Patriarch Kirill: ROC is responsible for the fate of Orthodoxy in the world

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus. Photo: patriarchy.ru

The Russian Orthodox Church bears great responsibility not only for the fate of its children but also for the fate of the Orthodox faith throughout the world. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus said this at the end of the Divine Liturgy in the Patriarchal Assumption Cathedral of the Kremlin on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God celebrated on November 4, 2019, patriarchia.ru reports.

During the liturgy, Metropolitan John of Dubna, head of the Western European Archdiocese, which had officially reunited with the Russian Orthodox Church on the eve, concelebrated with the Primate.

“We are now one Church, there is no longer any reason to be outside the Eucharistic and simply human fraternal relationship,” Patriarch Kirill emphasized in his primatial address. “Our people abroad drank the cup of woe to the lees, but on these holy days in the history of all our church divisions, as well as social divisions that have always been associated with them, a line has been drawn. And there is no reason to lose again at some point the cherished holy unity which we have been striving for decades and which has been established on these holy days.”

The Primate regretted that the reunification of the Russian Church had caused certain discontent in certain circles and "there are a lot of non-church forces trying even today to sow the seeds of separation among Russian Orthodox people, in some mysterious way fearing a single Russian Church."

“We tell everyone who is so afraid: don't be afraid! We are believers, we believe in the Lord and Savior. We went through martyrdom and confession. Intrigues and politicking can hardly be encountered in the ecclesiastic space. And we suffered so that with a pure heart and a bright mind we could rejoice over the restored unity and revived communion,” he said.

In conclusion, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia wished that the Lord would unite everyone “in the strength of spirit, in the strength of faith regardless of where we live – in the capital, somewhere in the Russian outback, in Ukraine, Belarus or abroad".

“We are all one Russian Orthodox Church bearing great responsibility not only for the religious fate of our children but in a sense – and I’m not afraid to say that – for the fate of the Orthodox faith throughout the world. And may the Lord help us bear this glorious but difficult cross,” concluded the Primate.

Recall that on November 1, 2019, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church signed the Patriarchal and Synodal letter on the restoration of the unity of Archdiocese of the Western European Parishes of the Russian tradition with the Russian Orthodox Church. As Metropolitan John (Renneteau) of Dubna noted, the decision to reunite with the Russian Orthodox Church is not revenge but the path of life chosen by the Archdiocese.

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