The Russian Orthodox Church this week announced that it has located some 7,000 abandoned churches and chapels throughout the vast country.
In a statement, the head of a Patriarchal Council-affiliated committee of experts, Bishop Lipesk, said the goal is to now restore the places of worship.
The Russian Church in 2019 announced that it has compiled a list of some 4,700 churches without a legal custodian, buildings that require immediate maintenance and restoration.
