Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias (1946- ) greeted by delegation on Bering Island in the Komandorski Archipelago
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For the first time in the history of the Church, Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias visited the Komandorski Islands, he consecrated the building site of St Nicholas Church in the only village on Bering Island, and urged the Aleuts and other local residents to find a secure home in the faith, to take proper care of their health, and raise large families. Several hundred people gathered to meet the First Hierarch, despite the cold and very windy weather, almost the entire population of the island. After the service, the choir of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery, which is going with the Patriarch on his tour of the Russian Far East, at his request, gave a small concert of sacred and secular music for the local residents in the open air, at the construction site for the new church. Local residents were moved; they applauded, shouting words of gratitude.
His Holiness spoke to the assembled locals, saying, “Living in this place, you must be very robust, as there are so many risks around here. The fact that you survived indicates that you are tough people. I would like to bow to all of you who live on this island; you’re a family that works together. All of Russia should know how you live your lives… it’s a great example. To be spiritually strong, you must keep your faith in your heart; you must turn to God in prayer, because when human strength fails, we can count on the power of God. Here on Bering Island, we’re founding the first Orthodox parish”.
Patriarch Kirill pointed up that there was a church on the island prior to the Soviet period. “Our ancestors didn’t wander to distant lands, they didn’t go far; but they never lived far from a place of prayer. You can live in the capital, but you can feel like you’re in a spiritual desert, even if luxury surrounds you. You can live in the sticks, but if you have God, you feel as though you’re at the centre of the world, living with the saints”. His Holiness gave particular attention to the Aleuts. “It’s remarkable that the Aleut people have remained in their homeland, in their historical habitat”. The patriarch is firmly convinced that the state should do everything possible to support the indigenous peoples of the Russian North and Far East.
His Holiness said that he wanted to go to the Aleutian Islands in the USA, where many Orthodox Aleuts live. “The Russian Orthodox Church carried the light of the Gospel through Siberia, to Chukotka, to the Aleutian Islands, and, finally, to Alaska; that’s how we founded the Orthodox Church there”, he pointed up. Vladyki Kirill also noted that the “remarkably beautiful places of the [Russian] Far East” are blessed with “great riches”. “The people who live here, lived better in former times, we should be like that again. Our children should be born healthy, we should teach them to maintain good health and to refrain from abuse that could destroy their wellbeing”, he urged his audience. His Holiness called upon his listeners “to have big families”. He met with mothers of large families; he gave them the Patriarchal Motherhood Award, a personal letter, and gifts. In addition, he gave his blessing to all the kids who came to the consecration of the building site. Patriarch Kirill gifted the future St Nicholas Church with an icon of St Nicholas, and distributed icons of St Innokenty Veniaminov, the Enlightener of the Russian Far East, to everyone.
17 September 2010
Interfax-Religion
http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=37418
Editor’s Note:
DUM-DA-DUM-DUM… Could it possibly be? Has it happened again? Yessir… it’s BIG GREEN WEENIE time! My version has 589 words in the main body; the Interfax abortion has 217.
ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHER… you’d think that Matusiak was at work in Moscow, it’s on the level of oca.org… and that’s NO praise. Here’s the URL for the Interfax abomination, so you can see for yourself:
http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7710
No whisper of this on oca.org… but they’ve had nothing new since 16 September, and Matusiak is being his usual self… dogsbody lazy (so, what else is new?). This is BIG NEWS… His Holiness wants to visit the Aleutians. Betcha that JP, Peterson, and Eliel are all soiling their skivvies in fright. How ‘bout a side bet on the chances of Alaskans being part of the crowd on Bering Island to meet His Nibs? C’mon, be a sport… after all, it’s within the range of a light general-aviation plane. There was more than one “Alaska Native” looking person in that crowd (see the photo-spread below)… and the Russian Far East natives are their cousins (I don’t know if they kiss or not).
I’ll say this, since there’s no further evidence, the most that one can say is that the OCA and MP aren’t coordinating their press releases. THAT is not good for the future of the Syosset gang… Stokoe can fulminate all he wants. His readership is going down… whilst mine is going up. Hey, Mark! Put THIS in your “News From Around the Orthodox World”… and do mention that your pals from SVS and from Syosset didn’t deign to inform the faithful. Or, are “your hands tied” because of your membership on the so-called “Metropolitan Council?” Is that your shoddy little excuse for supporting the Bobby K payoff, Mark? Hmm…
Mistrust ANYONE who smarmily tells you that they’re doing “whatever” “for the good of the Church”… it may be doing good… but, certainly, NOT for the Church, nor for Our Lord Christ. Don’t forget what He said about millstones…
BMD
Voices from Russia 
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