Orhtodox Church in Pyongyang

First wedding performed
8/15/2006-ITAR-TASS

PYONGYANG, August 15 (Itar-Tass) — Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad has performed a marriage ceremony for Russian Ambassador to North Korea Andrei Karlov at the new Holy Trinity Cathedral – the only Orthodox temple in the DPRK.

That was the first-ever wedding ceremony at the new cathedral, which was blessed by Metropolitan Kirill on August 13. The metropolitan leads a delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church on visit to Pyongyang.

The wedding was announced unexpectedly during a Monday banquet that marked the Korean liberation from Japanese colonizers.

The construction of the Holy Trinity Cathedral began in 2003 by the initiative and under personal control of Kim Jong Il. Korea fully financed the project. The church articles were delivered from Russia.

From NK Zone and Choson Ilbo:

Russian Orthodox Church to Open in Pyongyang
8/9/2006
 
A Russian Orthodox Church will open its doors in Pyongyang this Sunday, said officials with the Russian embassy in North Korea. An official said on condition of anonymity, “There are plans to invite North Korean citizens, foreigners working at the various consular establishments, and workers with international organizations.” The Russian embassy said, “The church has no nationality, anyone who is a believer in the Russian Orthodox faith is welcome.” A European diplomat said, “The church will be used to illustrate North Korea’s insistence that there is absolutely no problem with religion in the country.”

Construction began in 2003 with the blessing of Archbishop Climent of Kaluga and Borovsk (now the patriarchate’s administrator in Moscow). The missionary activities of the Russian Orthodox Church began in Korean around the year 1900, and believers in North and South Korea combined number around 10,000.

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