During his visit to Iturup Island on August 13, 2026, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, together with Governor of the Sakhalin Region V.I. Limarenko, met with Archpriest Roman Filippov, rector of the Epiphany Church in Kurilsk.
The meeting took place on the territory of a local school. The Head of State inquired about the spiritual life of the islanders, the number of parishioners, and discussed with the priest the construction of a new church in honor of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, promising support.
"Our people are wonderful, faith lives in the heart of every person. We talked about the church under construction, and when I told him that the lower chapel would also be dedicated to the Holy Trinity, Vladimir Vladimirovich asked Governor Valery Limarenko to assist in this good cause," Archpriest Roman Filippov shared.
The church was laid on May 31, 2025, by Archbishop Nikanor of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk and Kuril Islands. The service was attended by the Governor of the Sakhalin Region, V.I. Limarenko, and the initiator of the construction of the temple, founder of Kontinent LLC, Yu.I. Oxenyuk, representatives of government structures, residents of Kurilsk.
The church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul under construction in Kurilsk will become the spiritual center of the Kuriles. The three-storey building with a height of 23.5 meters will be able to accommodate more than 300 parishioners. By 2026, the construction of the ground floor has been completed, and work on the ground floor is ahead of schedule. Sakhalinmedia.ru .