The situation is clear: The Russian Federation, represented in France by its Ambassador Mr. Alexandre Orlov, wants to go all the way and regain control of the religious complex of the Russian Church of Saint Nicholas (the second most visited church in France).
This request is supported by the judgments of the Nice Court and the Court of Appeal of Aix-en-Provence (judgment of June 20, 2010, ruling of May 19, 2011, notification of the ruling on June 8, 2011). However, the ACOR association, which has been managing these premises for 90 years, does not want to accept this and hopes to obtain at least a postponement… to continue its battle!
Nice Premium has already reported these facts with comments which do not need to be revisited.
What remains is the current situation… and the request by Maître Marie Christine Mouchain who, on behalf of the Russian Federation, asks the Nice Court “to order the release of the premises and in the absence of spontaneous liberation to order the expulsion of the occupants.”
A meeting is set for this Monday, October 24, 2011, at the Nice Court, which will have to decide in the presence of a demonstration by the members of the ACOR association who are not resigned to accept the imperatives of the law. They are appealing to the mayor of Nice, who, it seems, has given them assurances…
But in politics, as we well know, there is often a gap between what is said and what is done, between promises and realities, often even a wide gap! Will it come to a showdown?
Father Jean Guiet, president of ACOR, states that the request of the Russian Federation presented to the “enforcement judge” of the High Court aims to order the expulsion of the Russian Orthodox Cult Association of Nice from the St. Nicholas Cathedral (ACOR). This association, which has managed the Orthodox church for 90 years, will thus see its clergy members depart. This goes against the declarations of the Russian state, which claimed there was no question of replacing the current clergy with that of the Moscow Patriarchate. One may thus wonder what a priest who has been “sent” but not “appointed” is doing in Nice?
Let us also note and make known that the mayor of Nice, Mr. Christian Estrosi, wrote to us on September 15:
“I confirm to you my great interest in this building, which testifies to the Russian presence on the Côte d’Azur, but also the respect due to the Orthodox faithful in our city.”
It seems unnecessary to emphasize that we have long represented and primarily represent the Orthodox faithful in our city; all the people of Nice know this well. But we welcome without reservation and with joy all new arrivals.
Father Jean Guiet, president of ACOR
