Moscow (AsiaNews) - The new Catholic church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (in the photo) will be "dedicated" next Friday, August 29, in Kazan, in the republic of Tatarstan in the Russian Federation.
The place is especially important to the Orthodox religious tradition, because of an apparition of the Virgin Mary there in 1579.

The apparition is connected to what may be the most famous icon in the world, the "Mother of God" of Kazan. Kept in the monastery built on the site of the apparition, it disappeared during the Russian Revolution. Since 2004, an 18th century reproduction has stood in its place, given to the Orthodox Church by John Paul II.

The Russian news agency Interfax has announced that the dean of the college of cardinals and former secretary of state Angelo Sodano will attend the ceremony. Non-Catholic authorities have also said they want to attend, beginning with the president of Tatarstan, Mintimer Shaimiev, a Muslim, together with an Islamic religious representative. A representative of the Orthodox Church will also be present, probably Archbishop Anastasias.

The presence of diverse religious representatives testifies to the good interreligious relations in the republic. The city of Kazan, which has a large Muslim majority, contributed financially to the construction of the Catholic church, as in the past it contributed to the building of a mosque in the city's kremlin, and to the restoration of the Orthodox cathedral of the Annunciation. David Carollo, head of the World Apostolate of Fatima in the United States, will also be at the ceremony. Long known as the Blue Army, the movement was the owner of the icon of Kazan given to the pope, and will offer a reproduction of the Virgin Mary of Fatima to the new Catholic church.