His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufry of Kiev: “An Orthodox Christian Cannot Be a Pessimist”

In his interview with the Segodnya Ukrainian newspaper the primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate looks back on 2016. He speaks about proper prayer, how to avoid hatred, intrigues in the Church, expectations for the future, and his wishes for 2017. —Your Beatitude, what does the past year 2016 mean for you and for the Church? What events stuck in your mind and what grieved you the most? —For the Ukrainian Orthodox Church the past year was filled both by joys and concerns. What distresses us the most is that blood is still being shed in Ukraine, that people still cannot reconcile with each other. A consolation was the procession of the cross, which walked through our Ukrainian land from July 9 to 27. It started in the east, from Svyatogorsk Lavra (Donetsk region), and in the west from Pochaev Lavra (the Ternopil region), and these two processions united in the capital. We prayed for all the Ukraine, for the Church, for the authorities, and for ordinary people, and asked for the Lord’s blessing. We asked and now ask God to give us the thing that we cannot achieve ourselves because of our human weakness—blessed peace—and we believe that the Lord will grant it to us. —Today the Church is surrounded by numerous intrigues. What are the effects of this on Her inner life? —True, today the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is going through sorrows and tribulations. But the Lord did not promise us any other life. Jesus said to His followers: In the world ye shall have tribulation (Jn. 16:33). Church history abounds in persecutions, oppression and all kinds of trials that the Lord allowed to happen to His followers for their spiritual growth and strengthening. Of course, our sorrows are nothing in comparison with those that the Church of Christ endured for the first three centuries after Her foundation. Then members of the Church were physically destroyed, and today we are simply being criticized and falsely accused. Our love and patience are being tested. Glory to God for all things. —Your Beatitude, is it possible to stop the conflict in Donbass in the near future? —The Church declares that no worldly problems are worth the life of a single human being, that in the balance of divine truth this life is more important than any problems. Some think that the problems of this world must be solved by war, but we remind them with love that every problem has a peaceful solution. People have the power of speech, which enables them to reach a mutual understanding. This is how the Church calls on the faithful to solve all earthly problems and to pray for the peace in Ukraine. The Church calls on people to find the strength to forgive each other and to stop killing each other. The Church had the same stance in former times, when there were similar wars, when our princes rose in arms against each other. In those times our canonical Church called on everybody to forgive each other as well—and She was hated for that. Her monks and bishops were often turned out of monasteries. Later the strong of this world realized that the Church was right; they atoned for their past mistakes and reconciled with each other. I believe that we will be understood in this situation too. All of us must have humility: the strong and the weak, ordinary mortals and the powers that be, the rich and the poor—all should seek for a peaceful solution to worldly problems. Let us humble our pride and repent of our sins. Only then will the Lord restore peace in Ukraine and bless all of us. —What can you advise a person who cannot forgive a mortal affront, who feels bitter hatred? How can we overcome ourselves? —It is pride that engenders hatred among people. Our remedy against pride is humility. Humility is the most important virtue that the Lord teaches us. It is not weakness of character, as some maintain. Christian humility is critical self-assessment; it is one’s ability to find his place in this big, diverse world. When someone is capable of assessing himself properly, when he finds his place in this life, then he can submit himself to the will of God. When a person takes the right attitude in this world towards himself, towards his neighbors and the whole creation, then he is able to see the goodness and love of God and submit to God’s will. In spiritual language, this submission and resignation to Divine will is called humility. With humility, spiritual love and inner peace enter a human