21st century

On 11 February 2002, Pope John Paul II created the administration for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Moscow and named Apostolic Administrator Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz as archbishop and metropolitan. However, this decision was criticised by Patriarch Alexy II, who called it “unfriendly”, as he believed the Roman Catholic Church saw Russia as a field for missionary activity.[16] At the same time, the Church of the Immaculate Conception acquired the status of cathedral of the archdiocese. In March 2002, members of the cathedral and Catholics from other European cities participated in a rosary led by the Pope via video conference. Since the reopening, many services take place daily in the cathedral. The main liturgical language for masses is Russian, but services are also held in Polish, English, French, Spanish, Korean, Latin and Armenian (based on an Armenian Rite).[17]

The re-installed organ – with 74 stops, 4 manuals and 5,563 pipes – was consecrated by Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Moscow on 16 January 2005. The mass was followed by the opening concert for the First International Festival for Organ Music. The month-long festival saw several organ concerts in the cathedral. The closing concert was performed by chief organist James Edward Goettsche from St. Peter’s Basilica.[18] Organ and church music concerts take place regularly in the cathedral; entry is normally free, except for selected concerts, for which admission is by ticket. A service in remembrance of those killed in the 2010 Polish Air Force Tu-154 crash was held on 12 April 2010.[5]