St Isaac’s Cathedral
St Petersburg, Russia
Guess where? pic.twitter.com/n11re5OQdF
— TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) December 17, 2023
Guess Where? pic.twitter.com/Ii00oBmTbQ
— TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) December 17, 2023
St Isaac’s Cathedral
St Petersburg, Russia
Guess where? pic.twitter.com/n11re5OQdF
— TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) December 17, 2023
Guess Where? pic.twitter.com/Ii00oBmTbQ
— TheLastRefuge (@TheLastRefuge2) December 17, 2023
St Petersburg. (I cheated)
.
Beyond beautiful.
.
Gospodi Pomiluj!!
A Foucault pendulum hung from the top of the central dome to nearly the floor. The rotation of the earth kept in moving in a wide circle. You could set up bottles on the circumference and the pendulum would eventually knock them all down.
AUG 2021 – Amateur video but it gives a good idea of the dimensions of the cathedral
I swear on a stack of LGBQTXV%%^*** books it’s not the former USA.
Russia?
It looks cold. I love the Christmas lights hung over the street.
Moscow has the most beautiful
Christmas decoration and lighting.
I find YouTube videos every year
and watch them.
Always tastefully done.
Might be one of the more Christian friendly places on earth these days. Certainly moreso than the US of A
Ironically, yes.
One of many reasons Putin and Russia are maligned in the West, lead by the Santanic governments of the West is that after 70+ years of forced atheism, Russia’s rebirth and growth was the encouragement from Putin to embrace Christianity and to make more Russian babies. That’s anathema in the West nowadays.
Putin won’t play ball with the West on the geopolitical stage either, so we are supposed to hate him. He’s the only leader that has come out in defence of white people in the world instead of cowering and kneeling to the (mostly white) blacktivists that are indoctrinating our children.
I’m not saying he’s a saint, or that he believes anything he said, but I used to have the same suspicions about Donald Trump and was glad to find he was genuine.
That’s why the world (governments) hate Trump and Putin….and us, by extension.
Great summation!
Putin is the father of the resurrected Russia. He rebuilt the people and country on Christian values. When He speaks on policy and foreign relations He speaks with reason, logic and sincerity with wisdom. Judge a man on His fruits. Why would He not be sincere in saving His race and ancient civilization in taking a stand for survival of Western Civilization. He has the advantage through retrospection to analyze the failure of the past social experiment of communism.
Presicely
Yes.
Russian Orthodoxy was driven underground by the Soviets, and when he developed the plan to revive Russia, incorporating the Orthodox Patriarchy was fundamental to the plan. What he wanted to achieve for his people would not have been possible without the buy-in of the Church.
Yes Putin has done a great service to the Russian people and he can well be called the father of resurrected Russia. The following link is to a Russian site that shows the re-birth of many Russian cities and sites.
https://www.youtube.com/@user-bd8gb2jp3t/videos
Putin also spearheaded the effort to restore all the churches, monasteries, seminaries and convents that were destroyed by the communists and has helped the Orthodox Church to build churches and monuments to the victims of communism.
Putin may be many things to other peoples around the world, but to the Russian people, he has been a Blessing.
Take care and stay safe
Exactly my point. I use the disclaimer only because I don’t know truly what’s in his soul. Even if he didn’t believe it himself, he’s encouraging it anyway and it’s had nothing but abundant returns.
USA was like that one time.
Well said
deleted
Vatican 2 sucked all the beauty out of the American Catholic church.
Vatican II sucked all the Catholicism out of the Catholic Church.
St Petersburg, RUSSIA!
I was hoping you were going to provide more pics from that ‘trip’ map you provided.
Sh-hhhhh……🤐
Looks like Sundance took a side trip from Budapest.
I love Budapest, funny their Mc Donalds in the train station has an amazing Bakery…
Plus, that McD is located in a gorgeous old gothic building which looks almost Bezantine inside! It is breathtaking! Sitting in there eating my hamburger felt like being in a museum. I couldn’t take my eyes off of the beautiful indoors architecture.
Recent photos by a typical tourist. Nice.
Correction: Atypical tourist……..
Thank you.
There is nothing typical about those beautiful pictures.
St. Petersburg. That Cathedral takes my breath away.
St. Petersburg—I am always
in awe of the
beauty of the Cathedrals
in Russia. 🙏🙏
I saw the street scene and
saw footage of Moscow earlier.
