landmark

in every sense of the word.

Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, one of the most imposing and controversial buildings in Russia, has had a short but turbulent history. 

On February 21, 2012, five members of the Russian feminist punk-rock collective, Pussy Riot, staged a performance on the soleas of Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Their actions were stopped by church security officials. By evening, they had turned it into a music video entitled "Punk Prayer - Mother of God, Chase Putin Away!". The women said their protest was directed at the Orthodox Church leader's support for Putin during his election campaign.

So here it was February 15th, a few days short from the 1 year anniversary of Pussy Riot's brave act and I was standing amongst the landmark building on what I consider to be a landmark date. Do I go in? Would that be supporting Putin? Would Pussy Riot look down on me? I couldn't help but wonder all of these things. I finally decided to go in, but holding PR very dear to my heart. I must say the place was beautifully decorated, which usually warms my heart. However, this time it only made me wish I could ride a time machine to a year earlier when the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour was splashed with all things bright: colored balaclavas and minds.
According to a legend, this place was cursed in 1839 by a hegumeness of Alekseevsky Convent that was moved to the other side of Moscow because of the cathedral construction. The nun allegedly promised that no structure would stand there for centuries. Could this be karma? 

Let's just say "Putin has pissed himself"!