The Development Bank took an active part in the implementation of a unique project to recreate one of the shrines of the Belarusian people - the altar cross of the Turov diocese of the XII-XIII centuries (the Turov Cross).
The history of the reconstruction of the Turov cross began in 1962, when during the excavations of the Turov settlement (the layer of the XII-XIII centuries) the famous Belarusian archaeologist Peter Lysenko discovered four lead images – of the Blessed Virgin and of three saints. The scientist suggested that the images were related to the altar cross of the Turov Cathedral, destroyed by an earthquake in the first half of the 13th century.
Recreation of the Turov Cross was ordered by the Head of the Belarusian State. In 2017, a working group was created, which included representatives of the Development Bank, the Belarusian Orthodox Church, and the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. A significant contribution was made by Sergey Nikolaevich Roumas, who in 2012-2018 served as Chairman of the Management Board of the Development Bank and personally supervised the project.
In 2018, the Belarusian Orthodox Church announced a competition of draft designs for the reconstruction of the Turov cross, in which the project of Elena Andryushchenko won. The concept of the Turov cross was prepared by the head of the Synodal Department of the Belarusian Orthodox Church for church art, architecture and restoration, Maria Netsvetaeva. In August 2019, the concept was approved by Metropolitan Pavel of Minsk and Zaslavl, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; and in the autumn of the same year, with the financial support of the Development Bank, work began on the manufacturing of crosses in proper size.
In September 2020, the work on the reconstruction of the cross of the Turov diocese of the XII-XIII centuries has been completed. Two identical crosses were made using medieval technologies - for the Turov diocese and for the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. Oleg Ermolovich, jeweler, was engaged in the manufacturing. In November of the same year, one of the recreated crosses was sent to the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. At the end of 2020, the President of the Republic of Belarus awarded the artisans for the restoration of the Turov Cross with the prize "For Spiritual Revival".
Reconstruction of the Turov Cross is another step towards restoring the lost objects of the rich historical, cultural and spiritual heritage of Belarus. The Development Bank is especially proud of its involvement in this great cause.
