Patriarch of Moscow and All-Russia Visited Kizhi Island
KIZI ISLAND, June 4/The Itar-Tass corr. Vladimir Zlobin, Olga Kostromina/..For the first time in the history of ancient Kizhi the Divine Liturgy was served in a functioning Pokrovsky temple. Patriarch of Moscow and All-Russia Alexii II with the Head of the Government of the Republic of Karelia Sergey Katanandov came by helicopter to Kizhi ensemble. It is the gem of Russian orthodoxy and culture. It is included in the list of the monuments protected by UNESCO.
On accomplishing the service, Patriarch marked that the unique monument was preserved in spite of the years of hardships and sufferings. As Patriarch put it, the beauty of nature is in harmony with the beauty of human creation. He also said that the place might be called Russian Golgotha as there were many people sacrificed their life for Jesus. In 1937 the last Reverend of Pokrovsky temple was arrested and then murdered.
Gifting an Altar cross to the temple, Patriarch said that the cross will remind of the cross, which
the previous generation was carrying for Christ faith. The services in the temple were restored in 1993. Since that time the church was used both by Karelian eparchy and the museum-preserve Kizhi.
Patriarch presented awards to the co-workers for their great services of preserving the historical monument.
Patriarch Alexii II is Ready to Meet with the Head of Roman Catholic Church
PETROZAVODSK, June 4. / The Itar-Tass corr. Vladimir Zlobin, Olga Kostromina/..Patriarch of Moscow and All-Russia is ready to meet with the Head of the Roman- Catholic church if there are positive prospects. He stated that at the press-conference in Petrozavodsk, answering the question asked by the Itar-Tass correspondent about the relations with Catholic church in connection with 2000th anniversary since foundation of Christianity.
"I didn't establish personal relationships with him, but we correspond,- said Patriarch.- I don't think that our meeting should be just held in front of television cameras. The meeting should be well-prepared. It's important to have positive results. Even in 1997 we suggested that we should sign the declaration and mark
the stumbling-blocks, hindering the development of our relations at the meeting".
Alexii II expressed his concern about Roman-Catholic presipities. It means that they try to enroll as much new believers as possible - and on the territory of Russian Orthodox church. "We observe a certain expansion of Roman-Catholic church,- says Patriarch. "And the wound of destroying three orthodox eparchies in Western Ukraine - in Lvov, Ivano-Frankovsk and Ternopol- is still bleeding".
The press-conference was the last (but not the least) event in Patriarch's schedule. Then Patriarch flew to Moscow.
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