Catholic Archbishop André Armand Cardinal Vingt-Trois of Paris Visited the St Sergius-Holy Trinity Lavra in Sergeyev Posad

Monsignor André Armand Cardinal Vingt-Trois (1942- ), Archbishop of Paris, First Hierarch of the Roman Catholic Church in France

The Moscow Theological Academy located at the St Sergius-Holy Trinity Lavra was visited by a delegation of the Roman Catholic Church headed by Monsignor André Armand Cardinal Vingt-Trois, Archbishop of Paris. The guests were accompanied by Archbishop Innokenty of Korsun (the jurisdictional MP bishop in Paris: editor’s note) and Fr Igor Vyzhanov, the Secretary for Inter-Christian Affairs of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, the Moscow Theological Academy press service reported. After their visit to the Lavra and the Church Archaeology Establishment, the Academy invited the guests to dinner and a discussion concerning the current state of theology in Russia, theological education, and the history of the Russian Church in the 20^th century. Members of the delegation also met with a group of students. During their conversation, Monsignor André stated the need to establish straightforward and dependable relations between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The head of the Catholic Church in France visited Russia on the invitation of Patriarch Aleksei II of Moscow and all Russia. Last year, the Patriarch visited Paris where he received a warm reception from the Catholic party, and this was a reciprocal visit by the Cardinal. The Moscow Theological Academy, the oldest school of higher education in Russia and the largest centre of development of theology and theological education in the Moscow Patriarchate, was founded in 1685.

28 October 2008

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=27104

Editor’s Note:

This is very good, indeed. There is nothing wrong with good neighbourly relations. To be frank, there is no chance of a “union” between the Catholic and Orthodox churches in the near (or, for that matter, distant) future. The differences are that stark, and neither side is going to budge on the essential issues (as well one shouldn’t, I would say). However, there is nothing wrong with being kind, civil, and decent to the “neighbours”. If we were otherwise, well… that would make us servants of Ol’ Scratch, wouldn’t it?

There is much that people of good will can do together without being “united”. Let’s concentrate on that, and leave the rest up to God. That’s something we can all agree on, isn’t it?

BMD

Azerbaijani President Issues Decree regarding the Death of Muslim Magomaev

Muslim Magometovich Magomaev (1942-2008), Honoured Artist of Russia

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev issued a decree on 27 October regarding the death of Muslim Magomaev, National Artist of Azerbaijan and the USSR. In accordance with the President’s decision, an official delegation will be sent to the mourning ceremony for Magomaev to be held at the Chaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow on 28 October. The singer’s body will be delivered to Baku on a special flight and a farewell ceremony for Magomaev will take place at the Muslim Magomaev (named for his grandfather, also a musician: editor’s note) State Philharmonic Society of Azerbaijan from 11.00 to 15.00 on 29 October. Magomaev’s burial will take place at the Cemetery of Honours at 16.00 on 29 October.

27 October 2008

News Agency Trend News

http://news.trendaz.com/index.shtml?show=news&newsid=1330093&lang=EN

Editor’s Note:

So, Muslim Magometovich is going to lie in his native soil. That is GOOD. It is what should be. We should all give condolences to the Magomaev family, if only in spirit. Thank you, Muslim Magometovich for being amongst us. You shall be missed.

BMD

The Celebration of the 1,020th Anniversary of the Baptism of Russia is a Symbol of the Unity of Our Fraternal Orthodox Peoples

Byelorussian President Aleksandr Lukashenko (1954- ), with religious leaders

The celebration of the 1,020^th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia, which has passed in Russia, in the Ukraine, and, now, in Byelorussia, again showed the unity of our fraternal Orthodox peoples and their desire to preserve and strengthen their Orthodox faith. This was shown in the visit of the First Hierarch of the Moscow Patriarchate, Patriarch Aleksei Rediger, to Minsk. His three-day visit was timed to coincide with the local celebration of the 1,020^th anniversary of the Baptism of Russia in Minsk. The theme of the pastoral visit of Patriarch Aleksei to Byelorussia was the preservation of the unity of Holy Orthodoxy. In the opinion of His Holiness, such unity is necessary not only for its own sake, but, it helps us to find solutions for the solutions facing the world community today.

In recent years, in sister republics such as the Ukraine and Byelorussia, separated now by new state borders, and isolated from Russian Orthodoxy, there were attempts by the secular government to interfere in church life and the religious foundations of society. It is most obvious and clear in the Ukraine, where the government of the Ukrainian successor-state tried to create an autocephalous Church, removed from the Moscow Patriarchate. “There can be no doubt that Byelorussia is an Orthodox country. We shall follow this path without fail, because this is what the people desire”, noted Byelorussian President Aleksandr Lukashenko at his meeting with Patriarch Aleksei. “The Orthodox Church has made it possible for us to have peace and stability. Its role is more significant than of any other institution in our country. Therefore, I, as Head of State, even if I did not have special feelings for the Church, feel obligated to express my indebtedness to the Orthodox Church”, President Lukashenko went on to say.

Mr Lukashenko noted that the present visit of His Holiness was the sixth pastoral visit that he had made to Byelorussia, significant events not only for believers, but, also, for the political life of the country. “You ascended the patriarchal throne at a very critical and complex time for our states and peoples, yet, you restored the authority of the Orthodox Church. Because of your efforts, the Church now occupies an esteemed position in the international community”, Mr Lukashenko said to Patriarch Aleksei. He especially made the point that His Holiness had tremendous authority and recognition in Byelorussia. “Your prayers for Byelorussia increasingly strengthen the bonds between brother Slavs. Because Russian Orthodoxy stands firm against those who fan ethnic and religious conflict throughout the globe, Byelorussia retains internal peace and public stability”, President Lukashenko concluded.

27 October 2008

Milena Faustova

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=rus&q=87617&cid=22&p=27.10.2008

Restoration of the Novo-Ierusalima Monastery is a Symbol of the Revival of Russian Spirituality and the Unity of the Orthodox Peoples

Patriarch Aleksei Rediger, the First Hierarch of the Moscow Patriarchate, welcomed a decision to restore the Holy Resurrection-Novo-Ierusalima (New Jerusalem) Monastery near Moscow as a symbol of the revival of Russian spirituality and of the unity of the peoples of Russia. Recently, the decision to undertake a restoration of the cloister was discussed at the constituent meeting of the Monastery Revival Foundation in the Kremlin. Novy Ierusalima Monastery in Moscow oblast was founded by Patriarch Nikon in 1656. Inspired by the concept of Moscow as the “Third Rome”, which dominated public thinking in those years, there were plans to set up a religious centre that would bring the entire Orthodox world under its wing. It was to be known as Novo-Ierusalima and it was to copy the structures of Holy Land, with its main cathedral planned to be a replica of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The best architects of the time toiled for decades building exact replicas of Calvary, the Holy Sepulchre, and many other Orthodox shrines. It was expressed intended by the founders that the cloister was open to all Orthodox believers across the globe.

As Patriarch Aleksei said, “This was part of the original plan for Novo-Ierusalima. Russians, Byelorussians, and Ukrainians, along with Germans, Jews, Poles, and other nationalities who had converted to Orthodox faith, were amongst the 500 members of the original monastic brotherhood. It is desirable to recall the words of the scientist Nikodim Kondakov that the Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople did considerably more for the Byzantine Empire than its warriors did. In no less a fashion, the Novo-Ierusalima Monastery did and can do yet more for the spiritual revival of Russia and the unity of all Orthodox peoples as well. Restored to its place as a great shrine of the Orthodox world and as a modern cultural and educational centre, the Monastery is designed to reveal to everyone, particularly to the young, the soul-healing meaning of our Motherland’s timeless values”.

History repeatedly brought tests of the cloister’s faith and endurance. In the 18^th century, the monastery fell into almost complete decay. However, in the 19^th century, it rose again to become a major Orthodox centre not only for Russia, but, for countries far beyond it. After the Bolshevik Revolution in the early 20^th century, it was closed and it was nearly razed to the ground by the Nazi invaders in 1941. The revival didn’t start until 1994, when the Moscow Patriarchate reclaimed ownership of the monastery structures, opening up a new chapter in the cloister’s spiritual-cultural history.

Now, just as before, the New Jerusalem Monastery goes on with its enlightenment and social mission to society. More monks keep arriving every year, there is a Sunday school, and the next item on the agenda is to open a school for orphaned children. In the words of President Medvedev, “The Novo-Ierusalima Monastery has never had any analogue and it never shall have an equal. It presents the only example of a successful attempt to recreate the Holy Land in its architecture and in its essence. For this very reason, restoration of the monastery is high on the agenda of the government and society. The efforts of the Moscow Patriarchate must be augmented with extensive assistance from the government, since this is a major and substantial commitment. For this reason, both I and His Holiness [Patriarch Aleksei] have invited a number of government ministers, representatives of local governments, and bankers, industrialists, and entrepreneurs capable of rendering substantial support to join the Monastery Revival Foundation and the Trustee Council. By restoring such great spiritual centres, we assist in the revival of our historical roots and the moral values of our society. Moreover, I confide that this is something we can’t do without in tackling any of the challenges Russia is confronted with today”.

24 October 2008

Milena Faustova

Voice of Russia World Service

http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=rus&q=87411&cid=22&p=24.10.2008