“In the House of the Lord Forever”

Kazan, Russia

  On the August 30-31 St. Catherine's Lutheran Church in Kazan celebrated the end of restoration work there with a re-dedication of the building. Pastors, Deans and the Bishop of the ELCER led worship, with Bishop Dietrich Brauer preaching and leading prayer for the building.

  The original St. Catherine's was founded in 1767 by German settlers; it was in that year that Catherine the Great visited the city and brought a pastor (serving in the imperial armed forces) with her. That building burnt down in the Pugachev rebellion of 1774, but already by 1777 the congregation had built a stone “kirche.” Later the growth of the congregation led to the need for expansion, and in 1862-1865 a brick church was built on the site of the former stone one. It is this building which is still standing today. In December of 1929 it was confiscated from the congregation by the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs; this was the end of congregational life until its rebirth in 1990. In 1996 the mayor of Kazan symbolically returned the keys to ELCER Bishop Sigfried Springer, but at that time the building was in complete disrepair. Thanks to the help of the Gustaf Adolf Fund the facade and roof were repaired in 2005 and temporary fixes were made in the interior. The full restoration of the church was possible thanks to funds from the local government administration. In the words of Bishop Brauer, this was a unique example of the Lutheran church receiving assistance from the state. This can be taken as a sign that there are places in Russia where Lutheranism is understood to be an integral part of this country and not as something foreign. Unfortunately, this is an exception to the rule.

Representatives from the office of President of Tartarstan, of the Kazan city government, of the local (majority) Muslim community and of the ambassador of Germany, among others, congratulated the congregation. The theme of the day was set in the words of Bishop Brauer's sermon - “the stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.” (Mk 12.10). A church is always founded on the cornerstone who is Jesus Christ, who gives the world his love. This love, given to each Christian, requires responsibility on our part. In this difficult time the mission of the Church is to bring reconciliation and forgiveness.

  The Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Catherine in Kazan has arisen to shine again – this is a history of grace and of God's miracles. As the centuries go on, again and again in the walls of the kirche the words of David's psalm will ring out - “Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (Ps. 23.6)