Gazprom Exec Receives Honorof the Russian Orthodox Church

The head of a regional Gazprom subsidiary received an award from the Russian Orthodox Church for its help in restoring a regional church, the gas giant said Tuesday in a statement. Alexei Zavgorodnev, chief executive of Gazprom Transgaz Stavropol, was awarded the Order of the Blessed St. Daniel of Moscow.

The award was signed by Patriarch Kirill and awarded by Archbishop Feofan, who thanked Zavgorodnev, saying: "Every person has his path to the church, but there is a broader path, leading to faith, love, the fatherland, family and to our dear ones. Gas men know this path. It is the path of morality, purity and good."

Gazprom Transgaz Stavropol has aided in the restoration of several churches in the North Caucasus region.

This isn't the first time Gazprom has exhibited close ties with the church. Last month, the church wrote a letter to Gazprom chairman Viktor Zubkov asking for the gas monopoly to lower the price it charges Ukrainian chemical companies because of "the substantial help given by the Ukrainian chemical industry to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate." So far no deal has been reached on lowered gas prices.