Father Aleksander Burgos, who belongs to the Diocese of Valladolid and has been in St. Petersburg for more than fifteen years, has obtained the Vatican's approval to build the first sanctuary of Fatima in Russia.
Otests Aleksander, as he is known in Russian, was trained in Rome to minister to Catholics of the Byzantine rite, a minority in Russia, which, however, is the original rite of the Catholic Church in the country. He is now the pastor of a Byzantine rite church in St. Petersburg.
After several years with the illusion of carrying out this project and after registering the parish, the Holy See has given the go-ahead to the construction of the sanctuary. In the meeting held a few days ago with the eastern catholic bishopsThe current Primate of the Russian Byzantine Catholic Church, Joseph Werth, Bishop of Otests Aleksander, informed the Holy See of this project, which received its approval.
"The Orthodox confessions are not opposed to this project. Many Russians have great devotion to Our Lady of Fatima who was the one who interceded for the conversion of Russia. John Paul II consecrated Russia to Our Lady of Fatima and on May 15, 2017, the Russian bishops consecrated their country also to the icon of Our Lady of Fatima," says Fr. Aleksander.
In fact, Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the number two of the Russian Orthodox Patriarchate, has been in Portugal, praying to the Virgin, Father Burgos recalls, and the Orthodox respect this devotion.
The icon of Our Lady, also commissioned by Father Aleksander with another group of priests, is engraved with the phrase "In you unity", and therefore, "Our Lady welcomes all Christians".
The sanctuary to be erected in St. Petersburg It will be of Byzantine rite, but not exclusive: all Catholics of the other 23 rites of the Catholic Church could pray there, especially the Latin rite, which is followed by the majority of Catholics in Russia, who are less than 800,000 baptized. Likewise, Marian pilgrimages to the Shrine are open to all people of good will.
Fr. Aleksander was in Spain and met with his bishop, Cardinal Ricardo Blázquez, prelate of Valladolid and president of the Episcopal Conference at the time. Both he and the auxiliary bishop, Luis Argüello, encouraged him to undertake this project.
"I've been told that they will surely support me with the EEC New Evangelization Fund".Burgos announces, "provided the criteria are met. The priest has already thought of a suitable site: some land near lakes in the city of St. Petersburg. The land costs about 700,000 euros.
He is also counting on a woman architect, who has been building Orthodox churches in Russia for ten years. In total, he estimates that this Marian shrine will cost about three million euros.
What is difficult for Otests Aleksander is to buy the land, because once they acquire it, they will build a wooden church. "There we will put the icon and get to work. The shrine will be finished in a few years."
Father Burgos studied in Bidasoa as a seminarian in Valladolid thanks to a study grant financed by the CARF Foundation.
He then studied at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome and later worked in the diocese of Valladolid, which is his own. He was transferred to Russia in 2002 to serve the Catholics of the Latin rite first, and for the last seven years, the Byzantine rite.
The whole project will be directed by Father Aleksander Burgos, through the Icon of Fatima Association, C/ Orense, 61. Bajo B 28020 Madrid.
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The CARF Foundation supports Fr. Burgos in this initiative.
With information from Religión Confidencial.
