Patriarch wants to go into Space
2/12/2010
Patriarch Kirill, speaking with cosmonauts at the Russian manned space flight control center has expressed a desire to fly to space. To see the earth from the window of a space ship is not just a child’s dream of the mentor of the Russian Orthodox Church, says priest Georgy Roshin. Here are more details by Milena Faustova.
Patriarch Kirill’s desire to fly into space is evidence of his support for cosmonauts in their difficult work in space and in the space flight control center. The Patriarch expresses support for the government and all those connected with space flights in Russia-a hard and energy sapping work.
Patriarch Kirill has a long standing love of space and likes aviation. In his younger days, he completed 19 training flights on “Mig” planes and also performed advanced acrobatics. He made many parachute jumps.
The Patriarch’s desire to explore space seems absurd to many critics; they recall that a few years back the terms the conquest of space and religion were almost antonyms, saying that the union of the Church and Space belongs to the realm of fantasy. Members of the Moscow patriarchate counter by saying that the Orthodox Church is keeping a close eye on space exploration. Father Roshin has this to say.
“The study of space is useful in that it enables man to learn new things about the physical world and how man can use the environment more judiciously. Plants are cultivated in space to find out how they will behave in different conditions; matters outside our planet are being studied. In a word, space exploration is helping to open our eyes to hitherto unknown phenomena,”priest Roshin says.
The Russian Orthodox Church blesses all the rockets and space ships before they fly to near orbit. Besides, there is a bible, a cross and an icon on the ISS. Perhaps, space flight by priests will be an added blessing.