soul. —It fell to your lot to accept the rank of primate of the Ukrainian Church during a turning point in Ukrainian history. Do you have a favorite saint or a favorite prayer you turn to during life’s hard times? —Any saint will help and any prayer will be strong, provided your heart is directed towards God. Then you know that God will always help you, if you seek God, honor Him and try to please Him. If a person’s heart is directed to God, then God gives him all he needs for this life and for eternal life, and will always help him in hard times. —Your Beatitude, you are a true man of prayer; you avoid being in the public eye and prefer solitude. And one day all at once you were elected the head of the Ukrainian Church. What did you feel at that moment? Was it a moment of joy or anxiety? —I am not a man of prayer—I just want to learn how to pray, but have nothing to boast of so far. As for my election, I took it as the cross that the Lord laid upon my sinful shoulders. My thoughts were: What should I do in order to carry out my ministry in an appropriate manner, in order not to fall away from God or from His laws—because only with Him and His grace can people withstand all burdens and tribulations. The rules of this life are the same for everyone—for a layman, a monk or a metropolitan. However, a metropolitan has great responsibilities and he will have to answer for everything. This is what I thought about then. —Who has played a key role in your life? Whom do you regard as an example to be followed? For me the models of such service to God and the Church are St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, St. Basil the Great, and St. Dimitry of Rostov, who all gained abundant grace of God through their preaching and personal example of Christian humility and charity. Man bears the image of God with which the Creator adorned him. Two men dwell inside each of us—the new man and the old one. The new man strives to live according to the Gospel, while the old man, who is made of vice, induces us to sin. These two men—the new and the old—are constantly struggling with each other, and there is a real war. If we begin to commit sins, we thus reinforce our old man; and when that old man overpowers the new man we become aggressive and spiteful. All saints found the strength to struggle against the old man, so I bow before the memory of St. Onuphrius the Great, my patron-saint, the Venerable Fathers of the Kiev Caves, St. Sergius of Radonezh, St. Job of Pochaev… Each saint with whom I, a sinner, am related in one way or another, is an example worthy of emulation and shows us how to find and restore the image of God in ourselves and preserve it. When we pray we invoke the grace of the Holy Spirit, which transforms us, gives us back the peace that we lost, and puts all things in our life in their proper order. Prayer helps us understand God rightly. If a person prays with an open heart, with repentance and humility, God often comforts him with joy, revelation, and the feeling of happiness. —In your view, what is going to happen in the new year 2017? What do you anticipate for the near future in the Ukraine and the globe? Is there cause for pessimism, or you are an optimist? —I am an optimist—an Orthodox Christian cannot be a pessimist. Christians should mourn only over their sins. If a person entrusts his destiny to God’s care he begins to build his life according to divine laws, his soul is cleansed of sins more thoroughly, he sees God more clearly, and the future no longer looks hopeless and bleak. At the end of the darkest tunnels of despair, a Christian always sees God. —Your Beatitude, what are your wishes to our readers for the approaching year? —I would like to wish everybody and myself the mercy of God, the forgiveness of all our sins, and God’s blessings, so that each of us might bear his cross till the end and inherit the Heavenly Kingdom. Cherish your faith, and above all, keep praying, because prayer helps you overcome the difficulties that you will face on your earthly life’s path. Prayer gives you the sense of truth, for the truth can hardly be comprehensible to your mind alone. There are many examples of people who have a higher education in theology but have no prayer, and are thus “confused” and “misled”. But simple people who have prayer, feel where the truth is and where the lie very clearly. It is prayer that gives you the sense of truth, the discernment of what is light and what is darkness, what is good and what is evil. And may the Lord help us preserve prayer in our everyday life.

