Patriarch Kirill urges govts in Islamic states to pay more attention to Christian Minorities

Moscow, September 4, Interfax – Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia believes that greater attention of governments of Islamic states to Christians living in their territories is important for the dialogue between religions.

“More attention to the needs of the Christian minority [in Islamic countries] would be an additional factor in the Christian-Muslim dialogue,” he said at a Friday meeting with ambassadors of Arab countries in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.

He recognized that during the past few years Arab governments have been giving significant support to the Moscow Patriarchate in the construction of Christian Orthodox churches in their countries.

“Christian Orthodox churches in Arab lands the same as numerous mosques in Russia are a symbol of the friendship of Christians and Muslims, an indication of our intentions to live in friendship and mutual respect,” the Patriarch said.

He spoke of his plans to visit the Middle East in the next two years, in particular the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antiochia and Jerusalem, and in the framework of these visits to hold talks with secular and Muslim leaders of Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and the Palestinian Administration “to discuss vital issues of mutual interest.”

“Loyalty to tradition as a way of life brings Russia and the Arab world close to each other. Thanks to that we become true allies in the face of the challenges of the globalizing world,” the Patriarch said stressing that such loyalty “is not backwardness or the renunciation of modernization of our state and society.”

Talking to Arab ambassadors he also said that in Russia Islam “is recognized as a traditional religion that has been present in this land throughout the history of Russia.”

“We, Orthodox Christians, are used to living with Muslims in friendship and neighborliness and the dialogue between religions in Russia is conducted by Orthodox Christians and Muslims also at the level of everyday life,” he said.

The meeting with the Patriarch was attended by ambassadors of 20 Arab states.

Source: