Rules needed for transferring museum exhibits to Russian Orthodox Church - presidential advisor
MOSCOW. June 6 (Interfax) - Clear rules are needed for transferring museum items for display by the Russian Orthodox Church, which also take into account professional opinions, in order to prevent spontaneous decisions in the future, Russian presidential advisor for culture Vladimir Tolstoy said.
"We still need clear-cut rules, there has to be some kind of system, we shouldn't make spontaneous decisions. This should happen in accordance with the law, with rules, and with due regard for the opinions of professionals, who are the only ones who understand the threats that exist for such [items]," Tolstoy told journalists on Tuesday.
There is no need to wait for "the next similar occurrence. Instead, a small group of professionals should sit down with the Church, work out these rules and [we should] follow them," he said.
"If professionals really say that there's a threat, that means other solutions need to be found," he said.
He advised against "speculating" on the transfer of exhibits to the Russian Orthodox Church, and urged the adoption of a "calm and balanced" approach to everything, he said.
"For the main issue here is that, we, I hope, are not the world's last generation, we need to think about how to preserve our main relics, our main cultural artifacts and sacred valuable items for the following generations," Tolstoy said.
Regarding the Trinity icon, he said there were more valuable relics like this in museums. "And, of course, at some difficult moments in history, icons begin to play that very sacred role as well," he said.
The decision to transfer Rublev's Trinity icon from the State Tretyakov Gallery to the Russian Orthodox Church was reported on May 15.
On May 16 the Russian Culture Ministry said the icon would go on display at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior on June 4, then be sent for restoration and thereafter to the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.
It triggered a broad public response. Museum community members voiced concern about the safety of Rublev's masterpiece. The Restoration Council of the State Tretyakov Gallery also expressed concern and concluded at its meeting that the icon "cannot be let out of the gallery in time for the Holy Trinity on June 4 this year because of the complicated and unstable condition and the unpredictability of the continual process of negative alterations."
On May 26 the ministry confirmed the icon will be on display at the Christ the Savior Cathedral. On June 3 it was successfully transported from the Tretyakov Gallery to the cathedral, where it was placed into a special capsule at the center of the church. The ministry said it will remain there until June 18, under the supervision of the Tretyakov's staff, before heading for its planned restoration.