The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius held funeral and burial of Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov)

February 23, 2017 at the Assumption Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius , Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill performed the rite of the funeral of long-term confessor Lavra, confessor of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov), deceased February 20 to 98-year life. The coffin with the body of the newly departed father Cyril was established on February 21 in the Cathedral of the Assumption Monastery. 21 and 22 February in all churches of the monastery were made funeral lithium access believers in the Assumption Cathedral to bid farewell to the departed elder was open around the clock. Before the beginning of the rank of the funeral Patriarch Kirill said the word, dedicated to the memory of Cyril's father: "Your Beatitude! Dear lord, fathers, brothers, Mother Abbess, brothers and sisters! We have to be the tomb of Cyril's father (Pavlov), confessor of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the confessor of the late Patriarch Alexy II of, confessor of many bishops of the Russian Church, the clergy and the large number of Orthodox believers who flocked to the Trinity-Sergius Lavra - and venerate the relics of the Monk Sergius, and ask for advice from the spiritual father of Cyril. He carried a great service to the confessor for thousands and thousands of people, and this service require special feat. Not only because the person to listen to the problem is never easy, but because it is not just listening to these problems. It penetrates deep into the mental state of man. At the moment of confession if he identified himself with those who came to him for advice. This, of course, required a sieve of vanity, a huge flow of internal forces and physical forces. But Cyril's father never grumbled and humbly carried out his ministry, not only professing people, but also responding to the many, many letters. I first met with her father Cyril in far 1966. Then he does not have the glory of the All-Russian elders and confessor, he was relatively young, strong, agile. And when I asked my spiritual director, the ever-memorable Metropolitan Nikodim Bishop, to whom from my brother to go to confession, he said quietly: "Come to the Father Cyril." It was really a special ministry elder Cyril all our pious people, and especially to those who needed his spiritual advice. Advise - it is always very risky. Sometimes people come to the confessor, and ask that person for their limitations can not know. Some clergymen take a huge risk by giving advice from their own intelligence. Father Cyril was the confessor who gave advice not from the understanding, and from his spiritual experience. There were times when he did not give any advice. But people were attracted to him because they felt his spiritual power, for duhovnichestvo have not only feat sober spiritual reflection, prayer and deed. Father Cyril many priests showed duhovnichestva example of this - a genuine spiritual guidance to those who are willing to accept it driving by the confessor. In recent years, the Lord, maintaining physical Cyril's father lives, led him out of communication with the world. It was some kind of a special valve. He's gone from this world, staying still physically alive person. Many do not understand why this happened to the elder. But it was also a sign of God. It was necessary, even when he could not talk to people, and many came to his father Cyril, just to stand by his bed, touch his hand. He continued to serve the people of his silence, his illness, his detachment from this world, and on the 98th year of life, the Lord called him to her. Glad to see today a lot of people in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. Your presence, dear lord, fathers, brothers and sisters, is the clearest evidence that father Cyril had done something for each of you. Let us and we will give it our duty today. Let us pray for the repose of his soul that the Lord took him into His kingdom of heaven and eternal prayer did remember him in our hearts. Amen". the prayer of His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev Onufry

Dormition Poem by Scott Hairns

Dormition Most blessed among all women and among the mass of humankind, in this fraught image our mother is asleep. She lies arms crossed and, notably, across the spacious foreground upon an altared bed, her head upraised upon a scarlet robe, and we surround her strange repose perplexed by grief that couples homage nonetheless. Not we, exactly, but our holy antecedents, whose bright nimbi gleam undimmed despite their weeping. Here again the icon serves to limn the artifice of time, drawing to this one still point a broad synaxis of the blessed, including some whose souls unbodied have preceded her to Paradise. Most are bent in sorrow; several raise a hand to meet fresh tears. They mourn the dire severing of blesséd soul from blesséd body. Leaning in, Saint Peter lifts the censer with a prayer. Saint Andrew nearly falls upon the bier. Saint James Alpheus looks away, or looks for solace to Saint Luke, whose eyes—like those of Saints Heirtheus and adjacent brother James— direct us to the cupola behind our grief, from which the risen Christ attends the mother’s solemn funeral even as he bears her gleaming spirit in his arms, where she, so meek the weeping pilgrim might have missed her, rests swaddled in her shroud, waiting to be borne to Him, and bodily.

