Orthodox purchase delapidated chapel in France

Last November, the NR exclusively announced that the Metropolitan of the Romanian Orthodox Church was interested in this chapel which has fallen into a poor state ...

Today, among many other discussions, the City Council of Tours will decide on the sale of the Chapel of the Lazaristes to the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe. This church was looking for a decent place of worship for their community because their parish was housed for years in a small room in the rue de la California, loaned by St Jeanne d'Arc Church.

Since 2007, negotiations were started but the moved on last winter, during the visit of Metropolitan Bishop Joseph, who came to celebrate the Feast of Saint-Nectaire.

He then explained that "discussions were progressing with the city" despite significant work to be done, and hoped a decision "in the months to come."

A little over six months have passed and we now come to the signing of the deed at the notary.

€ 202,000 worth of works

The dilapidated building, built in 1860 at the top of the rue du Général-Meusnier, and the old medieval city, will be purchased for € 50,000 from the city, on the basis of the value given by the 2006 tax value estimate.

A major restoration will then occur. And the Romanian Orthodox Metropolian has already entrusted his project to the architect Alain de Bossoreille who has estimated the work will cost more than 202,000 euros.

Stained glass windows, roofing, carpentry, repair of large stones ... The works should take into account the site and the protected historic sector, near the cathedral.

This sale certainly removes a huge thorn in the side of the city who owned the chapel since 1994, but never wanted to engage in costly work. Access had been restricted since 2006 and sheeting installed to make the roof watertight

Source (Link broken 2022)

Update 2022, it seems that the money was never found for the restoration.

Source