Outdoor divine service in Orthodox parish in Australia
Moscow, 13 May 2008 (Interfax):
Metropolitan Hilarion, the newly-elected first hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), advised Russian immigrants to be mindful of their spiritual roots. “Most importantly, Russians abroad must not lose the feeling of their motherland. They must not forget their language, and they must develop their best national moral qualities. I would like to convey this wish not only to Russian immigrants, but, also to all Russians, who do not plan to emigrate abroad”, Vladyki Hilarion said in an interview published in the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda on Tuesday.
Metropolitan Hilarion, who was Archbishop of Sydney in Australia before being elected First Hierarch, also expressed his opinion that many of the young people who emigrated from Russia to Australia would ultimately return to the motherland. “Australia is a country obsessed with work. People are absorbed with work here, and most talk concerns work and business. Therefore, Russians living here mostly miss the simple and sincere contacts (found in the motherland)”, he said. When he was asked whether the church was in need of change, Metropolitan Hilarion said, “The time is ripe to translate prayers from the Old Slavonic to the Russian language. Many do not understand Old Slavonic; therefore, they do not grasp the meaning of the sacraments and their way to God is impeded. Some parishioners abroad do not even know Russian or know it poorly, and there are also faithful who come from various (non-Russian) nationalities. In Australia, we do missionary work amongst the Aborigines! So, prayers must be translated into English, as well”, he said.
Interfax-Religion
http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=24410 (in Russian)