About modern culture and the true reality

The next issue of the transfer of the author's chairman of the Synodal Department for Church and Society Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin "Comment of the Week" was aired on the TV channel "Union" May 24, 2014. Christ is Risen! Beloved in the Lord brothers and sisters, dear friends! Today Russia celebrates the Days of Slavonic Literature and Culture. This morning, the solemn liturgy, during which many hierarchs, pastors, laity of our Church congratulates the angel of His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill. And in Red Square in Moscow, as well as simultaneously in many other parts of Russia with direct interventions on Red Square, a festive concert, which symbolized the connection of times, the connection of different eras of our single stories. The concert was dedicated, of course, the memory of Saints Cyril and Methodius, teachers of the Slavs, the angel of His Holiness Patriarch Day, the Day of Slavic Writing and Culture. But special attention during the concert was given to the memorable date in the life of the famous composer Aleksandra Pakhmutova, songs which are well known by all our people. These songs belong to different periods of the history of XX, and now the XXI centuries. We have one history - the Soviet period of her not to strike, but strike and the difficult times that experienced Muscovy, Russian kingdom, the Russian Empire, the Soviet Union, modern Russia ... The songs are in different periods found a special echo in the soul of the people, always They were associated with morality, with love, with thoughts of purity, with those meanings, which are incorporated in the soul of the people of Christian culture. Songs and poems Alexandra Pakhmutova Nikolai Dobronravov, who usually served as poetic material for these songs - in fact intimately connected with the Christian moral culture with the culture that brought us the Saints Cyril and Methodius. On this culture, its spiritual, moral, deep, philosophical, social, meaningful sense constantly says Patriarch Kirill, whom today we congratulate on his name day. On this culture say hundreds of our bishops, thousands of priests, lay millions - someone through word of someone with their lives, witnessing cases of the fruit of the culture, which is inseparable from the Orthodox faith, and which is rooted in it. This culture combines different periods of our history, different peoples in general and Slavic Orthodox world. Russia Today visited His Holiness Patriarch Neophyte Bulgarian. And his service in the Russian churches, its communication and delegation of the Bulgarian Church with the faithful of the Russian Church once again shows how great is our spiritual connection, which is based on a common faith and a common culture. We know, as a widely revered Saints Cyril and Methodius in Bulgaria - by the way, the feast of May 24 has been confirmed in Russia was based on the Bulgarian experience. And now the two nations, despite political differences, strengthen each other in faithfulness to the Orthodox spiritual heritage, in faithfulness to the Orthodox way of life, in fidelity to the culture that brought in our country, our people Equal Apostles holy brothers. Today often say that culture - is something secondary, unworthy of serious attention. Allegedly, the main thing - the economy and even, perhaps, a military force and geostrategy. News of culture are secondary to many TV channels and Internet sites. We are given to understand that the culture does not address the fate of the world. So many people think, as many say. From thinking through Marxist thinking people brought up in the spirit of the ideals of the so-called market economy, we learn to, and someone is already conditioned to think that money - the main thing. Someone adds: weapons - the main thing. Someone will add: the main thing - it is political power. But any culture is the fact that actually determines the entire life of a person - with faith. No wonder a culture that has lost faith and challenged God, was not so durable as thought and said supporters of a godless culture. Yes, such a culture often becomes politically very visible. It is present in the information space of a given period, of a people. It can help or hinder someone to achieve political or other earthly purposes. But let's take a closer look: how many short-term workers, a politically oriented godless culture focused only on a purely earthly affairs, people remembered so long as remember the Saints Cyril and Methodius? It may be possible to name five or six names, but no more. I am convinced that those whose names are most in the hearing in the cultural space of the beginning of the XXI century, are unlikely to be remembered in a hundred years, to say nothing about the length of time in many centuries, a thousand years or more. Our culture is not by chance is so stable, meaningful, able to carry through many centuries his message. This culture - not momentary. It is connected with the moral dimension. It is connected with the content of life that does not end with the expiry of the temporary existence. In this culture, in Orthodox culture, the supreme good - the truth of God, the one thing necessary - is more important than worldly complacency than any creature comforts than the priorities that puts this world. In this culture, in our Orthodox culture love is more important than money, than power, than the mundane personal self-realization. And we declare that culture and preached. And we endeavor to implement it as something important not only for personal but also for the social life. This culture - not a free or a paid application to the economy or to the struggle for military influence, power and money. This culture is the law of our being, which should guide our approach to the economy, or to military or to the state system, or to the culture of a small letter, which is built as a policy in the field of theater, cinema, publishing, information work. Orthodox culture that defines the meaning of life, should define it and everything else. It is no accident in the "Fundamentals of the state cultural policy" projects that are currently being developed and discussed, took place serious moral values. No coincidence that many people ganged up on these projects, considering that no real morality is not and can not be, that moral norms change, to determine the whim of individuals and social groups, and approve them as something immutable, as being, at least, long-term significant for the people - it is a mistake, because in five or ten years will have to change all the approaches to morality, and therefore, the approaches to the presence of morality to culture. It is hoped that the project, which is being discussed today, will not be buried and will not undergo any radical changes that would be brought back again Russian cultural policy to the state of nihilism, of the permissiveness of the false freedom priority over morality and human life, which took place in the 90- ies. Culture is related to the spiritual and moral law, written by God in the human heart as a real moral sense, conscience, as the ability to live according to God's truth and are being built together for this truth of life of the world. We should not be afraid to live according to this law. We are constantly trying to speak - loudly and insistently, sometimes with the threat: adapt to the realities that the West today announced the cultural and political mainstream, adapt to the "reality"! However, the big question is, how is this reality is the real reality, not construction, invented a few to fool many people. Nevertheless, we served this reality as if it were acceptable to a large number of people, and set an ultimatum: adapt to it or perish. Sometimes, trying to narrow the space of traditional art. So, in Moscow are trying to gradually close the theaters associated with the traditional Russian culture, or to restrict their activities, to find ways to make sure that they were deprived of their own buildings and moving from one room to another. This often said that traditional culture, as well as traditional morality, outdated, and need to quickly get rid of them, to keep pace with the times, adapting to some new powerful menacing reality. We, however, all this is said in Soviet times - offering to run after the Komsomol, claiming that all go to a brighter future, and religious people remain in the dark past. But something happened in a different way! That idea and the cultural flow that have been associated with Bolshevism, have sunk into oblivion. And the best examples of the work of the Soviet period, as has been said today, is not based on the Bolshevik rush and on the eternal morality, which is associated with the Christian spiritual meaning. We are well hear what we say, adapt, adjust, be a part of the running in the bright future of alleged cultural mainstream, or at least behave quietly. Do not dare to engage in public debate and discuss various cultural phenomena affect the development of the cultural policy of the state. That these shouts and whispers just need to say "no." We do not need to adjust to the invented not by us "reality". We must determine what is happening in our society. We need to create cultural character of our nation. We need to create such a reality, which it sees Orthodox social ideal. We do not need to adapt to this world, but to change it for the law of God. This can happen, but can - not. We can be successful, and we can lose. But the final victory is still for those who live by God's word, by the word of Christ, because all of the reality that surrounds us today, even if it looks very convincing and powerful, is not final, is not, by and large, this . The true reality - the reality to which we need to be guided in life - this is the reality of God's kingdom. His image should be kept in the heart and in the mind when we are required to adapt and adjust under a cultural, ideological and political "mainstream", defined small circle of modern Western elites and by the elites of our state that repeat something for Western elites. The image of the kingdom of God - the image of that unique reality which is eternal in nature - should be the main thing for us when we build our lives, including in the field of culture. And no change, not eliminate, this reality will not win, because - Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed!

Rasputin us. Creativity and citizenship writer

