Home page News
Restoration completed at the Church of St Ale…

Restoration completed at the Church of St Alexander Nevsky in Wuhan, China

On 6 August 2015, the House of Russia-China Cultural Exchange opened at the restored building of the Church of St Alexander Nevsky in the city of Wuhan, China’s Hubei Province. Among those who took part in the opening ceremony were Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas; Mr. Mikhail Babich, Plenipotentiary Envoy of the President of the Russian Federation to the Volga Federal District; and heads of several Volga regions.

The Church of St Alexander Nevsky was built in 1893 thanks to the efforts by Pavel Dmitriyevsky, a Russian orientalist scholar who was later appointed General Counsel in Shanghai. The Russian tea merchants who were trading in Wuhan at the time also made their contribution to the construction of the church. In the mid 20th century, some two thousand Orthodox Chinese faithful from nearby villages would attend the Church of St Alexander Nevsky. Chinese children studied at a school established at the church. In the time of the Cultural Revolution the church was confiscated from the faithful and was used first as a warehouse and later as a marriage registration office.

By reason of the construction of a tunnel under the Yangtze River, it was planned to demolish a number of buildings. The church could also be destroyed. However, on the initiative of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia and following his visit to China in 2013, an agreement was reached between Mr. Mikhail Babich, Plenipotentiary Envoy of the President of the Russian Federation to the Volga Federal District, and Mr. Yang Jiechi, a member of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. The agreement implied the conservation and restoration of the Orthodox Church of St Alexander Nevsky in the city of Wuhan through the efforts of both sides. Mr. Babich appealed to Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas for assistance, and in December 2013 a group of specialists was sent to China from the metropolia of Nizhny Novgorod. In September 2014, the Chinese specialists visited Russia to hold necessary consultations.

In his address at the opening ceremony, Mr. Babich called the restoration of the Church of St Alexander Nevsky a milestone in the development of Russia-China relationships. He thanked the Chinese side for carrying out the restoration work, saying in particular, “It is an historic event. It is the first time in many years that a Russian Orthodox church has been restored in China, in one of its largest cities which has rich history and traditions. I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Yang Jiechi, a member of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, who backed our initiative two years ago and made every effort to have the church restored within the shortest possible period of time and with the funds provided by the Chinese side.”

DECR Communication Service

Press Service of the Plenipotentiary Envoy of the President of the Russian Federation to the Volga Federal District

Photos by Press Service of the Plenipotentiary Envoy of the President of the Russian Federation to the Volga Federal District

Share:
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends congratulations to Archbishop Joani of Tirana and All Albania on his enthronement

29.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends condolences over devastating earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand

28.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends congratulations to Archbishop Joani of Tirana and All Albania on his election as Primate of Albanian Orthodox Church

16.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill sends letter to His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch concerning tragic developments in Syria

11.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates the Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral

09.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with delegation of Malankara Church

08.03.2025

Delegation of the Malankara Church attends Patriarchal Liturgy on the commemoration day of Blessed Matrona of Moscow

08.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill speaks on the phone with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

25.02.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with the Ambassador of Pakistan to Russia

06.02.2025

Divine Liturgy celebrated at Christ the Saviour Cathedral on the occasion of the sixteenth anniversary of the enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill

01.02.2025

Condolences of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the passing of the Primate of the Albanian Orthodox Church

25.01.2025

On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrated Great Vespers at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

07.01.2025

On the Feast of the Nativity of Christ, the Primate of the Russian Church celebrated the Liturgy at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior

07.01.2025

Christmas Message by His Holiness Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Russia

06.01.2025

A Joint Session of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Took Place

26.12.2024

DECR Chairman participates in Divine Service at the Resurrection Cathedral in Tokyo

30.03.2025

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk celebrates Divine Liturgy at the Resurrection Church in Seoul

23.03.2025

The Holy Synod confirms a number of appointments regarding the foreign dioceses and parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church.

20.03.2025

Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Anthony presents report to the Holy Synod on his visits to Lebanon, Albania, Italy, Serbia and Armenia.

20.03.2025

DECR chairman presents Patriarchal award to Primate of Armenian Apostolic Church

18.03.2025

DECR Chairman meets with Primate of Armenian Apostolic Church

17.03.2025

DECR chairman congratulates Archbishop Joani of Tirana and All Albania on his election as Primate of Albanian Orthodox Church

16.03.2025

Session of the commission for international cooperation of the Russian Presidential Council for Interaction between Religious Organizations takes place.

12.03.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates the Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy at the Christ the Saviour Cathedral

09.03.2025

Meeting of the Council of the Christian Interconfessional Advisory Committee has been held

28.02.2025

Metropolitan Antony of Volokolamsk participates in Patriarchal Liturgy in Belgrade

26.02.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill speaks on the phone with His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije

25.02.2025

His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije receives Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk

25.02.2025

DECR Chairman tells participants of the meeting at Nizhny Novgorod seminary about external contacts of the Russian Orthodox Church

22.02.2025

Rector of St George Church at Russia’s Embassy in Prague awarded the Order of Holy Prince Vladimir, Equal-to-the-Apostles

20.02.2025

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Page is available in the following languages
Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب