Patriarch Aleksei II with President Mahmoud Abbas
Security guarantees for the growing number of Orthodox pilgrims in the Holy Land are matter of concern for the Moscow Patriarchate. The issue was a matter of particular interest at talks in Moscow between Patriarch Aleksei II of Moscow and all Russia and President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Autonomy.
According to preliminary estimates, the number of Russian pilgrims heading for the Holy Land may rise from the current 80,000 to 400,000 a year following the lifting of the visa regime between Russia and Israel. The Moscow Patriarchate is concerned about the security of Christians permanently residing in the Palestinian Autonomy, as many had to flee their homes to preserve their safety in recent years. “Arab Christians loyal to their Motherland are a matter of particular concern”, Patriarch Aleksei said. “The presence of Christians in the Holy Land strengthens bilateral friendship and spiritual ties between Jerusalem and Russian Orthodox believers. We pray daily for peace and accord in the region”.
According to President Abbas, Palestinians are willing to expand their cooperation with the Moscow Patriarchate. “These meetings demonstrate the profound respect for His Holiness Patriarch Aleksei II and the Moscow Patriarchate shown by the Palestinian people”, Mr Abbas said. “Our ties with Russian Orthodoxy are old and solid, and we are happy to support our Orthodox and non-Orthodox brothers who live in Palestine either temporarily or permanently”.
Pilgrimages to the Holy Land are handled by the Russian Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society, set up in 1882. Top on the Society’s current priorities is to restore the Russian presence in Palestine. Talks between the Palestinian leader and Sergei Stepashin, the President of the Russian Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society, produced an agreement to build a school teaching the Russian language in Bethlehem, to set up an Orthodox cultural centre on the Mount of Olives, to open a Society branch in Ramallah, and to restore to Russian ownership a parcel of land in Jericho.
21 April 2008
Milena Faustova
Voice of Russia World Service
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=eng&q=25995&cid=59&p=21.04.2008 (in English)
