Prague has limited the activities of the Orthodox Church in the Olšany cemeteries. The problem was her activities – ČT24 – Czech Television
The Orthodox Church is the second largest Catholic in the Czech Republic. The church management is based in a villa in Dejvice, Prague, and Igor Střelec works as the secretary of the archbishop. According to archives, he studied in Moscow from 1981 to 1986, in 1987 he became a StB officer.
He maintained ties to the east even after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Photo from 2019 The shooter is captured with the current member of the Russian State Duma, Chizri Abakarov, who is on the sanctions list of the European Union.
The shooter has previously admitted that he appeared in Moscow with a number of influential politicians and businessmen. “My husband graduated from the StB school, so he was now an intelligence officer, I would say experienced. He has acquaintances everywhere, “said his wife Tatiana Střelcová in the past.
He refuses to comment on the current situation. “My opinion is not important, we will not comment on it now,” he said briefly. He also leaves the pro-Kremlin positions of the Moscow Patriarchate Kirill, who is an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, unspoken.
The Orthodox Church had to leave the chapel
The archer was the one who negotiated with the representatives of the Prague City Hall after the Orthodox Church was fired from the chapel in Olšany. The city was bothered by its activities. “Things were held here that visitors to the cemetery did not like to see, typically it was, for example, the consecration of cars,” said Martin Červený, director of the Prague Cemeteries Administration.
However, the municipality was also bothered by activities in the crypt, where the remains of the first Czechoslovak Prime Minister Karel Kramář lie. “The crypt was used, for example, as a warehouse or some feasts took place there, which bothered the relatives of the deceased,” Červený described.
Church ceremonies only
The new treaty now allows only church ceremonies to be held in the cemetery. Mostly believers of the pro-Russian Orthodox Church gather there. “The negotiations, despite considerable difficulties, were conducted constructively with a mutual will to find agreement,” said church representatives.
Archbishop Michal Dandár is the head of the Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic. His name also appears in the lists of the StB, where he was to work as a collaborator. “It is traceable that he studied in Moscow. Now he is the head of the Orthodox Church, I think to the displeasure of ordinary believers, “commented Robert Břešťan, editor-in-chief of the HlídacíPes website.
The Orthodox Church uses the chapel in Olšasné Cemeteries for regular services that take place every Friday. The new contract with the Prague City Hall is to last one year.