The next issue of the transfer of the author's chairman of the Synodal Department for Church and Society Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin "Comment of the Week" was aired on the TV channel "Union" March 21, 2015. A few days ago has died Russian writer Valentin Rasputin. March 18th Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill made the funeral of the writer in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior with a large gathering of people. Present and government officials, and many colleagues Valentin on creativity and civic activity. There were about two thousand people: people of different position, origin and different generations. They came to pay tribute to the writer and to pray for the repose of the departed servant of God Valentine. His Holiness the Patriarch said before the coffin Valentin's words: "The history of our Russian literature has identified a lot of great names. Writers who differ from the majority of people who write literary texts, we call a well-known, popular, great or outstanding. The latter definition is given only to those writers who left a special mark in the history of literature in the history of thought and in the spiritual history of his people. XX century, including the post-revolutionary period of our history, marked by the names of writers, of which we can say that they were great writers. They are quite a bit and still no consensus, any of them can be considered as the great final. But it is clear that Valentin Rasputin was one of the great Russian writers of the XX century ". His Holiness said that greatness is determined not only the beauty and accuracy of speech utterances, but by how the writer elevates the human soul, changing it for the better. Here is what was said by His Holiness: "Fiction becomes great when it raises the human spirit when it brings a person to the highest values, when it introduces a person into contact with these values. And literature, as well as culture, ceases to be literature and culture when they excite base passions that destroy the moral nature of man. Then we say that it is not culture and pseudo or anti-culture. " His Holiness said, and that between between true religion and true culture can not be any contradiction, because "they share the same goal-setting - the elevation of the human person. A conflict begins when a religion becomes a pseudo-religion and power, do not work on the elevation of the human person, and in the service of someone's political, ideological and other human interests, or when a culture ceases to work on the cultivation of the human person and destroys it. And how badly that sometimes people do not understand what happens at the intersection of anti-culture and religion or anti-religion, and genuine culture. " Today often say: the artist can be everything and attempt to morally evaluate the activities of the artist's alleged "immoral." But it is clear that culture - it is not just the brightness, creative genius of man. This correlating it with a certain mission. Around itself this mission fierce debate underway today. These arguments reflect certain power struggle. People who hate the very idea of ​​moral rigor, purity, hill, trying to impose a system of views, the opposite of these ideals. And they are trying to impose it is through the so-called creative - in the counterculture, pseudo-culture, anti-culture. We are trying to say that the most vivid manifestation of liberating the creative element of human passions. And this element is, supposedly the best that can only be in life, real happiness. But the culture, uplifting the soul of man here on earth, and opens the soul for eternity, is quite different. She did not indulge baser aspirations. It does not stimulate them, she cultivates the aspiration to the sky. Valentin Rasputin, perhaps only eventually be understood as the person who spoke about the Christian soul, formally rarely preached in his works, but talking about what still is the deep faith of our common people, which kept him despite all the hard times, all attempts to alter by force the will and the life of the people. Against these attempts Valentin played in different historical circumstances. Today, after the death of the writer took a few days, it is inconvenient, perhaps, to criticize him. And those critics who spoke disparagingly of him, offensive, several poumolkli too great strength and talent is too great a real sorrow of many people. The very fact that the writer came to say goodbye to the thousands of people - not only during the funeral service, but also to commit the rank of burial - says that the people heard the soul related to him by way of thinking of the writer. Therefore it is difficult today to argue with Rasputin. But instead of arguing, trying to emphasize the artistic merit of the works of Valentin and do not notice him citizenship. With this position today, by the way, and it is difficult to argue, because the country is gradually overcoming the opposite of what the writer acted as a citizen and as a public figure. Rasputin Creativity can not be separated from his civil position. This position has always been to protect the people, for the sake of which all must live in the state and in society, including the power, the economic structure of the elite, the informational component of social life. At the time, Valentin and in the context of fiction, and in the context of social activity awakened in the general reader sympathy to the Russian village, which fell victim to the economic processes - can be a very powerful and effective, but still associated with the radical, a tragic change lifestyle many people. Then the writer was not afraid to speak out against powerful gait of the Soviet economic system, which is being trampled image of a certain number of our fellow citizens. "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" has recently even called him a dissident. It is in a sense, it was back in the Soviet times, when advocated religiously motivated, hard-won way of life for centuries people in the face of advancing the dictates of economic power and economic feasibility. The soul of Rasputin's more important than money and more important economic power. The image of the people and the harmony of their relationships are very important to the life of Rasputin. Similarly, in 1990, he spoke out against the dominant tendencies in government and journalism