A plot of land in Jericho is returned to its lawful owner – the Russian Orthodox Church

A PLOT OF LAND IN JERICHO IS RETURNED TO ITS LAWFUL OWNER – THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

During the pilgrimage of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia to the Holy Land from January 2 to 7, 2000, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church met with the leader of the Palestinian National Authority Mr.Yasser Arafat, who announced their decision to return a plot of land in Jericho to the Russian Orthodox Church, which belonged to it by rights.

This plot of land was purchased by Archimandrite Antonin Kapustin in 1874 for the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem and has been unlawfully kept by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia for many years.

This decision by Mr.Arafat testifies to the recognition of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate by the Palestinian National Authority as a sole legal successor of the pre-revolutionary Russian Orthodox Church and also speaks to an active desire to re-establish historical justice with regard to the Russian church property on the territory of the Palestinian Authority.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and All Russia sent a message of appreciation to the leader of the Palestinian National Authority Mr.Yasser Arafat, in which he underlined that Russian Orthodox Christians took the return of the property in the land of Palestine which belongs to the Russian Orthodox Church by rights with joy and profound gratitude.