An appeal from the parishioners
of the Memorial Cathedral in Brussels

The universally-renowned Memorial Cathedral of Holy Tsar'-Martyr Nicholas — the lampada [votive-lamp or vigil-light] of the Russian Diaspora — which the Russian emigre community, dispersed throughout all the world, had lovingly created in commemoration of their Tsar' and of Russia, has had the devoted Father Nikolai Semyenov as its dean for a period of 16 years.

Following the schism that occurred within ROCOR in the year 2000, Fr. Nikolai remained faithful to Metropolitan Vitaly and was discharged from the performance of his duties by the hierarchy of Archbishop Lavr, which had veered sharply in the direction of uniting with the Moscow Patriarchate.

Today we have been informed that we have lost the three-year-long lawsuit [between ROCOR (L) and ROCOR (V)] and that Proto-priest Nikolai Semyenov is subject to being rapidly evicted from the house in which he resides together with his family, and wherein, in the course of the last few years, he has been officiating at divine-services in the house-church that he had established on the lower floor, with an average attendance of 50 people per service.

The situation is critical, inasmuch as the house must be vacated by January 5, 2005, three days prior to the feast of the Nativity of Christ.

We appeal to you with an urgent request for material assistance in acquiring accommodations in which batiushka [Reverend Father] could again create a house-church and continue to provide [spiritual] nourishment for our parish, as well as being able to reside there, together with his family.

Our bank in Belgium is: FORTIS BANQUE, Account Number: 210-0893098-71.

Funds transferred from abroad should bear the following indicator:

IBAN BE 49 2100 8930 9871 B1C GEBABEBB (with the annotation «maison»).

Bank cheques should be made out to: COM.CULT.ORTHODOXE, with the envelope being addressed to:

30, Rue Henri van Zuylen
1180 Bruxelles - Belgique OR Belgium

We thank you in advance for any assistance that you might be able to provide in this ecclesiastical matter. May the Lord succour and support you.

On behalf of the Church Council, Peter Kochubey - Starosta [Church Warden]
Brussels, 10 November 2004

P.S. For those willing to transfer money via Western Union - send it to Mr Pierre Kotschoubey, Brussels, Belgium and send him MTCN (Western Union Money Transfer Control Number) by email: pierrekot@tiscali.be, so that he can pick up the money in Belgium.

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