His Holiness Patriarch Kirill chairs regular session of the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church

On 5 September 2012, a regular session of the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church took place in the Supreme Church Council’s Hall of the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour under chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

In his introductory speech, His Holiness spoke of the recent actions in certain regions of Russia: memorial crosses were sawn off and insulting inscriptions appeared on the walls of churches.

“According to preliminary information, at least in some cases acts of vandalism were perpetrated by young people. They are either embittered with animosity against the Church and its representatives, or they are tools in the hands of those who are conscientiously opposed to Church and Christian preaching. We must bring the light of Gospel truth to people even more vigorously and corroborate our words by good deeds filled with love and responsibility for all that the Church commissioned us to do.”

His Holiness went on to say that only a conscious acceptance of faith, which is impossible without a long process of catechization, only good attitude to the neighbours, which is impossible without everyday social care and charity, only the introduction of our compatriots to the faith of their forefathers, which is impossible without missionary activities, only participation in the life of young people, which is impossible without regular cooperation with them, can melt the ice of estrangement that seems to begin bounding us, or, at least, is being seen near the shore.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church noted that one should distinguish between delusions and conscious and planned struggle against the Church and the values that the Church preaches.

“We should use different approach to different groups. When we see a delusion or a conscious participation in blasphemous actions or hear insulting sayings about the Church, we must understand the nature of these phenomena and react accordingly,” His Holiness said in conclusion.

The participants discussed the implementation of the decisions of the Bishops’ Council of 2011 and preparation for the next Council due to take place on February 2-5, 2012.

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