Moscow, September 15, 2011
Official website of the Bank of Russia represents a drawing of the new banknote, on its backside crosses crown churches of the Solovki Monastery. The previous banknote depicted the monastery in its "Soviet" variant without crosses.
Depictions of cupolas and crosses appeared at the banknote after Patriarch Kirill's petition to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, head of the Synodal Department for Church and Society Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin told Interfax-Religion on Thursday.
He reminded that once when the Patriarch visited Solovki a local resident keen on Solovki history and culture came up to him and attracted his attention to this banknote where the monastery is depicted as in times of Solovki reservation camp without cupolas and crosses on the main churches.
"Then that man at the Patriarch's presence drew cupolas and crosses to the churches and urged everyone to do the same. A small public movement has even resulted from it. It was the time when I also drew crosses on this banknote," Father Vsevolod confessed.
He believes it wonderful that today state authorities and the Central Bank took the decision to correct this mistake and "the monastery is depicted in its beautiful site in which pilgrims and tourists see it."
