Patriarch Kirill urges revival of Northern Russia
3/6/2010
Tuesday saw a visit by Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill to Petrozavodsk, capital of the Russian republic of Karelia. The visit comes ahead of the 90th anniversary of Karelia becoming part of Russia, an event the republic is due to mark on June 9.
Speaking to Orthodox believers in Petrozavodsk on Thursday, Patriarch Kirill specifically said that Russia and its citizens are responsible for the spiritual revival of the country’s north.
It is my maiden trip to Karelia as the Russian Orthodox Patriarch, and I’m surprised to see the spate of positive changes the republic is currently going through, Kirill says.
“The past few years have seen the beginning of Karelia’s full-fledged revival, Kirill goes on to say, citing his first-ever visit to the republic in 1966. At the time, he recalls, our heartfelt prayers were all about the spiritual revival of northern Russia, not least Karelia, where just four small-sized churches were in place in the late 1960s. Back then, we all strongly believed in Russia’s spiritual resurrection”, said Patriarch Kirill.
Right now, there are about 500 parishes in Karelia, an indication of the republic’s steady spiritual recovery, correspondents say. They single out as an example, as many as 565 parishes that were in place in the republic at the beginning of last century. Not to mention 20 monasteries and over 1,300 priests offering services across Karelia at the time.
For his part, Patriarch Kirill said that Karelia’s ongoing revival reflects Russia’s efforts to stick to spiritual values, which he stressed contribute considerably to Russia’s prosperity and assertiveness on global stage.
At the moment, the Church’s main task is to revive what was earlier demolished, something that will help us to restore the infrastructure of the whole of Russia, Patriarch Kirill went on to say. As far as Karelia’s full-blown revival is concerned, our sacred faith is all but sure to contribute to resolving this tricky task, the Patriarch concluded.
On Thursday, the Patriarch consecrated a just-unveiled monument to St.Alexander Nevsky, the Grand Prince of Novgorod and Vladimir, who added significantly to medieval Rus’ clout. The monument was installed near the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in central Petrozavodsk.
The unveiling of the monument was hailed by both the state and the Church, correspondents say, citing Alexander Nevsky’s substantial contribution to the foundation of Petrozavodsk in the early 1700s.
