NEW DELHI, June 26 Preservation of Andrei Rublev's Trinity icon remains the main issue, the Russian Orthodox Church must make every effort to its preservation, said Mikhail Shvydkoy, Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation.
“I always believed that the church suffered very much from the Bolsheviks. Back in the middle, the first half of the 60s, churches were blown up. It was all in our memory. Therefore, I always believed that the church should return what belongs to it. But any a prudent owner should treat property with the understanding that it must be preserved and kept safe,» Shvydkoy said, answering a question.
He added that «it is important to understand that «Trinity» is a masterpiece, equal to which in Russian culture, there are only a few.»
“I believe that the main problem is its preservation. It seems to me that they understand in the Russian Orthodox Church and in the Ministry of Culture. In any case, if it is the property of the Russian Orthodox Church, then the Russian Orthodox Church must attach every effort not only to use it for liturgical purposes, but also to preserve for eternity and the Lord God,» he said.
The decree on the transfer of the icon to the Church was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in May. The Russian Orthodox Church reported that the shrine would stay in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior until July 18 — the day of the celebration of the memory of St. Sergius of Radonezh. The icon is available for worship, then, as reported by the Ministry of Culture, it will be restored.
