A meeting of the organizing committee for the preparation and holding of the celebration of the 600th anniversary of the founding of the first monastic settlement on the Solovetsky Archipelago was held by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ and Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Chernyshenko. 600 years since the founding of the first monastic settlement on Solovki will be celebrated in 2029.
The meeting was held in the Hospital (Treasury) building of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Stavropegic Monastery during the annual forum in memory of St. Philip as part of the Patriarch’s visit, timed to coincide with the celebrations on the occasion of the day of remembrance of the Venerable Zosima, Savvaty and Herman of Solovki.
Representatives of federal authorities, Arkhangelsk Region Governor Alexander Tsybulsky and members of the regional government, representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Foundation for the Preservation and Development of the Solovetsky Archipelago, public and religious associations, various departments and structures took part in the work of the council.
In his welcoming speech, Patriarch Kirill noted that Solovki is one of those places where the strength of the people’s spirit is especially recognized.
“Thanks to this strength, even in the most terrible years of hard times, the great monastery was preserved and became a refuge for Orthodox people,” noted the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
He also added that, given the enormous cultural, spiritual and historical significance of Solovki, it is necessary to combine all efforts to solve the problems that exist on the islands.
“Our task is to completely restore the priority objects of the Solovki architectural ensemble by 2029,” the Patriarch added, emphasizing that large-scale work is already underway to preserve the great heritage.
The Foundation for the Preservation and Development of the Solovetsky Archipelago, created in 2018 on the initiative of the Russian Orthodox Church, is also playing an active role in preparing for the anniversary celebration.
In addition, the foundation’s board of trustees is vested with the authority to coordinate events to preserve and develop the archipelago. Its co-chairman is Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko.
The Deputy Prime Minister noted that the organizing committee was created by the Government in accordance with the decree of President Vladimir Putin.
“For the Government, preparations for the celebration of the 600th anniversary of the founding of the first monastic settlement on the Solovetsky Archipelago are one of the priority areas. Issues of preserving and developing this archipelago are under the personal control of Chairman Mikhail Vladimirovich Mishustin,” he said.
Dmitry Chernyshenko noted that a headquarters for the preservation and development of the Solovetsky Archipelago was created two years ago. In addition, a video monitoring group has been organized to monitor the situation at all sites.
“To implement the activities on Solovki within the established timeframe, the Government allocated additional funds from the federal budget for the construction and reconstruction of infrastructure facilities in the settlement of Solovetsky. The construction of a modern waste management complex was completed. Today, we checked the progress of work on the construction of a technological pier and the reconstruction of the Tamarin passenger pier. Contracts have been concluded for the water supply systems and sewerage networks of the settlement of Solovetsky. The restoration of cultural heritage sites is proceeding according to plan,” said Dmitry Chernyshenko.
The Governor of the Arkhangelsk Region, Alexander Tsybulsky, provided information on the activities that the government of the archipelago is implementing.
He noted that the upcoming celebration of the 600th anniversary of the monastic development of the Solovetsky Islands is a milestone, and preparations for the significant date can be regarded as a task of national importance.
“Only by working together can we preserve the greatness of Solovki and ensure its development for future generations. That is why the unification of the Russian Orthodox Church, government bodies, public and cultural organizations has become a solid foundation for our work,” said the head of the region.
According to the governor, the construction of a district hospital and an airport building is already being completed on Solovki, and engineering infrastructure facilities are being improved.
In the near future, the education sector will also be updated: in accordance with the decisions of the headquarters for the preservation and development of the Solovetsky Archipelago, the government of the Arkhangelsk Region has worked out issues of carrying out major repairs to the buildings of the Solovetsky secondary school and kindergarten.
In addition, in 2024, a Strategy for the Development of Pilgrimage and Tourism on the Territory of the Solovetsky Archipelago until 2035 was developed, which takes into account the maximum anthropogenic load and is aimed at developing tourism while respecting the spiritual and natural heritage of the islands.
A brand book for the Solovetsky Archipelago has been developed and the development of a single digital resource, the My Solovki website, is nearing completion.
“We are building a comprehensive system for preserving and developing Solovki – from engineering and social infrastructure to the tourist and cultural environment,” noted Alexander Tsybulsky. – All this will allow us to celebrate the anniversary date with dignity, preserving the uniqueness of the archipelago and making it more open to pilgrims and guests.” The decree on holding events dedicated to the most important milestone in the history of not only the Orthodox Russian North, but also all of Russia, was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2024.
Events to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the founding of the first monastic settlement on Solovki will begin in 2027. Preparations include infrastructure changes on the archipelago, as well as the organization of a whole range of memorial, cultural and Orthodox events.
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First published in this link of The European Times.
