Thousands of pilgrims turned out Sunday in Romania’s capital for the consecration of religious paintings inside one of the world’s largest Christian Orthodox churches that has opened after 15 years of construction.

Worshippers and officials arrived in droves at the People’s Salvation Cathedral, known as the National Cathedral, which at its highest point stands more than 125 meters (410 feet) and has an inner capacity for 5,000 worshippers in the deeply Orthodox country.

The cathedral's opulent interior is covered with frescoes and mosaics depicting religious saints and icons.

Proposals for a national cathedral in the country of about 19 million people had been put forward for more than a century, but its fruition was hampered by two world wars and the decades of communist rule, which sought to suppress religion.

The Romanian Orthodox Church has called the cathedral “a symbol of national identity.”

Romania is one of the most pious countries in the European Union, with around 85% of the population identifying as religious.

Situated behind the hulking Palace of the People built by the late communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu, construction for the cathedral finally began in 2010, and its altar was consecrated in 2018.

It has so far cost a reported 270 million euros ($313 million), with a majority drawn from public funds, and some works are yet to be completed.

Traffic was restricted for Sunday’s service, which was attended by President Nicusor Dan and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan.

Many worshippers watched via TV screens set up outside the cathedral.

The cathedral’s mosaics and iconography covers an area of 17,800 square meters (191,000 square feet), according the cathedral’s website.

With one of the largest budget deficits in the EU, not everyone in Romania was happy about the cost of the project.

Critics bemoan that the massive church has drawn on public funds, which could have been spent on schools or hospitals.

AP production by Nick Dumitrache