| The Most Sensible of Mavericks For the Russian Orthodox belivers, it has been difficult to come to terms with the death of Patriarch Alexy II, who presided over the re-establishment of the Church for almost two decades following Soviet repression. The indefatigable head of the Russian Church sought reconciliation and a bond with society through faith in Christ, against the forces of history and inevitability. However, beyond his death, the memory of Alexy as Patriarch, championing belief, love and forgiveness through God in Russian society, will remain vibrant, meaningful and spiritually strengthening. Source: Russia Profile.org The Faithful Will Remember Alexy Forging the Bonds between Society and the Church, and thus Between Man and God We realized, of course, that he was not immortal, and over the last few years we were dreading the day, with much anxiety, when he would leave us… That day has arrived. Just a few months shy of his 80th birthday, Patriarch Alexy II has died. It seems almost impossible to believe. After all, it was Alexy himself who has been with us for these past 18 years, when Russia made a dramatic turnaround as the Russian Orthodox Church has been rescued from oblivion. Just four days ago, while finishing his regular course of treatment in Germany, Patriarch Alexy celebrated the liturgy in the Munich cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) for the first time, having personally inscribed that unity, which was obtained one and a half years ago – before that, no head of the Russian Church ever served in the churches of the ROCOR. And just yesterday, on the feast of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary into the Temple, he celebrated in the Kremlin, in the Dormition (Uspensky) Cathedral, while on the eve of his death, Alexy prayed at the relics of his great predecessor, Saint Patriarch Tikhon. Such reports from the Church’s newsreel were altogether everyday items. But was it really possible even to think of something similar, when the almost disgraced metropolitan, who was only several years earlier banished from his post of Chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate to Leningrad for his audacity in writing to the Central Committee of the Communist Party with the offer for wider participation of the Church in societal affairs, was elected on June the 7, 1990, as the head of the Russian Church? |
| Nun Barbara " s obedience was in the chancery conducting correspondence, as the assistant to the treasurer, and as an assistant in the restoration and construction work at the Vilnius St. Mary Magdalene Convent. On January 3, 1968, by order of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy I (Simansky) of Moscow and All Russia, Nun Barbara (Trofimova) was appointed Mother Superior of the Piukhtitsa Convent. On January 18, the eve of the feast of Theophany, Archbishop Alexy (Ridiger; later Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia) raised Nun Barbara to the rank of Abbess in the Tallinn St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and on the next day, January 19, entrusted her with the abbess " s staff in Piukhtitsa Convent. In the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy I placed upon her the pectoral cross. The new abbess became the third " builder " of the convent. During the forty-two years of her leadership, the monastery was transformed to the point of being unrecognizable. With Mother Barbara " s arrival, a comprehensive building project began. In the monastery were built an electric mill, new living quarters, and stone utility structures. All the monastery churches were restored, the cupolas and crosses gilded, and the wall paintings of Dormition Cathedral were renovated. A guesthouse was set up for pilgrims on the monastery grounds, a structure was built near the holy spring for bathers, and a chapel dedicated to Great Martyr George was built on the monastery farm. During Mother Barbara " s abbacy, the convent " s architectural complex was enlarged. The St. Sergius belfry was built. In 1986, a house church dedicated to Holy Hierarch Alexy of Moscow and Great Martyr Barbara was consecrated, and in 1990, a church dedicated to St. John the Forerunner and Holy Hieromartyr Isidore was consecrated. Also in 1990, the status of Piukhtitsa monastery changed completely: it received the title of a stavropegic monastery; that is, it went directly under the administrative rule of the Patriarch, Alexy II [rather than that of the local diocesan bishop]. |
| international community. But that mediation has to unbiased and constructive. That is the approach that will enhance the authority of international mediation, because any kind of unilateral resolution, that doesn’t take into account the opinions of the Serbian people will only result in injustice and suffering of people that will last for many years,” Alexey II said. Another important issue Aleksy II touched upon is the relationship between science and morality: “A human being should remain a human being, not a commodity, not a controlled element within an electronic network, not a subject for laboratory experimentation, not a semi-artificial entity. That’s why science and technology cannot be estranged from moral evaluation”. Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia, speaking at the Council of Europe on Tuesday, reiterated the position of his Church that gay and lesbian parades amount to “propaganda and advertisement of sin.” “When persistent attempts were made to hold a homosexual parade in Moscow, we believed that that meant propaganda and advertisement of sin,” Alexy told a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg, France. Attempts are made to justify homosexuality by calling it a disease, the patriarch said. Yet kleptomania can also be considered a disease, he argued. “Why then no one advertises kleptomania while homosexuality gets advertised via gay parades?” he said. “It is advertisement that is being forced on people who are a very long way from it,” Alexy said. The patriarch also said the Church commiserated with all sinners, including homosexuals, “sinners whom we love while we hate their sin.” “But at the same time, we Orthodox Christians cannot depart from what is taught by the Bible and by the apostolic tradition of the Church,” Alexy said. “Somebody may think otherwise, and nobody must be discredited on the basis of the character of their private lives,” he said. “In the same way, nobody must try to force me or my brothers and |
