Source: Voice of America ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA — The director of a museums’ association has urged the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church to recall its bid to take control of St. Petersburg’s landmark cathedral, a move that has inflamed public passions in Russia. Several hundred people rallied outside St. Isaac’s Cathedral earlier this month. The cathedral is technically a museum, and critics of the plan fear that its transfer from city authorities to the church may inhibit public access. Another protest is set for the weekend despite church officials seeking to assuage protests by vowing that access won’t be…
A snowman stands in front of the St. Isaac's Cathedral in St. Petersburg, Russia, Jan. 13, 2017. The Hermitage Museum Director Mikhail Piotrovsky has urged the head of the Russian Orthodox Church to recall its bid for control of the landmark.