by signing the so-called "Letter of seventy-four," the letter of Russian writers and other cultural figures, where it was said the following: "Russophobia in the media of the USSR media (note: it is was also speaking out against the Soviet authorities) now catch up and overtake overseas, the overseas propaganda. Russian people very often anoint "chauvinists", threatening other nations and peoples. For this false, mockingly rewritten Russian history, so that the protection of the Fatherland, St. heroics Russian patriotic feeling is treated as a "genetic" aggression, militarism self-sufficient. " And ended the letter here with these words: "Always remember the national dignity of the Great bequeathed to us by our glorious ancestors, thousands of years of history of Russia; daily keep in mind that we, Russian, - highly talented, brave hero, who knows the joy of intelligent, creative labor, the mighty spirit of the people. That "Russian character", "Russian heart" selfless devotion to truth Russian, Russian sense of justice, compassion, truth, and finally - indestructible, selfless Russian patriotism - all this and nobody ever can not be withdrawn from the treasury of the human spirit. " We remember that shortly after the publication of this letter to Valentin and other cultural figures who signed it, struck a wave of criticism. But Rasputin never changed his citizenship. It was the same, and at the time when the Soviet power was still relatively stable, and during perestroika and post-perestroika in time. Here is what was said by the late writer in an interview: "You have to remember the fate of the Russian intelligentsia, the phenomenon is really serious, anywhere in the world no longer held, and we went down in the flesh and blood of the people, and for a century and a half to serve him faithfully. And it was not just going to the people, but also the lives of the people, its moral and cultural education. It ended the service in the second half of the last century, unfortunately, sadly, and the word "intelligentsia" bashfully away with the language. " The power of those who today call themselves intellectuals, not less serious than the power of officials and businessmen. And in the 90 years that power was almost absolute. Rasputin is not afraid to speak critically, including in relation to the authorities, and again perform in the Russian man defense, which sometimes is not able to loudly on TV to say about his fate, but no less seriously affected by this, in cases where his will and his life break in two over his knee, changed due to the Project of certain pereustroiteley public life. The writer is always very respectful attitude to the secret inner feelings, to the spiritual world of believers. Of course, he was a Christian. In 2012, he put his signature under the first letter condemning the sacrilegious act in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. That's what it has been said: "To justify religious blasphemy, unceremoniously obelivat criminal ekstremistok, knowingly and intentionally committed a prepared act of abuse of the spiritual shrine of Russian Orthodoxy and the Russian people, can only be cynical leaders barbarism without a soul or love to Russia, nor respect for its thousand-year history - that is, they are "champions of democracy" have become complicit in this dirty ritual crime. Just as the 42 "cultural worker", signed a letter to Yeltsin, demanding the execution of the Supreme Council in October 1993, forever dishonored their names, the current advocates of moral abomination will enter the Russian history as haters of our faith and our spiritual foundation ... Original figures of Russian culture, true patriots and orthodox society does not have the moral right to remain silent and to remain indifferent to the anti-Catholic, anti-Christian-planned provocation. our conscience "That we do not allow. That's how the writer talked about everything that is dear to him, in spite of the ruling of the authorities or among the intelligentsia, in the culture medium or in media mood. And this is his artistic creativity and citizenship were united. It's hard to imagine him writing some texts in favor of those in power, or in favor of the sponsors, or for the sake of fashion get-together, which at some point expect any manifestations of political loyalty or just a trendy format, and the next moment will expect something or else. But under these divergent political vectors for these formats today adjusts a huge number of talented people. But people understand that sooner or later this talent is corrupt, and is often not in the service of man, which is recognized and serve as a gifted representative of his people. His Holiness said, standing at the grave of the great Russian writer "Valentin Rasputin became great in life, because all of his work is permeated by this desire to help a person find a different vision, raise it above the everyday. Although he used to do such a simple life and images of the human situation. But the soul of man is not formed under the influence of any individual extreme events, and in everyday life. " The great mission of the cultural figure in the case, when the culture is connected with the prophecy - to see in the human soul that was once laid, there may be many centuries ago, a deep Christian education, to help uncover it and find a new vision, open to this life meaning and to God. Eternal memory, the kingdom of heaven is deceased servant of God Valentin. Let us pray and work for the sake of our people are talented people heard his soul, express it, have changed it for the better and have found a response in the soul.

