OMSK, Russia/GENEVA - St Petersburg authorities have transferred the administration of a church ruined in a fire last year to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States (ELCROS).

A November 11 agreement signed between the city of St Petersburg and ELCROS' officials formalized the hand-over of St Anne's Evangelical Lutheran Church management to the Russian church. The church building was burned down on 6 December 2002.

On the fire's first anniversary, representatives of the six Lutheran congregations in St Petersburg held a memorial service in the ruined church's nave. ELCROS' Northwest Russia dean, Hans Achenbach, emphasized in his sermon that St Petersburg and St Anne's Lutherans now have the church back.

In March 2003, the ELCROS consistory decided to assume responsibility for the church's administration again, despite the extensive damage from the fire. But this was linked to a condition that the government would provide assistance, and assure that the building could be used later to cover costs. In the spring of 2004 a decision is expected from the Ministry of Inheritance in Moscow which will allow "use" of the property, after which the church would be struck from the list of federal-administered monuments. St Anne's Church would then become the property of the city of St Petersburg, making it possible for ELCROS to use it as part of an investment project, explained the church office director, Hans Schwahn. This is the prerequisite for setting up and operating a church and conference center, which can cover its own costs. Schwahn said ELCROS urgently needs additional funds in order to first secure the site's safety, then develop a reconstruction plan.

Dedicated in 1779, St Anne's Evangelical Lutheran Church is one of the oldest church buildings in the 300-year-old city of St Petersburg. The church was closed in 1935 and was taken over by the then communist government. Since 1992, St Anne and St Peter's Evangelical Lutheran congregation used its rooms for worship, until the September 1997 rededication of St Peter's Church on Newsky Prospect. In 1994 the first ELCROS General Synod was held in St Anne's Church.

In government hands, the building was in use until 2001 as a cinema, then as a nightclub and bar. After lengthy negotiations, it was agreed in mid-2002 that the church would be handed back in the spring of 2003, but the fire prevented this from happening. ELCROS together with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia wanted to set up a spiritual center for Lutheran groups in St Petersburg, and also planned inter-confessional use of the building.

ELCROS is expecting the complete restoration of St Anne's Church to take about three to five years. Schwahn noted that there are plans to set up a provisional chapel and small exhibit area that will be officially opened during ELCROS' Third General Synod in September 2004.

Lutheran World Information
Marina Chudenko is the ELCROS public relations officer.