Worship cross desecrated in Adygea to be restored

The Orthodox worship cross installed in the memorial to the Cossacks who perished in the Civil War near Dakhovskaya village in Adygea, which was desecrated on March 5, will be restored. This was stated by the Maikop and Adygea Eparchies of the Russian Orthodox Church. So far, law enforcement bodies try to find out the circumstances of the crime.

According to the official report of the Maikop Orthodox Cossack Brotherhood in the Name of Michael the Archangel, in the afternoon on March 5, at Dakhovskaya village, Maikop District, in the place of mass execution of Cossacks in the 1920s, the cross was ruined and memorable plate broken. The head of the Maikop ROVD (District Interior Division), who visited the place of the incident, noted that the damage was made by heavy objects.

To destroy the cross, one had to apply serious efforts, since the structure was reliably installed and fastened by reinforcing bars.

In the end of the 1990s, this cross was erected under the initiative of Cossacks in the burial place of 42 Cossacks. Later, the cross and the memorial were consecrated. Since then, annually on September 26, a sacred procession and a memorial service of Cossacks are held in the Dakhovskaya Meadow. The local Cossacks belong to the Maikop branch of the Kuban Cossack Army.

The Eparchy did not specify who will be engaged in restoration.

The MIA of the Republic of Adygea has explained that the desecration of the worship cross in Dakhovskaya was not yet qualified as an act of vandalism. Now, MIA employees are clarifying the circumstances of the crime and try to find those who desecrate worship crosses.

If the culprits' actions are qualified as an act of vandalism, then, under Article 214 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the sanctions are either a fine up to 40,000 roubles; or mandatory public works for 120-180 hours; or corrective works for 6-12 months; or arrest for up to 3 months. The same offences committed by a group of persons under the motives of political, ideological, racial, national or religious enmity are punishable by restriction or deprivation of freedom for the term of up to 3 years.

This is already the third case of desecration of an Orthodox cross committed in Adygea within the last six months.

The Eparchy notes that desecration of crosses in Adygea has become a disturbing trend; and after such manifestations there is no sense talking about people's tolerance.