NICE,
France – On the afternoon of February 18, 2016, the caretakers of the Russian
Cemetery of Caucade - the private property of the religious association
ACOR-Nice - discovered that the locks of the cemetery gate had been forced
open, a new lock had been installed and a sign affixed which read, "The
Russian cemetery of Saint-Nicolas (Caucade) - 1867 - property of the Russian
Federation. Telephone - 06 60 33 73 31 - Open daily from 2 to 5pm. "
As the
legitimate owner of the Caucade cemetery, ACOR-Nice strongly protests against
this most recent aggression of Russia
against its existence and once again calls on the authorities of the Republic
to protect ACOR-Nice.
It should
be noted that,
1. In 2014 (29/01, 29/04, 23/09), the
Ambassador of the Russian Federation, in a usurping manner and without the
knowledge of ACOR-Nice, deposited amending acts to the Public Property Service
(“Mortgages”), claiming ownership of the “Caucade Cemetery” site, the three
plots of land adjacent to the Saint Nicolas Cathedral, as well as the Church of
Saints Nicola and Alexandra of rue Longchamp, which has owned and managed the
ACOR-Nice from the beginning.
2. On
04/24/2015, in contestation against this measure and in accordance with French
law, ACOR-Nice sued the Russian Ambassador and Me HUGOUNENC, a notary from who
proceeded with the contentious acts on behalf of the Russian state. The court
case is still ongoing, and it should be noted that the Russian Federation
has chosen not to respond to the court summons.
3. On
02/10/2016, Bishop Nestor Sirotenko, of the diocese of Korsun, head of the
Moscow Patriarchate in France, declared to Bishop John Renneteau, in charge of
the diocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Western Europe having
jurisdiction over ACOR-Nice, that he would soon take possession of the churches
on rue Longchamp and of Caucade cemetery, as well as other churches in France,
such as the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky in Paris.
ACOR-Nice
calls on the authorities of the French
Republic for protection
against this aggression of the Russian state against its very existence.
Relations
between the Russian state and France
are of great consequence, and we know that some political leaders of our
country do not want to upset the powerful Russian Federation. Be this as it
may, fundamental rights (freedom of religion), the members of ACOR-Nice, and
the memory of the deceased whose remains are entrusted to the Caucade cemetery
cannot be sold off, sacrificed on the altar of the Franco-Russian agreement.
