Russian Cultural Center in Jericho to open in January

Moscow, December 23, Interfax - Museum and park complex that includes the Russian Cultural Center in Jericho, will be built by the next January.

Russian officials will attend an opening ceremony that is expected to take place in January, deputy head of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society Nikolay Lisovoy toldInterfax-Religion.

As Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia earlier said this museum complex "will become the first major project in the Holy Land in the third millennium that was actively taken by the Russian state."

The Pilgrimage Center is constructed on Russia's land lot in Jordan. It will welcome Russian pilgrims who visit the country's shrines especially the place where Jesus Christ was baptised according to the Christian tradition.

"Great work has been done, breast walls have already been constructed as there is very complicated soil structure there, the building is almost ready, but the finish is yet to be done, so much work is still in store," head of the Moscow Patriarchate Administration for Foreign Institutions Archbishop Mark of Yegoryevsk told the agency.

Building of the Russia Cultural Center in Bethlehem, according to him, is at the stage of project design, but it was earlier reported that works are to be completed by 2012 when the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society celebrates its 130 anniversary.