Speech by Metropolitan Hilarion at the meeting of the working group of representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church in the Forum-Dialogue within the framework of Russia and Italian civil societies

The meeting, held on February 21, 2017 in Moscow, was devoted to the theme "The spiritual and secular art as a tool to strengthen harmony and understanding between peoples." Your Graces, dear fathers, brothers and sisters! I cordially greet all the participants of the first meeting of the working group of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church in the Forum-dialogue between the civil societies of Russia and Italy. Today's meeting was preparing for quite some time. And we are happy to host the delegation of the Roman Catholic Church in Italy, most of which are representatives of the Italian bishops' conference. The dialogue between the civil societies is one of the important ways to strengthen relations between the peoples of different countries. Russian-Italian public forum for over ten years, holds numerous events such as cultural and dialogue - conferences and round tables devoted to the discussion of topical issues of social development. Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church in Italy has historically occupied an important place in the social structure of our countries; great is their role in the various spheres of social organization - the institution of family and marriage, education and charity. For these reasons, the creation of a working group of the Forum was anticipated event. This working tool will allow us to discuss issues of relevance to the two Churches, and are the subject of public debate. The Russian Orthodox Church has experience of such a forum discussion on the public markets Russia with individual foreign countries. For example, significant among them is the Russian-German forum "Petersburg Dialogue". Since 2007, the organizational structure of the Forum, a working group "Church in Europe", brings together representatives of the Russian Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran Churches in Germany. During the ten years of active cooperation of the band held numerous meetings and events dedicated to the exchange of experience of the Church in various spheres of public life. Since 2013 our group on a yearly basis implementing the project Youth theological meetings. This program is designed to introduce students of theological schools to the system of theological education in Russia and Germany, the exchange of experience and the establishment of academic contacts. Today's meeting of the Russian-Italian working group devoted to the issues of art as a tool to strengthen harmony and understanding between peoples. Culture of Russia and Italy, formed in the womb of a thousand years of Christian tradition, have great artistic heritage, invariably mutual interest and testifying to the closeness between our peoples. Culture and art historically become binding thread of our countries. It is well known that the Italian architects are authors of many architectural masterpieces that have become integral symbols of Russia. This is, first and foremost, the Faceted Chamber, 6 towers of the Moscow Kremlin, built by Pietro Antonio Solari, it's the Kremlin's Assumption Cathedral, built by Aristotle Fioravanti. It is widely known in Russia and Italian painting. In 1822, Karl Bryullov had the opportunity to go to Italy, where he studied art, genre painting and became interested in the improved historical and religious subjects. Later, he influenced generations of Russian artists. A significant influence on the development of the Russian school of classical music had Italian composers and musicians. In Italy, in turn, in many Russian and Soviet choreographers worked during the XX century. Among them: Leonid Massine choreographed in the theaters of Rome and Milan, including the famous La Scala Opera House. Sergei Diaghilev's troupe toured in Rome, Naples, Milan and Florence. Choreographer himself had a reverent attitude to Venice, where he later died. Actor and singer Feodor Chaliapin applauded theaters of Rome, Milan, Naples. Not only culture, but also the links between the Churches in our countries on a wide range of issues are serious integrating factor. A year since the historic meeting of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill and His Holiness Pope Francis held at the airport in Havana February 12, 2016. As is known, the main motive for the meeting served as a tragic situation, in which there were Christians in the Middle East and North Africa as a result of armed conflict and the actions of extremists. However, during the meeting of the Primates of the two Churches, and others touched the Orthodox-Catholic relations, as well as the issues that concern the world today. Among them, the secularization of Western society, violation of the rights of believers, the crisis of family and other traditional values, undermining morality in personal and public life. Today, many political forces seeking to oust religion from the public sphere, presenting it as a purely private matter of citizens. As an integral part of human society, the Church designed to give its response to the emerging challenges, to defend their own opinion on the fundamental principles of relations between people and presence in their lives of faith. The signed after the meeting of the Joint Declaration of the Patriarch and the Pope urged the faithful of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches to cooperate and work closely together in the face of common threats. "Orthodox and Catholics, - emphasized in the declaration, - should learn to bear according to the testimony of truth in those areas where it is possible and necessary. Christian conscience and pastoral responsibility does not allow us to remain indifferent to the challenges requiring a joint response "(p. 7). Dialogue and cooperation between Orthodox and Catholics must become not only an eloquent sign of reconciliation for all people of good will, but also a real contribution to the rapprochement between peoples and believers of different religions. Today, demand joint witness of the Church of the universal values ​​of peace, kindness, love, mercy and forgiveness, which the gospel message found its highest expression.

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk met with Turkish Ambassador to Russia

February 3, 2017 in the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate met DECR chairman Metropolitan Hilarion with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkey in Russia Hüseyin Dirioz. The meeting was attended by the DECR - DECR vice-chairman , Archpriest Nikolai Balashov , and DECR secretary for inter-religious relations Rev. Dimitry Safonov , from the Embassy - the first adviser Murat Dikmen. Archbishop spoke about various aspects of contemporary activities of the Russian Orthodox Church, including in the international arena. The sides discussed various issues of mutual interest. Including Metropolitan Hilarion spoke about the interaction of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Office for Turkey religions, expressing hope for further constructive cooperation.