Patriarch Kirill Congratulate Russian Olympians

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OCP News Service – 13/8/21

Moscow-Russia: Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia extended his wishes to the participants of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 for their successful performance. A ceremony was held on Red Square in Moscow to honor Russian Olympians who returned from Tokyo.

The Primate of the Russian Church stated “Dear brothers and sisters! Greeting you on your return home after the performance at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, I cordially congratulate you on the remarkable results”. You heroically fought for victory, showed unbending will, real solidarity and mutual support, showing the whole world that the basis of Russian sport is primarily the desire to achieve maximum results in a fair struggle. I know that many of you who prayed in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior before leaving for the competitions to gain spiritual strength from the Orthodox faith to cope with all the difficulties and trials standing on your Olympic path. “It is remarkable that, treating with unfailing respect to all those who competed with you. You demonstrated fraternal feelings for athletes from those countries in which people unite with us in blood and faith live, and despite all external divisions. Sport, unfortunately, is not always separated from politics, and we could see this by watching the course of the competition. But no political obstacles could diminish your results, which are obvious to professionals and all honest people, not to mention the millions of our compatriots who have been worried about you with hope during all this time.”

The Primate of the Russian Church further added that athletes from Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova and other countries that in the recent past made up our great common homeland.

Source:
OCP News Service