Metropolitan Vikenty of Tashkent and Uzbekistan yesterday visited the Dushanbe-based subunit of the Russian 201st military base deployed in Tajikistan.
The military base press center says he met with the command of the base and had a conversation with the faithful military personnel, during which, he told how to keep the fast in the conditions of military service.
Metropolitan Vikenty reportedly reminded those present of the opportunity to visit the temple, confess and receive communion.
Russian Orthodox Church in Uzbekistan was established in 1871 and extends to Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. The Russian Orthodox Church in Tajikistan falls within the jurisdiction of Russian Orthodox Eparchy of Tashkent and Central Asia.
The Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan is subordinate to the Central Military District. It is Russia's largest non-naval military facility outside the country.
It was officially opened in Tajikistan in 2004 under a previous agreement, which was signed in 1993, and hosts Russia’s largest military contingent deployed abroad.
A total of some 7,000 Russian troops are now stationed at two military facilities collectively known as the 201st military base – in Dushanbe and Bokhtar (formerly Qurghon Teppa), which is located some 100 kilometers from Dushanbe.
