Russia is close to completing the construction of a new Russian Orthodox cathedral dedicated to the country’s Armed Forces. The 95-meter cathedral, located on a sprawling military theme park and exhibition center near Moscow, is set to open its doors on May 9 to mark the 75th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
This cathedral was built by the Russian government at the behest of the defense ministry for the Russian armed forces. It is part of a larger complex that includes a military history museum and memorial for the millions of Russians fallen in the second world war.
Construction of the church cost
6 billion rubles ($86 million). According to the foundation which oversees donations to the Armed Forces cathedral, the public has donated more than 3.6 billion rubles toward its construction.
“A school for military priests is being built and the institute of Sisters of Charity [nurses] will be revived at the main church of the Russian Armed Forces,” the foundation's head said in 2018.
The church’s parameters, including the height and width of its domes, will reflect key dates of World War II and the structure will feature multimedia stands dedicated to the 33 million Soviet soldiers who fought in the war. Once completed, the 95-meter cathedral will be one of the tallest Orthodox churches in the world.