Penza, 3 August 2012. PenzaNews. Metropolitan of Penza and Nizhnelomovsk Benjamin expressed the need to open at least 200 churches in the Penza region, and therefore did not exclude the possibility of appearance of new dioceses in the region in the future. “There are towns with population of up to three thousand people, no churches, but Christians who want to pray, so we need to open at least 200 more churches,” explained Bishop Benjamin during a press conference in Penza on Friday, August 3.

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Metropolitan clarified that currently there are 360 parishes registered in the Penza region.

“Twenty of them do not have state registration due to different property issues, but they exist. These churches are located in hospitals, military units, prisons. I think that with appearance of more churches in the future the process of dividing of existing dioceses will take place,” noted Bishop Benjamin.