A LOT of snow in Moscow
right now.
I don’t think the street scene
is in Moscow🧐🧐🤷♀️
And what caught my eye is in
the Moscow clip their snow
trucks/plows were
decorated in Christmas lights😍
The Russian Churches in Alaska, especially the ones in the rural settings are wonderful. Not Cathedrals, but breathtaking. And the cemeteries are a great stroll.
When ever I got to the islands, the churches and cemeteries were one stop I was sure to make. The Priests and their families were great hosts.
A Russian Church here in PA is quite famous; it survived the mine fires.
https://www.allentowndiocese.org/news/pennsylvania-town-memory-thriving-church-site-pilgrimage
One country, one culture, one people.
No hyphens.
And some of the most beautiful music ever written.
For our Sunday, the Lord’s day…fitting for these photos which leave me feeling very small.
Hymn of the Cherubim
Lovely and hauntingly beautiful!
That is a beautiful version. Thank you for the share.
FYI, The Hymn of the Cherubim is chanted/sung as part of every Divine Liturgy every Sunday.
Liturgy can take up to three hours, depending on where we are in the Church season and what else is going on (funeral, baptism, reception by Chrismation), but it never feels like it since it is such an immersive and intense experience. This piece is an example of that.
Thank you, Catz. There is an extended version which I found, over an hour in length. I was overwhelmed by the Russian voices, especially the basses, which I have always felt communicated the spiritual intensity you explain so eloquently. As for being immersive, you describe precisely the experience I had the first time I heard this incredible work…..and every time thereafter. The same with the Rachmaninov Vespers. In short, I am transported to an other worldly place with music such as these Russian liturgical works.
I understand very well.
My impression is that the Russian people treasure their culture in all its forms.
I remember watching Vladimir Horowitz’s recital when he was allowed to return. No announcements of this remarkable performance which he gave were allowed. Yet along with the politically privileged of the day, word of mouth brought ordinary Russians whose faces briefly seen in this video were enraptured. I was extremely moved by seeing them. No words were needed to comprehend what that performance meant…for them and for him.
If you want a very different experience, and aren’t put off by the fact that you don’t understand the language, you may enjoy the entire Divine Liturgy (St John Chrysostom version) chanted by the Monks at Valaam Monastery. The Valaam monks have a unique chanting style, which has been shown in research to be tuned to healing frequencies – just as many of the original Church bells were. When I find it hard to sleep, or find myself getting stressed out, I tube up this version of the Liturgy and am immediately at peace.
I am familiar with this one as well. It has been a while…
Thank you very, very much.
Music part yes indeed.
Even in the secular level.
The “Nutcracker Suite” at Christmas has always been a favorite for me.
Alina Somova in The Nutcraker
Yes.
The first thing the Communists do is destroy beauty, including art and architecture, and replace with things that are drab, depressing and “modern”.
There are some photos online – I tried to find them and failed – which showed the “before” and “after” of a town in East Germany, before WWII, after it was bombed/destroyed/shelled in WWII, the replacement of the beautiful architecture by ugly concrete “modern” boxes, and then when the wall fell, the ugly Communist replacements were themselves torn down and replaced with modern copies of the original, beautiful pre-WWII architecture to restore the town core to the way it “had” been.
We should all strive to embrace beauty in all things, spiritual and secular.
Reflections here in the USA now, huh?
The late much lamented Professor Sir Roger Scruton on beauty…
“I want to persuade you that beauty matters; that it is not a subjective thing, but a universal need of human beings. If we ignore this need, we find ourselves in a spiritual desert. I want to show you the path out of that desert. It is a path that leads to home.”
A profound truth. As evil attempts to destroy all beauty I pray this truth will be recognized before we fall over the precipice. All Western civilization is at stake.
Absolutely.
Thank you for sharing that thought.
Went to the U.S.S.R. in 1984 and one night attended their version of a “circus.”
It was one of the most magical programs I had ever attended. Did not want to get up and leave when it was over, and when I finally did I grabbed some of the confetti that had fallen to keep as a souvenir.
The State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia.
FEV 2012- The Hermitage Cats
What a contrast today – from the beauty of man’s heavenly praise to the degradation of shallow self-aggrandizement.
