Tent-church to accompany soldiers in Chechnya

Mobile tent-church of St. Alexander of Neva is to leave for the Chechen Republic in several days. The 12^th ‘Urals’ special detachment set off for Chechnya on October 15, 2005. Today it is the only military division in Russia with acting tent-church in honor of the heavenly protector of Russian Army.

The divine services conducted in it will strengthen the soldiers spiritually. Rev. Sergei Shipilov, Rector of the Church of St. Andrew in the Shalia village, with his assistant will accompany the detachment. Staff members of the Diocesan Missionary Department will curate the work of the church in Chechnya.

According to commander Vladimir Kudriashov, both the detachment and the church will be located in a mountain village. In three months new soldiers from the Ural region will change their counterparts in Chechnya. The priest will be changed too.