The first cathedral put up for online auction was the Brandenburg Cathedral of St. Bernard. The lot description states that buyers are offered a 'church in a popular residential area'. Its starting price is 120,000 euros.
The announcement notes that the church building can be used for 'any kind of activity': holding events, setting up a medical clinic, offices, etc., but clergy promise to pay close attention to the personality of the potential buyer. 'You can't just buy a church like a pair of new shoes,' said Stefan Ferner, press secretary of the Berlin diocese.
According to journalists, in recent years the Berlin diocese has put 25 Catholic cathedrals up for sale. In almost every case, the reason was the too small number of parishioners attending services, reports Gazeta.Ru.
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