You didn’t happen to run across Edward Snowden while there, did you? He seems to have made a pretty good choice. Of course, he had good information. :-)))
Not easy as he lives with his married wife, American Lindsay Mills and their two sons (’20 and ’22) in Moscow, Russia
There are many Americans moving to Russia. The ones i have heard from really like it. The hard part is the language they say.
Isn’t one of Bills girls there?
Yes.
And, ironically, many of the older people in our Church – especially couples where an American man married a Russian woman – are making plans to retire to Russia in the new few years, which is a complete inversion of what it was like when these women immigrated to the USA for freedom. One lovely couple have been showing me during post Liturgy coffee hour the photos of the beautiful home/farmette they are building on the outskirts of Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad), which is where her family is from (and yes, they suffered tremendously during WWII). Their son is already there, supervising the construction and married to a Russian local girl who is expecting their first grandchild.
Edward Snowden is a patriot.
Hopefully, some day he will be recognized as such.
Just beautiful (in a variety of ways), Sundance…..thanks for taking us along a bit, a little after the fact.
The colors, the spaces, the vastness, the details…..
What a wonderful leap out there you took! And you came back with so very, very much….which will surely be simmering and settling in your own thoughts and analyses for a long time. I’m grateful that you have not tried to tell it all – all at once. Sometimes that just isn’t best….
On occasion, I have gone looking for youtube stuff that would walk me through either the cathedals or museums of Russia. What a wonderful record of the best of so many things…
Thank you much for all you gathered and however you share….such valuable stuff!
Hi Sharon, If you’ve not run across this young man, Sergey Baklykov, you might enjoy his youtubes. He lives in St. Petersburg and live streams/walks around while highlighting history and trivia etc.
Currently he is traveling and did a live stream earlier today from Moscow. Sergey said the city just had a huge snowfall brought by Cyclone Vanya.
MOSCOW! Unbelievable Saturday Winter Night after SNOWFALL! Live
https://www.youtube.com/live/WcXFGOoiydQ?si=M5wHRHVx5mwbslAF
I watched it earlier.
I recommend watching his
vide0 (s) too.
He is always interesting!
It looks clean and safe there. Like it was in some US cities of yesteryear. I saw a lady holding what looked like a purse loosely by the strap — that is an instra rip off in any US city downtown today. So sad we have fallen so far. Thanks for the share.
Thank you for that recommendation, Catherine!
Thanks for the tip! I’m going to “chill” watching these vids this season! I’d love to live there, every person that I’ve met that has worked in Russia loved it.
When I was a kid my Mother always wanted to visit Russia and I thought it was an interesting destination for her to pine for…
Representative of those things which Communism and all the other illnesses emanating from the minds of men cannot reach.
An extremely important lesson for us to inculcate, and pass on to our progeny; they CAN imprison our bodies, but never our hearts, minds or souls …
True … recently read “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” by Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
A grim story of prisoners in a Siberian concentration camp during Stalin era.
Heartwrenching, yet heartwarming.
The guards tried to break Ivan’s spirit, but he prevailed! Served ten years, then released.
Thank you, Sundance. Blessings
Last video has to be Nevsky Prospect.
Fiddlers Green on Rubenshtein just west-ish (?) From Nevsky is a great little pub!
Most likely, without having the slightest idea about the landmark building pictured in the center of the video.
15 most BEAUTIFUL buildings in St. Petersburg (PHOTOS) – Russia Beyond (rbth.com)
5 major landmarks on Nevsky Prospect that visitors often miss – Russia Beyond (rbth.com)
Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg, Russia (saint-petersburg.com)
i agree with the Nevsky Prospect, St. Petersburg’s main avenue.
INTERESTING – I had just read a story earlier this week about the revitalization of the Orthodox Church in Russia under Putin. Meanwhile here in America…………………….
So beautiful and serine. Thanks Sundance.🤗🤗
Thousands of Churches have been rebuilt and monasteries repaired too.
Yes.
The Soviets tried to destroy the original Orthodox churches, and one of the first things they did was destroy and melt down the bells. Many villages began taking down the bells themselves and hiding them, including submerging them in village lakes and ponds. When the Soviets would come to destroy the church and the bell, the villagers would state they were too poor to afford a bell so their church never had one.
The Soviets then set up their own parallel “fake” Orthodox churches, filled with spies and based on the Gregorian calendar. That is one of the reasons why the true cradle Russian Orthodox insist on following the Julian calendar. True Apostolic ordained Priests were killed or imprisoned, replaced with Soviet “trained” Priests.
