"Were bent" and "overdone": the authorities and the Russian Orthodox Church about "dressed" statues in the university

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Information that before the visit of the delegation from the diocese, employees of the Novosibirsk university covered statues of naked people with cloth, got into not only regional, but also federal media

“Probably, this decision was made by the protocol service of the city forum. But it was very short and imperceptible. - RIA Novosti reports the words of a representative of the university.

Anna Tereshkova, head of the department of culture, sports and youth policy of the city of Novosibirsk, commented on the attempt of the Novosibirsk State University of Architecture and Design (NSUADI) to smooth out a possible conflict situation with the Russian Orthodox Church, covering up statues of naked people in the foyer.

Let us remind you that on the eve, on August 23, one of the events of the forum "Novosibirsk - the city of endless possibilities" was held at the NSUADI, where a delegation from the diocese was invited. And in order not to hurt their feelings, the sculptures were simply covered.

“I didn’t think that people who are supposed to propagandize modern trends would bend like that. I am ashamed for Novosibirsk !!! - she wrote on her Facebook page.

The head of the Synodal Department for Church Relations with Society and the Media, Vladimir Legoyda, also reacted to the news about such a decision of the Novosibirsk university.

“Send the fool to pray, he will hurt his forehead. Somehow the organizers overdid it. And in museums around the world, too, should statues be covered when representatives of the clergy come there on excursions? And by the way, why only the clergy? To the laity, then you can? - wrote Legoyda.

Meanwhile, the "act" of the NSUADI leadership is being discussed not only at the local level, the federal media wrote about the incident. Which prompted some commentators to think about great PR.

“Architects seem to have a sense of humor. Now they will get into all the news in the world,”wrote one of the residents of Novosibirsk under the post of Anna Tereshkova.

As REGNUM previously reported, in the Novosibirsk region, Orthodox activists have repeatedly stated about offending the feelings of believers. For example, after the staging of Richard Wagner's opera "Tannhäuser" directed by Timofey Kulyabin at the Novosibirsk State Opera and Ballet Theater on December 20, 2014. Then an advertising poster with a crucifix, which was placed between the apart female legs (and the action of the classic plot staged by Kulyabin was transferred to the present, and the main character appeared in the form of the scandalous director of the Venus Grotto), angered not only Orthodox activists. Metropolitan Tikhon of Novosibirsk and Berdsk considered this performance "violating the rights of believers" and appealed to the prosecutor's office and the regional Legislative Assembly.

Also, the Orthodox activists of Novosibirsk have repeatedly complained about the work of the group "Leningrad" and Sergei Shnurov, the May Day youth procession "Monstration" and so on. Some residents of Novosibirsk were dissatisfied with such activity.

And the lawyer Aleksey Krestyanov even turned to the General Prosecutor's Office of the Russian Federation with a request to check the use of the phrase "Orthodox activists" in the media for the presence of an administrative offense.

“Since the repeated mention of“Orthodox”in a negative context hurts my feelings as a believer, insults and inflicts moral suffering on me, I believe that the editors of this media outlet are committing an offense, the disposition of which is described in Art. 5.26 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, Krestyanov noted then, emphasizing that he is a believer and considers himself Orthodox, but did not give individual citizens the authority to perform public acts.