Metropolitan Kirill consecrates the German order’s famous church in Pravdinsk on the Day of the Elevation of the Holy Cross

On September 27, 2005, the Feast of the Elevation of the Holy Cross, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad consecrated the Church of St. George the Conqueror in Pavdinsk near Kaliningrad.

The Lutheran church in what was Friedland was founded by German knights in 1313 and dedicated to St. George the Conqueror. In 1510 its construction was completed and in this appearance it has survived to this day. During the Reformation it was passed on to the Lutherans.

During the 1806-1807 Russian-Prussian-French War, when the famous battle took place near Friedland in which the Russian army under the command of General Beningsen was defeated by Nepoleon’s troops, Napoleon himself was in command, giving orders from the 48 meter-high belfry of St. George’s.

After World War II, the half-ruined old German church was used as a storehouse. In 1990, its building in a sad state was handed over to the Russian Orthodox Church. After its full restoration the famous Lutheran church of Friedland became an Orthodox church of St. George the Conqueror in Pravdinsk.

On the occasion of the consecration of St. George’s and in recognition of the hard work carried out to restore it, Metropolitan Kirill awarded the rector of the church, Rev. Vadim Degtyarev, the right to wear a pectoral cross.

Archpastoral diplomas were granted to the Pravdinsk Mayor V. Bakalin and the Russian Transportation Agency joint-stock company director A. Shkola and other people in acknowledgement of their contribution to the work of the Parish of St. George and active involvement in the restoration of the church.

The consecration service was covered by Vesti-Kalinigrad and Informix TV companies as well as Kaliningraskaya Pravda daily and the Pravilny Put local newspaper.

After the service Metropolitan Kirill gave in interview to the Kaliningrad mass media, in which he emphasized that it was only thanks to the efforts of Orthodox people and their faith that this unique old church was raised from ruins after fifteen years of hard work.