The State Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral initiated a new international project Friends of St Isaac’s Cathedral.

Throughout centuries St Petersburg has been both the cultural and spiritual capital of Russia. .

Among its architectural monuments, St Sampson`s Cathedral, the Smolny, St Isaac’s and the Church of the Resurrection of Christ have a special importance.

The State Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral is an initiator of a new international program The Friends of St Isaac’s Cathedral.

The aim of the program is to draw public attention to the operation and activities of the four unique cathedrals – Sampsonievsky, St Isaac’s, the Smolny and the Church of the Resurrection and to encourage discussion of their preservation and restoration projects.

The program has received the support from TV channel RTR, 100 TV and TRK St Petersburg – Channel 5, as well as from many city’s publications.

It is an established practice to engage the public in governing cultural institutions as well as in monitoring their condition and activities through setting up boards of trustees or supervisory boards, which in fact oversee the cultural institutions in Western Europe and the USA.

On January 26, 2009, the first meeting of the Friends of St Isaac’s Cathedral was held, involving prominent figures in the area of culture, business and politics. As a result, the Supervisory Board was established; in the framework of the meeting an interesting entertainment program was presented.

The membership of the Supervisory Board of the Friends of St Isaac’s Cathedral includes:

1. Barkanov, Vladimir Vasilievich – Budgetary Commission of Legislative Assembly, Chairman, 190197, St Isaac’s Square, 6, ph. 570 35 23, 310 64 06, Vbarkanov@assembly.spb.ru
2. Vilinbakhov Georgiy Vadimovich – Deputy Director, The Hermitage Museum, 190000, Russia,
   St Petersburg, Palace Square, 34. Ph: (812) 312-29-71 Fax: (812) 311-90-06
3. Loginov Alexey Lvovich – Sberbank St Petersburg, Chairman, combox@sberbank.spb.ru, Kr Tekstilshchikov str, 2
4. Volkov Vitaly Yurievich – RTR TV SPb, Director, Karpovka emb, 43, 197022, ph. 234 56 37
5. Stadler Sergey Valentinovich – The Conservatory Rector, Teatralnaya Square 3, 190000, 312 89 74, 312 21 29, evn@conservatory.ru
6. Gavrilov Evgeniy Matveevich – Board of Directors Chairman, Digital Designgavrilov@digdes.ru, 346 58 33, 346 58 34, St Petersburg, 199155, Odoevsky str. 28
7. Fedorov Andrey Ryurikovich – Board of Directors Chairman, Digital Design.

On July 9, 2009, a meeting of the Friends of St Isaac’s Cathedral was held in Smolny Cathedral. The museum’s program for the preservation of items housed in St Isaac’s Cathedral was offered to the participants for consideration, which included the icons St Catherine and The Entry into the Temple of the Virgin Mary by T.A. Neff, the Nativity of Christ by Ch. Mussini, a tray for communion bread, an album Eglise de Saint Isaac… by A. Montferrand and the icon plates from the entrance door of the Church of the Resurrection.

We invite you to join the Friends of St Isaac’s Cathedral and help us preserve and restore the museum rare objects. We have following benefits to offer for our Friends:

• a certificate of honor of the Friends of St Isaac’s Cathedral
• posting company information, including its logo, background information and description of services on the museum official site (www.cathedral.ru);
  placing a company’s logo on concert posters, playbills and other Museum’s advertising materials.
• free admission to Sampsonievsky, the Smolny, St Isaac’s cathedrals and the Church of the Resurrection for a year
• the company management is offered a bus overview tour The Cathedral Ring (available in foreign languages)
• in summer, the boat tour The Cathedral Ring is offered for the company management and their guests (available in foreign languages)
• visits to the colonnaded walkway at St Isaac’s and the Smolny Cathedral bell tower
• special prices for corporate events to be held at the Smolny Cathedral concert and exhibition hall
• visits to concerts held at the Smolny Cathedral concert and exhibition hall
• attending holiday religious services at St Isaac’s and Liturgies in the Church of the Resurrection
• receiving invitations to press conferences and receptions to mark exhibition openings.

The management of the State Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral and its staff extend their sincere gratitude to the Digital Designer company, a member of the society Friends of St Isaac’s Cathedral, for the contribution it made in preserving the cultural heritage of the northern capital.

Director of The State Museum St Isaac’s Cathedral
Nikolay Burov

The Friends of St Isaac’s Cathedral, Project manager,
Irada Vovnenko

Contact phone +7 (812) 314 21 68; 932 92 81