A network of pilgrim hostels, Moscow aims to become the capital of religious tourism
Moscow (AsiaNews) - Moscow wants
to become the capital of
religious tourism in Russia. Local
authorities are studying a plan
to develop a network of facilities for the reception of Orthodox pilgrims who come to visit the many convents and monasteries in the area.
Currently, the Russian capital has only
one hotel that caters for pilgrims, the University hotel. But the situation could
change soon. The Izvestia newspaper reports that the Committee for tourism and the hotel facilities is going to help the Russian
Orthodox Patriarchate to develop
this type of service.
Those which have already been defined
"orthodox hotels " - says Izvestia -
can distinguished themselves from others
by the presence of a chapel, prayer
rooms, icons on the walls, the opportunity to purchase
religious publications and articles
and restaurants that offer different menus for
those who follow the Lenten fast.
The committee chairman, Sergei Shpilko, said that the construction of pilgrim hostels is going
to start and they have already identified
two areas for the first few projects, such as a space near the Novospassky monastery near Taganka. For
Shpilko, since most of the pilgrims are poor people, these structures should be supported with public funds.
Denis Vizgalov, an expert from the 'Institute
for Urban Economics', points out that the
construction of a network of 'pilgrim
hostels', will help Moscow to penetrate
the market of international tourism as the spiritual
capital of the Russian world. (N.A.)