Monument to Patriarch Alexy II

This year, Orthodox Vitebsk was pleased with the long-awaited event. On April 7, the opening took place, and on April 8, 2013 a monument to Patriarch Alexei II was consecrated. The Divine Liturgy and consecration was conducted by Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk.

The name of Patriarch Alexy II was much associated in Vitebsk. It was the Patriarch who in 1998 laid and consecrated the stone of the future Assumption Cathedral. Alexy visited Belarus more than 15 times.

The monument was created by sculptor Vladimir Slobodchikov. He spent three years working on the sculpture of the Patriarch, studying many of his photographs, as he did not see the Patriarch in his face. The monument took 3 tons of bronze and 2 tons of granite. The height of the monument is 5 meters. Patriarch Alexy was a small man, but the greatness of his soul, the power of his spirit gave the idea to the sculptor to make a monument large, striking. And the fact that the monument is located next to the Assumption Cathedral is also symbolic, because the opening of the temple is a great merit of Patriarch Alexy II.