The newly-built church outside Moscow designed to be the main cathedral of the Russian military has been completed and decorated. While its opening was delayed by Covid-19, its final look was revealed on Victory Day.
Footage of the new cathedral was released on Saturday, showing its grandeur from above, as well as highlights from its interior. The cathedral is located at Patriot park, outside Moscow. The cathedral is located at the Patriot military themed park outside Moscow.
The building is lushly decorated both outside and inside, combining classical forms with modern materials. Apart from the icons usually associated with Orthodox Christian churches, the cathedral features various mosaics that commemorate events from Russia's ancient and modern history.
The new place of worship doubles as a sort of museum, themed to mark the 75th anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. The very proportions of it have been designed to be a reminder of the war – its main dome measures 19.45 meters in diameter, and the smaller one is 14.18 meters tall, marking the number of days the war lasted.
The cathedral is surrounded by a memorial complex called the Road of Memory, which measures 1,418 steps. The facility, to which some details are still being added, will contain the names of over 33 million people who served during the war, as well as their photographs, if available.
The cathedral project raised significant funding through voluntary donations from organizations and private citizens alike, including Russia's President Vladimir Putin. The church was scheduled to be opened on May 9, but the ceremony has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak that continues to rage in Russia.
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