FIRST MOSQUE WILL BE OPENED TODAY IN SHCHELKOVO, MOSCOW REGION








SHCHELKOVO (MOSCOW REGION), MARCH 7, 2001 (FROM RIA NOVOSTI CORRESPONDENT YEKATERINA ANTIPOVA) -- The first mosque in the town's history will be opened today in Shchelkovo, the Moscow region. The opening has been timed to the coming anniversary, 1,400 years since the beginning of spreading Islam on the territory of Russia.


	RIA Novosti correspondent reports that taking part in the solemn ceremony will be chairman of the council of muftis of Russia, sheikh Ravil Gainutdin. He told journalists that the mosque was built during a short period of time, a year and a half, on the initiative of Moslems of the town. According to Gainutdin, taking part in the construction were believers themselves and the Russian charity funds.


	The two-storey mosque has a prayer hall for 400-450 parishioners.


	This is the second mosque in the Moscow region. The first one was built a year ago in Orekhovo-Zuyevo.


	Gainutdin pointed out that in the past ten years Moslems received an opportunity to freely build mosques, and  6,500  mosques have been constructed over this period of time.