Our own Rector Priest is a fourth generation Priest. His grandfather was martyred in Ukraine while on Holy Orders to serve a very poor parish. The Soviets ordered him to stop serving the Eucharist, and he refused. He was gunned down in the church while performing the rite of the Epiclesis in preparation for Communion.
When you are received into the Russian Orthodox Church, you are asked and must swear that you are willing to die for the faith as did the martyrs before you. When you are asked if you are willing to die for the faith, the only acceptable answer is “yes”.
You might be interested to know that the Orthodox Church is growing here in America, both the OCA and ROCOR.
There are parishes in Appalachia that are sending seminary candidates who are developing a chanting style that would be familiar to anyone who enjoys the bluegrass folk music of that region.
Our own church is on a major expansion construction project, because of the growth and reception of converts over the past five years or so, which has caused no end of controversy internally. Many of the original founders of the parish I tithe to and attend are upset about it all so there’s been a lot of spiritual instruction on how conflict is an opportunity to heal, as well as grow in both emotional and spiritual wisdom and maturity. Sigh.
Strange that the country my daughter illegally passed out Bibles in during the 80s now appears to have more religious freedom and religion then America.
Not quite as free, religiously, but that’s a good thing, in my humble opinion. They did ban a lot of churches. Specifically those NCC denominations which are dominant in — and arguably part of the destruction of — the United States. Churchianity, Inc., to put it bluntly, has no home in Russia.
“Churchianity”
👍👍👍👍👍
Excellent term to describe the U.S. mainline institutional churches that focus on everything BUT teaching accurate Bible doctrine.
Yes. I was “this many years old” when I learned about LXX (the Septuagint Bible), which is the Bible that the Orthodox use, translated into local language to spread the Word.
https://www.septuagint.bible/
https://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/septuagint/
Those churches are viewed as heretical by the Russian Orthodox which is why they were banned.
The Russian Orthodox church never “died” in Russia, it was just forced underground because of persecution by the atheist Soviets, much the same way the earliest Christians were forced underground and in hiding and were persecuted for their faith.
She done good!
And the country your daughter returned to, now has prisoners of conscionce incarcerated in its prisons.
Yes, never to be forgotten: Russia still suffers under a dictatorship!
Putin may seem to be a benevolent despot, but the body count and the number of prisoners say nay!
Imagine visiting only the French aristocrats c. 1770: you would be missing a great part of the picture!
Miles behind the US. As with many aspects of life, like the MIC, the Russian penal system is not a profit earning operation like the US’s so no incentive to keep the numbers incarcerated up, or increased.
I definitely debate the “dictatorship “
claim.
I recommend that you research
the government of Russia.
Although I must say —that a claim of
”dictatorship “ may be a step up
from claims of….It’s communist!
🤷♀️💁🤷♀️
I am continually amazed at the
lack of knowledge people have
regarding Russia.
Most prisoners per capita by country 2023 | Statista
☝️☝️
US is #6
Russia is in the 20’s
And after Jan 6, I believe US probably
has more political prisoners…🤷♀️💁
What languages and dialects we speak in Russia’s republics? – YouTube
☝️☝️
Eli from Russia
This little red haired Russian Tatar
is exploring her Country.☺️
I, too, am constantly amazed at the uninformed, ignorant, brainwashed assertions of the composition of the current governmental operating system, history and culture of everything Russia.
Maddingly mind blowing.
It is not a dictatorship.
That was done away with after the Soviet Union collapsed.
The most prominent being a CIA stooge.
Normally I agree with most everything you say, but here, it is clear that you know little about today’s Russia.
Thank you.
So, you’re disagreeing with Dutch’s assertion that the person’s daughter who returned to the United States doesn’t live in a country with an abnormal amount of political prisoners?
How absurd!
I share your frustration 😖😵💫
The terms….
Arkincide
or
Epsteined
are well known🤷♀️💁
Same with term-Lawfare
Kettle-meet pot.
Stunning photographs. Thanks for sharing.
Wouldn’t it be interesting to have a conversation with Edward Snowden? Whether you think he’s hero or traitor he must have an interesting perspective of the world, especially the contrast of Russia, where he now lives, and the US.
This guy always has good live feeds: CHRISTMAS MARKET St Petersburg, Russia
Wow, simply beautiful.
The Cathedral is stunningly beautiful!
