It appears that an entire church is missing.
The 200-year-old Church of the Resurrection was last seen in July, as Russian Orthodox Church officials were considering reopening the abandoned church. This fall, however, it appears that villagers from the nearby village of Komarovo (northeast of Moscow) dismantled it and sold it off brick by brick, according to a Nov. 13 AP story. A local businessman apparently paid one ruble (4 cents) per brick.
"Of course, this is blasphemy," an Orthodox priest told The Associated Press. "These people have to realize they committed a grave sin."
In poorer, rural regions, vandals or petty thieves regularly steal gilded icons or donations from churches and sell them for alcohol or drugs.
However, this may be the first reported case of stealing an entire church building.-From Preaching Now, Vol. 7, No. 41, November 18, 2008
Now what about those missing from the church?
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