Restoration workshops vacate the premises of the Moscow representation church of the Orthodox Church in America

On 10 November 2005, the church of the Great Martyr Catherine in-the-Fields, which is the Moscow Representation church of the Orthodox Church in America, was finally vacated from property of the I.Grabar All-Russian Scientific and Restoration Centre. The Centre director A.P.Vladimirov and Rector of the Representation church Archimandrite Zacheus (Wood) signed the act of transference.

The move has begun on November 1, and the parishioners helped the restorers pack the boxes with their possessions.

The church of St.Catherine in-the-Fields was built in the 17^th century and rebuild one hundred years later at the order of the Empress Catherine II. The church was closed n 1931, and its belfry was destroyed. The church building housed a design office, and later the workshops of the Grabar Restoration Centre.

Thirteen years ago the church was returned to the believers, and in 1994 was given to the Representation church of the Orthodox Church in America. On 11 June 1999, the church was consecrated by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia and His Beatitude Metropolitan Theodosius of All America and Canada.

Only the eastern part of the church was used for Divine services for a long time.

In August 2005, the I.Grabar All-Russian Scientific and Restoration Centre received new premises, which will house the workshops earlier located in the church of the Great Martyr Catherine in-the-Fields, the church of the Resurrection of Christ in Kadashi and in the Ss Martha and Mary convent.