The Hungarian authorities have allocated 100 million forints (320,000
euro) for the restoration of a tower of the Russian Assumption Cathedral
in Budapest.
An agreement to that effect was signed by the head of the Hungarian
Diocese, Bishop Tikhon of Podolsk, and Minister of State Miklos Soltesz
of the Hungarian Ministry of Human Capacities, the Russian Church said
on its website.
The hierarch thanked the country's authorities for allocating the
subsidy and Prime Minister Victor Orban for "the firm position of
preserving the unshakable Christian foundations."
The Assumption Cathedral is the oldest Orthodox church in Hungary. It
was built in 1791-1801.
During the Second World War it suffered serious
damage, one of its towers was destroyed.
Some restoration work was
carried out in 2006-2009, under the then Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and
Austria (now head of the Synodal Department for External Church
Relations), but it was never completed.