For 15 years, twice a week, the
Russian Orthodox parish of Saints Cosmas and Damian in Shubin, Moscow,
has offered food and assistance to the homeless.
For 15 years on
Wednesday and Friday from 300 to 600 homeless
people were sure of a full meal, medicine, clothes and some heat, which
in the long Russian winter becomes as important as bread.
For 15 years.
Until May, when the administration of the municipality of Moscow ordered
Parish priest Alexandr Borisov to terminate the service for hygiene
reasons.
The parish is situated on the famous Tverskaya Street, a temple
to luxury boutiques, banks and representative offices of international
companies, but most importantly it is in front of the City Council wand
it appears mayor Sergei Sobianin did not like the sight of homeless
people in a queue waiting their turn to be fed and so ordered the
shelter closed.
According to Father Borisov, there was also pressure from some
residents in apartment buildings across from the church, who have long
complained about the presence of the homeless.
"There are some people -
denounced the pastor - who call themselves religious, attend services
celebrated by the Patriarch, but then they act only to destroy and never
to build."
The church of Saints Cosmas and Damian have received the
solidarity of the Moscow Patriarchate who wrote to Sobyanin asking that
the administration provide an alternative structure to that of the
parish, where they can continue the canteen and social initiatives.
"That aid to the homeless - continues the priest - is precisely the
sphere where church and state can work better together: the city council
could provide the structure to welcome the homeless and we will provide
the staff and volunteers to do the job."
It is estimated that each year
there are 200 homeless people who die from the cold in the capital
alone
As with other mega-cities, homelessness in Moscow is a
perennial problem, exacerbated by the indifference and prejudice of the
population and authorities: online and on the street is common to hear
people worried that the state protect their "right not to be touched and
infected by bums on public transport. "
The police has organized a sort
of rounds in which each day, according to official figures, about 200
homeless people are gathered and taken to reception centers where they
are washed and treated, only to later sent back onto the street.
In the past there have been attempts, both local and federal,
to reintroduce into the penal code the crime of 'vagrancy', but they
have all failed.
According to Ministry of Interior estimates, the
population of homeless people in Moscow is upwards of 100 thousand
people, half of whom have a high school diploma.
Precisely for this
reason experts believe that a program of reintegration of these people
in society is possible.
While the intention of the political class seems
to be heading in the opposite direction.