The President visited the Moscow Diocesan House together with Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, Mayor of Moscow Sergei Sobyanin, Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, Plenipotentiary Presidential Envoy in the Central Federal District Alexander Beglov, and Rector of the St Tikhon Humanitarian University Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyev.
Mr Putin noted the Diocesan House’s great importance for Russia’s culture and history and thanked Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill for his active involvement in its restoration.
The President presented the Patriarch with an icon of the Mother of God from the late 19th century. Patriarch Kirill presented Mr Putin with an icon of St Vladimir.
The Moscow Diocesan House was built in 1902. During the Soviet period, it housed the Central Documentary Film Studio. In 2004, the building was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and given to the Orthodox St Tikhon Humanitarian University.