The Cultural Center “Spiritual Library” is also the cultural and educational center “Pokrovsky Gates”. And he was named so because he is on Pokrovka in the very center of the Russian capital, in the former Botkin's estate.
goal
The center was opened back in 1993, but active work began with moving to a new building in 2005. Here, history and Christian culture are harmoniously interwoven - Western European Catholicism and Eastern European Orthodoxy.
The cultural center “Pokrovsky Gates” considers the revival and promotion of Christian cultures through its own unique projects as the main goal of its activity. Regular meetings, seminars, concerts, exhibitions and countless presentations are aimed at educating everyone without exception.
The center has three founders - the Christian Russia Foundation, the Catholic Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, and the Minsk Orthodox Metropolitan Filaret. This is already an important experience in uniting Christians.
Where to find the cultural center "Pokrovsky Gate"? The address is very simple - the very heart of the capital - st. Pokrovka, d. 27. This is a very symbolic place, because it was here, in the Botkin’s house, that there was a huge collection of paintings and was one of the most striking Moscow sights of the time.
Ideology
Ecumenism is an ideology aimed at the common activity and mutual understanding of Christians of different faiths. The ecumenical movement calls for paying attention to the unifying factors in religious teachings among Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants. Their goal is also to create common practical actions aimed at unity and tolerance.
The ideologists of the movement advocate strengthening the influence of Christian dogma and creating a common social program for believers from different countries.
In modern society, this is a very urgent problem, because believers of Christian denominations are not completely tolerant of each other and sometimes even quarrel among themselves.
Book business
Since 1993, the center has published more than 100 books in small runs - 2-3 thousand. The “Catechism of the Catholic Church” is considered a bestseller. Over the years, this work has been reprinted, its total circulation is more than 15, 000 copies. Distribution of books is the main task of the center. These are own publications and acquired from other Catholic, Orthodox and secular publishing houses. Over the years, more than one and a half million books have been distributed. Some of these books are put up for sale in stores and church shops. The charity activity of the center is aimed at supporting libraries - church and state.
The most valuable book in the center is “Introduction to Christianity” by Pope Benedict XVI with a foreword by Metropolitan Cyril. It is in it that he recommends reading the book to all Orthodox and to all who seek the truth. This is truly very valuable and is another sign of the unity of the West and the East.
Director
Jean-Francois Thiry (pictured below) began to study Russian while still in his homeland, in Belgium. Then the hopes of Christians for presence and work in the Soviet Union were very weak. Language practice took place in Novosibirsk, where, according to him, he fell in love with Russia.
The places where he first visited opened for him Russia and the people who met him very well. Jean-Francois himself is Catholic, but a meeting with the Orthodox tradition helped him discover the depth and penetrate the Christian movement.
Today, the Pokrovsky Gate Gate cultural center has 24 employees, a bookstore, the Book by Mail service, and an always up-to-date poster: exhibitions, presentations in different Russian cities, cultural meetings.
Schedule of events for the coming days:
March 1, 2017 begins a cycle of lectures by Tatyana Kramarenko "Envy or the Cain phenomenon."
March 3 - solo performance "I had a dream" by Leonid Reznik.
March 4 - "Extraordinary Adventures" - the award ceremony of the winners of the literary contest.
March 6 - "Tales for cardiac amusement."
March 9 - "The thought of Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh in the context of theology of the twentieth century."
March 10 - "Nostalgia for Baroque" - an octet of soloists of the Moscow ensemble.
Jean-Francois dreams of creating similar centers in Russian cities where people could freely come and read ecumenical literature in a relaxed atmosphere.
Project manager
Viktor Popkov still remembers times when such a center in Russia could not be at all. In the mid-70s, the authorities had a negative attitude towards any religious community. They associated this concept only with old age. An attempt to comprehend their own existence and the existence of the country on the Christian plane was not undertaken at all and was brutally suppressed. The KGB then dealt with this issue.
Viktor Mikhailovich and his friends from The Circle of Christian Youth in the 80s even had to sit in camps for their active Christian position. Articles were different, from political to everyday. Starting with anti-Soviet agitation and reaching documents forgery. Activists received sentences ranging from one and a half years to twelve.
Now Christian culture has become publicly available, and everyone can get acquainted with its history and modernity.
Father Romano Scalfi
In his usual state, behind a book, one could meet the founder of the Christian Russia Foundation here. This is a legendary man in the Christian world. The foundation was founded in 1957 - this is the history and background of the spiritual library. For half a century, Romano's father tirelessly showed both Catholics and Christians that ecumenism is not just a theory, and it is impossible without the reunification of religious communities, and the desire for unity begins with each individual person in his heart.
The foundation he created in modern times holds various international conferences on the main trends of religious life in the vastness of Russia and Europe. Representatives of Orthodox and Catholic communities, cultural figures, historians and youth gathered at these events.
Despite the Italian origin and belonging to the Catholic Church, Romano Scalfi revealed to the Western Christians "the tradition and culture of the Slavic peoples."
Events
On the official website, in the media and on social networks, the poster is constantly updated. Exhibitions, concerts, theater performances, literary evenings … Everyone will find for themselves something informative and interesting. Here you can spend time with benefit, having plunged into the spiritual atmosphere of the Pokrovsky center.
