The Krasnodar City Hall has donated part of the Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment for the construction of a church.

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Krasnodar authorities have entered into a 10-year agreement with the parish of the Church of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki for the free use of part of the Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment. Despite the protests of local residents, the site is designated for the construction of the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God.

As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," on January 16, despite the protests of residents, the mayor of Krasnodar approved the planning plan for the Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment in the Yubileiny microdistrict, where the church is planned to be built. On the morning of April 26, security forces were deployed to Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment, where local residents were protesting the construction of a church. Patriarch Kirill's visit, scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the cathedral, did not take place.

The Krasnodar City Hall signed a 10-year agreement with the parish of the Church of St. Demetrius of Thessaloniki for the free use of part of Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment. A 7,200-square-meter plot of land was transferred for the construction of the Cathedral of the Holy Mother of God, as reported on June 26 by the Krasnodar YUMR Telegram channel.

The transfer of the plot was also announced in the Krasnodar City Hall's response to a request from City Duma Deputy Alexander Safronov. It states that two agreements were signed for the gratuitous use of two plots of land—one with an area of ​​2,201 square meters, the other with an area of ​​4,999 square meters. Both were signed on April 8. It is also noted that no decrees were issued regarding the allocation of the land plots; they were transferred to the parish based on applications.

As a reminder, on January 29, Krasnodar City Duma deputies approved a decision to seize part of a public garden for the construction of a church. On March 19, 99% of participants in the public discussion spoke out against the holding of religious ceremonies on the Rozhdestvenskaya Embankment in Krasnodar. However, the commission deemed the opinion of those opposed to the church construction irrelevant and recommended that the mayor grant permission for religious services on the embankment.

The "Caucasian Knot" also reported that back in December 2021, activists spoke out against the construction of a new church on the embankment in Krasnodar, and residents of the Yubileiny microdistrict also protested. Embankment defenders believe it is necessary to build educational and leisure facilities for children in the neighborhood.

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