ÉGLISE ORTHODOXE RUSSE
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Orthodox church built in the Byzantine style, decorated with icons coming straight from St. Petersburg to Biarritz
Built in 1892 in Byzantine style, Biarritz's Russian Orthodox Church bears witness to the strong ties between France and Russia in the late 19th century. At the time, the seaside resort was very popular with the Russian nobility, including Empress Maria Feodorovna, wife of the Tsar. Already very fashionable, the resort became an "imperial city" during the 19th century. The church was adorned with icons straight from St. Petersburg. Inaugurated in September 1892, in the presence of members of the Russian imperial family, the church was made possible thanks to the intervention of Tsar Alexander III and the dedication of Father Herodion. It is dedicated to the protection of the Mother of God and St. Alexander of the Neva. It attracts many tourists, but its proximity to the ocean has led to difficulties and damage. The church was restored in 1984 thanks to subscriptions and donations from all over the world, including a contribution from Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Over the past twenty years, the parish has expanded to include the descendants of White Russian, Ukrainian, Belorussian, Georgian and Moldavian immigrants to the Basque Country, as well as French-speaking Orthodox. Since 2015, the Orthodox church has been classified as a Historic Monument and has been reserved, since the beginning, exclusively for the Greek-Russian Orthodox worship of the Eastern Christian Churches, Patriarchate of Constantinople. A new renovation campaign will run until 2024 to enable the church to be reopened.
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