An eight-meter tall cross was erected on the Alexandra Land island by military personnel of the Northern Navy and representatives of the Russian Geographical Society to mark the 150th anniversary of the discovery of the Franz Josef Land archipelago, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense reported.

The northernmost memorial cross, made of larch according to the Orthodox canons, was placed in the Russian Arctic National Park on Cape Dvoinoy. The cross is eight meters tall, weighs 1.5 tons, and was delivered to the island from the mainland by the Northern Navy.

The installation was carried out during a complex expedition of the Northern Fleet and the Russian Geographical Society to the Franz Josef Land archipelago as part of the Russian Arctic and Antarctica project initiated by the Patriarchate.

Rear Admiral Sergei Artamonov, head of the regional defense control center of the Northern Navy headquarters, noted that the memorial cross was erected to mark the 150th anniversary of the discovery of the Franz Josef Land archipelago. He stressed that the development of these territories will continue to increase Russia’s presence here. Infrastructure will be built that will make it possible to protect the Arctic expanses of Russia.

The consecration of the cross was performed by Bishop Iakov of Naryan-Mar and Mezen. He held a prayer service, and at the end congratulated all those present on this significant event.