Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe Since its reception by the Ecumenical Patriarch in 1931, the Exarchate has grown to roughly 100 parishes (more than 40 of which are in France), served by about 66 priests who care for the needs of an increasingly multi-cultural flock, numbering roughly 100,000 strong. The Exarchate also has one monastery for women, the of the Veil of Our Lady (Bussy-en-Othe, Burgundy, France), which publishes translations of liturgical materials. Communities of the Exarchate, the largest Orthodox group in France where it is centered, range throughout Western Europe, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Italy and Spain. The Exarchate has
Western Market space to cope with its increasing workload. The old building of the Harbour Office was pulled down to build the North Block of Western Market. It operated as a food market until 1988. The building was damaged during the construction of Sheung Wan Station, and remediation works were undertaken afterward. Half the site was rezoned to facilitate a proposed widening of Morrison Street, which would have necessitated the building's demolition. In 1990, it was declared a historical monument and the renovated market building re-opened as "the Western Market" in 1991. Further refurnishment work was conducted in 2003. The four-storey building