Patriarch Kirill I visits historical site of first Russian church in Beijing

12/5/13 Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill I who is making a visit to China on Sunday examine a Cross of white marble installed on the territory of the Russian Embassy in memory of the first Russians who came to live in Beijing. A plate placed at the foundation of the Cross contains the image of a church and an inscription saying that Cossacks from the Amur area built the first-ever Russian Orthodox church in China at the end of the 17th century right on that place. Later on, a church consecrated in the name of St Nicholas was built there