its grateful thanks to Moscow for doing this”, Mr Yakunin observed. He proposed that Mayor Luzhkov place the restoration project on the list of competitors for the next State Prize. Svetlana Medvedeva, the wife of President Medvedev, was present at the meeting.
Modern choral works by Alfred Schnittke (despite the name, a very famous Russian composer, died in the late 90s, buried in Novodevichy)
4 June 2008
Interfax–Religion
Voices from Russia 
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