Russia’s Defense Ministry has begun collecting donations to build an Orthodox cathedral in Moscow that will be dedicated to the country’s armed forces, the ministry announced Tuesday.
The house of worship will be built in Patriot Park, a military theme park and exhibition center, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said during a conference call with senior officers.
“This idea was approved by the public, state authorities, military administration and church authorities,” said Shoigu.
A sleek animation on the cathedral’s homepage depicts an army green structure with glass panels and six shimmering golden domes dedicated to the patron saint of each service branch.
At almost 2,000 square kilometers, the church will overlook expansive grounds that include monuments to military-related patron saints.
“The temple will symbolize the spirituality of the Russian army raising the sword only to protect its Motherland,” the church’s website explains.
The church will also house a museum and exhibition center that will use VR technology to immerse visitors in three-dimensional reconstructions of historical battles.
Shoigu urged senior officers to get actively involved in the fundraising campaign for the new military cathedral, Russia’s Vedomosti business daily reported.
“Naturally, everything should be absolutely voluntary,” he was quoted as saying.
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