Who designs these buildings? The attention to detail is incredible. I cannot imagine having the talent and imagination to create something so beautiful.
In the Middle Ages, Christians actually believed in Christ and his Church and were inspired to undertake work that often would not be completed in their own lifetime. They had a kind of faith in the future that people born in 21st Century America or Western Europe can hardly imagine.
Amen.
The entire rhythm of their lives and their hopes were centered around the Church and their faith.
An interesting and quick read if you are interested in that type of history is
“The Year 1000 – What life was like at the turn of the Millennium, and Englishman’s World” by Robert Lacey.
I’ve gifted it over the years to a number of people who enjoyed it.
The street scene looks like it’s taken in front of the American Embassy in Moscow.
It is so beautiful that it bring tears to my eyes. I am not a traveler but I would love to visit St Petersburg, Russia.
me, too, cat.
I wished I could have gotten to St. Petersburg while I was over there almost 25 years ago now.
Russia has some incredibly beautiful cathedrals and other architecture.
Next to the harsh reminder of what Communism actually is.
Thanks for the pictures, Sundance.
So, we have hope for our own form of communism, to fall.
I admire those who travel to such beautiful places….in my very narrow world…I get scared crossing over into Cook County.
Thank you for the beautiful photos!
I hear you Aggie, Born and raised in Wheaton. So sad Chicago has turned into a no go place.
I’ve lived in Chicago at three different times. These days I wouldn’t entertain so much as a stopover at O’Hare, much less visit or live there.
Credit goes to Sundance for the photos since he took them.
As for hope, I wonder if Sundance experienced a little shock like I did when visiting many places around Moscow, including several cathedrals or museums. I was surprised that so much religion was allowed there…as if everything we had been told about it being banned had been a lie. Perhaps it was just a specific kind allowed.
It was quite a contrast to the heavy hand of state security seen in other places.
I think that’s the point that Sundance is trying to make, and will probably continue to expand on.
Much of what you have been taught about Russia, is in fact, a lie.
And Russia has signaled that it may begin releasing all the intel dirt it has on the US which will prove that most of what Americans have been taught about their own country and history is a lie.
Buckle up, buttercups!
Incredibly beautiful. The intrigue….
So jealous. ❤️
Sundance I am jealous. I hope we get to see more.
Meh, I really enjoyed pre-pillaged NotreDam or better yet,
Basilique du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre. Solemn and Wonderous old world beauty.
Well, good for you.
Seems there were some other folks in the same area recently.
https://sonar21.com/strategic-reflections-from-moscow/
https://smoothiex12.blogspot.com/2023/12/larry-from-moscow.html
Pepe also.
I was in Russia, Moscow and St. Petersburg (“Pete”as the Russians say) in September. I was flabbergasted to see an Orthodox Church on almost every street in Moscow! God is felt on the Russian streets and in the Russian people. Not in the United States, but in Russia!
Makes me question the govmints narrative.
Once upon a time, an American citizen witnessed the mass collection of electronic data on American citizens, and he thought that it was wrong. He now must live with his family in Russia. It’s not by choice that he is there, but he has come to face things as they are, not as he wishes them to be. It’s a lesson we should all heed more carefully.
I had bookmarked a Christmas in Syria when Russia went in and helped rid the cities of terrorist to help al-Assad defend the oldest Christian population in the world; the churches overflowed, the streets were joyous and peaceful.
It’s a – this site can no longer…………
The US aided the terrorists via the CIA and they have continually tried to reintroduce troops at every turn. Getting rid of God truly is the goal of the western world.
Those who surreptitiously have taken control of Western institutions.
They are neither Christian nor descended from Western peoples.
I recently saw some pictures of Moscow all lit up in beautiful Christmas lights. Compare that to an American sh!thole like – well just pick your favorite Blue city.
Russia maintains art in its everyday facilities like subways as well as its great works. Something that is completely lacking in the US.
As beautiful as these manmade things are they can never rise to the beauty that God makes. Russia has some magnificent open country.
Riding the railroad across Russia is on my bucket list.
The human race is capable of creating such beauty with God’s inspiration, when we’re not busy killing each other.
Sundance may be leading an exodus of patriots there in 2025.
It’s actually quite difficult to emigrate to Russia, even more so if you’re not already Orthodox.
