The American news agency Bloomberg published on Saturday a comprehensive piece dedicated to the inauguration in Bucharest of the largest Orthodox cathedral in the world. The Cathedral of the Salvation of the Romanian People was recently inaugurated in Bucharest, having a capacity of 5,000 worshippers and a cost of 270 million euros, of which only 10% of the funds come from private sources. Despite its opulence, the inauguration takes place in a difficult economic context for Romania, which is facing the largest budget deficit in the European Union and a pronounced social division between nationalists and liberals, Bloomberg said. Critics believe that the money would have been better spent on hospitals and schools, while supporters see the cathedral as a symbol of national identity. Although the Orthodox Church claims that the funds were managed transparently, many Romanians doubt the appropriateness of such a project in times of austerity. The cathedral, built on the highest point in Bucharest, is seen as a rare example of success in completing public works, but also as a symbol of a divided society, where the Orthodox Church remains a unifying factor.
25 October 14:30
Current Affairs
Foto: Facebook Bucharest