On September 30, the Book Chamber, a new Orthodox Christian center for culture and education, opened its doors in a newly restored ancient building of the Moscow Patriarchal Diocese detachment in the downtown area of the city.

That was an important event for the Saints Cyril and Methodius Theological Institute for Post-Graduate Studies, located on the same premises as the new Book Chamber. It is going to be a venue for book presentations, scholarly round tables, seminars, exhibitions, concerts, and other events related to the traditional and modern Christian intellectual culture.

Visitors have been presented Orthodox Christian literature in its wide diversity, including books by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and other modern authors, works by the Holy Fathers of the Church, books on Theology, Holy Scripture studies, Patrology, Church history, textbooks for Theological Schools, and books for those who have just begun their journey to Christ.

The unveiling of the Book Chamber was attended by Metropolitan Hilarion, the Chairman of the Russian Orthodox Church Department for External Relations, the Dean of the Theological Institute for Post-Graduate Studies, bishops and priests, scholars, educators, government officials, writers, journalists, and publishers.

Addressing the audience, His Eminence metropolitan Hilarion observed:

“It is becoming evident that people turn away from printed books, preferring audio recordings and electronic editions. Our experience, however, indicates that printed editions are still in demand.” The Metropolitan went over the project of renewing the textbooks for Seminary and University students in the field of Christian Orthodox theology.