Russian Cultural Center in Jericho to Open in January

Museum and park complex that includes the Russian Cultural Center in Jericho, will be completed by the next January. Russian officials will attend an official opening ceremony that is expected to take place in January, deputy head of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society Nikolay Lisovoy told Interfax-Religion.

As Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia earlier said this museum complex «will become the first major project in the Holy Land in the third millennium that was actively taken by the Russian state.»

The Pilgrimage Center is constructed on Russia's land lot on the Jordan.

It will welcome Russian pilgrims who visit the country's shrines especially the place where Jesus Christ was baptized according to the Christian tradition.

«Great work has been done, breast walls have already been constructed as there is very complicated soil structure there, the building is almost ready, but the finish is yet to be done, so much work is still in store,» head of the Moscow Patriarchate Administration for Foreign Institutions Archbishop Mark of Yegoryevsk told the agency.

Building of the Russia Cultural Center in Bethlehem, according to him, is at the stage of project design, but it was earlier reported that works are to be completed by 2012 when the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society celebrates its 130 anniversary.