Bishop of Baku and Azerbaijan Alexy (Smirnov) told the presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan about the history of the cathedral and its renovation. Vladimir Putin presented the icon of the Transfiguration of Christ to the cathedral.
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The church, founded in the early 20th century, is a cathedral of the Baku and Azerbaijan Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. In 2003, it was opened after renovation, with Heydar Aliyev taking part in the event. The cathedral houses a reliquary with a particle of the relics of the Apostle Bartholomew, the patron saint of Baku, and the wonderworking icon of the Tikhvin Mother of God. There is also a library of the religious and cultural centre and a diocesan museum.