Fr Gleason is an American Orthodox priest who emigrated to Russia with his family. He’s helping build up an English-speaking Oblast northeast of Moscow, in the small city of Rostov, one of the cities in the historic “Golden Ring” (not the larger Rostov in the south of Russia), with the support of the Russian government.
https://movingtorussia.substack.com/p/16-steps-to-legal-residency-in-russia
https://russian-faith.com/family-values/american-father-mini-documentary-big-family-moves-to-rural-russia-n2030
I didn’t even have to sneak a peek and cheat. Putin is religious (for all his flaws).
Now, consider the blasphemy that occurred on the Senate floor (giddy-up and ride “him” cowboy) and in the White House with that “lovely” dance group Which country has the most blatant and depraved leadership?
I do not recognize my country. We need tribunals.
Putin is not much different than most who believe in Christ, including and especially me.
We are all imperfect sinners. Trying to do the right thing and sincerely asking for Divine forgiveness is all we can aspire for to obtain grace.
I get tired of those constantly promoting known or suspect false assumptions about Putin in some cases, and especially those who claim because he might have done something wrong in the past means he is not a good person now or can be redeemed.
Making judgments on the fate of his soul on God’s behalf.
Hypocrisy at its finest!
He who is without sin, can cast the first stone.
Amen.
Everyone’s journey towards theosis is unique to them.
And all Christians “should” believe that we all sin, but we can be redeemed of our sin and God does not judge our sins twice – including Putin’s. Once we are forgiven, we are forgiven. The challenge for us is to release ourselves from committing the same sins over and over again, and grow and mature spiritually beyond that, but that’s a different discussion for a different day.
Putin is a very polarizing figure in my Church here in the US. There are factions that love him (like a Russian MAGA), and factions that despise him – much like TDS here in the US.
http://ww1.antiochian.org/content/theosis-partaking-divine-nature#:~:text=In%20the%20Orthodox%20Church%2C%20this,participate%20in%20the%20divine%20nature.
“Welcome to the New World”
I pray the United States can remember what it was once upon a time.
That’s the first place that came to mind. It’s been on my list since a client told me about it 10 years ago.
Breathtaking! Oh that we could build cathedral’s of such might and beauty!
Thank you for the pictures. I was hoping to see pictures from your trip! I appreciate you sharing.
Which prompts me to make the comment that, if memory serves me, it was Bill Whittle that told us that it is Western Civilization that is under attack. We should be allying ourselves with Russia, Hungary, and all the other countries who treasure the heritage and cultures of Western Civilization.
We are thinking too small when believing the attack to be on specific countries. We are in a spiritual war and it is a fight to destroy our entire civilization. Putin may not be a good man, but he puts his country first and defends Western Civilization.
Friend and I were discussing how certain flags of every day life can determine how free the population is, regardless of the state’s pontificating.
Ability to worship openly.
Ability to travel.
Ability to move up or down the social or economic ladders.
Ability to educate your children without government interference.
The last she argued was important because it showed how necessary the state viewed its need to control the narrative from childhood. The resulting research on where homeschooling is illegal was illuminating.
The Faith of the Russian people is possibly more than that of most atheistic, offended Americans who get all the press.
Merry Christmas while we can still say it. Jesus Reigns!
Slava Isusu Khrystos!
I’m humbled
Encounter the holiness of our Lord: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sacred+treasures+russian+choral+music
Well, I’m not Catholic so I won’t have the same emotional response that a Catholic would I’m sure. It is unique, quite ornate. I do appreciate the Baroque style in churches. It really is quite something to behold, especially if you are standing right in front of it! I have lots and lots of Catholic friends. They are gonna love this! Thank you so much for sharing!
The Cathedral is not Catholic. It’s Russian Orthodox.
The Catholic Church split from the original Orthodox church in 1054 due to a pretty raucous disagreement between the 5 Bishops at the time. The Bishop of Rome left and the Western Church was alienated from the Eastern.
We pray during every Liturgy in the Liturgy of Supplication for Christ to “Heal the schisms of the churches, quench the raging of the heathen, speedily undo and root out the growths of heresies, and bring them to naught by the power of Your Holy Spirit”, so that the two Churches can be united again. Given the path that the Catholics have taken, we all understand that it is highly unlikely, but we continue to pray for them, just as we are directed to pray for our enemies and for those who hate us, that they may know God’s love and Christ’s gift of salvation to all of humanity.
They’re Eastern Orthodox in Russia, not ROMAN Catholic.