| On December 5, 2008, the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, His Holiness Alexei II, Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Reposed in the Lord On Friday morning, December 5, 2008, His Holiness, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Alexei II, departed to the Lord, after governing the Russian Orthodox Church for eighteen years. The Patriarch was eighty years old when he reposed his Patriarchal residence located in the Moscow suburb of Peredelkino. Source: www.pravoslavie.ru On Friday morning, December 5, 2008, His Holiness, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, Alexei II, departed to the Lord, after governing the Russian Orthodox Church for eighteen years. The Patriarch was eighty years old when he reposed his Patriarchal residence located in the Moscow suburb of Peredelkino. In accordance with the Rule of the Russian Orthodox Church, there will be an emergency meeting of the Holy Synod of Bishops, at which a Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne will be elected. The Locum Tenens will govern the Russian Church until a new Patriarch is elected, and will head the Funeral Commission. The time for His Holiness, Patriarch Alexei’s funeral service will also be determined at the meeting of the Holy Synod. In accordance with the Rule, the new Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia must be chosen at a Local Ecclesiastical Council during the course of one-half of a year following the repose of his predecessor, which shall be in this case no later than May, 2009. Source: http://orthodoxeurope.org/ His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and all Russia Curriculum Vitae His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia is the 15th primate of the Russian Orthodox Church since the patriarchal office was established in Russia in 1589. Patriarch Alexy (secular name Aleksey Mikhailovich Ridiger) was born on 23 February 1929 in Tallinn to an Orthodox priest’s family. From his yearly childhood Alexy Ridiger served in the church as an altar boy and a sub-deacon. He also studied at a Russian secondary school in Tallinn. |
| Special CD Released for the 10th Anniversary of the Repose of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II and His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus Source: ROCOR On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the repose of Patriarch Alexy II († December 5, 2008) “Russkiy Pastyr” Publishers have released a new CD – “Pascha” – in memory of two champions of Orthodox Church unity: His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus († March 16, 2008). This is the 11th CD in the monumental Chants of the Russian Emigre series and is sung by the “Nizhny Novgorod” Municipal Chamber Choir under the direction of Ivan Stolnikov, with the participation of clergy from Moscow’s renowned Sretensky Monastery. “The CD ‘Pascha’ is outstanding and a breakthrough in the field of choral church art. The ‘Nizhny Novgorod’ Chamber Choir has an incredible grasp of the culture of sound, crystal clear intonation and magnificent choral technique. In this new recording the choir’s capabilities are put to serve an elevated and joyful Paschal mood, at the same time retaining an understanding and sensitivity to the sacred texts. The singing, repertoire and concept of the recording are organic and restrained. I have not heard a better choir in the course of the last 20 years. May this incredible and important church choral offering serve to the glory of God and our Russian Orthodox Church!” – Nun Iuliana (Denisova) “The 11th volume in the remarkable Chants of the Russian Emigres series features a lineup of hymns that have seldom, if ever, been heard before. Several tracks, – like Boris Ledkovsky’s exuberant Christ Is Risen (which imitates the joyous pealing of Paschal bells), Nikolai Kedrov’s (pere) Grand Mercy of Peace , Evgeny Evetz’s As Many as Have Been Baptized , and Ivan Gardner’s Paschal Antiphons – are world premiere recordings. Two composers are featured for the first time in this series: Viktor Dreving and Sergei Ryabchenko. The album format includes a number of clergy exclamations and other liturgical details, which make the listening experience approach what one would hear at an actual Paschal service – the Feast of Feasts . Along with the fresh and new repertoire it makes this disc a worthwhile addition to every Orthodox church music lover’s collection.” – Vladimir Morosan |
| Do you remember His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II’s visit to Kyoto? At that time, in May of 2000, when I was 10 years old, His Holiness Alexy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, accompanied by the Chairman of DECR 2 , Metropolitan Kirill—now His Holiness the Patriarch—made the first Patriarchal visit in the history of the Japanese Orthodox Church. He headed the liturgy and enthronement of Daniel, Archbishop of Tokyo and Metropolitan of All Japan, in the “Nikolai-do” Cathedral in Tokyo. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy in the Cathedral in Kyoto in 2000, with Fr. John Ono, Matushka Sarah Ono and their children—Alexy (in monasticism Nikolai) and Lyubov (Charity). His Holiness the Patriarch also visited the Annunciation Cathedral in Kyoto, where my father was serving then. The (now) reposed Patriarch served a moleben, took a tour of the church and its revered sacred object—an altar Gospel given by St. John of Kronstadt with the inscription of St. Nicholas of Japan—and talked with the parishioners. The church was full of priests and parishioners—not only from our parish, but also from other churches in the Western Japan Eparchy. Do Japanese young people know about Orthodoxy? Are the fundamentals of the Christian Faith taught within the scope of academic subjects in schools and universities? I graduated from the law department at Kyoto State University. It seems to me that—at least at the baccalaureate level—they don’t offer subjects in Christian theology. There is only “History of Western Philosophy,” and, within the framework of this subject it talks mainly about Catholic or Protestant thinkers. Young Japanese know that Catholicism and Protestantism exist; a few know that Orthodoxy also exists, or—in literal translation from the Japanese—“the Eastern Orthodox Church.” Orthodoxy is written about in the high school world history textbook, but this is a very short description, and the narration is written from the point of view of the West. Unfortunately, few people know St. Nicholas of Japan. But the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Tokyo is known to all as " Nikolai-do, " that is, Nicholas " s Church. The old church in Hakokate is also quite a famous landmark. |
| He was made honorary professor by the Omsk State University for outstanding services in culture and education and by the Moscow State University for outstanding services in the cause of spiritual revival in Russia. In 1994 Patriarch Alexy was made honorary Doctor of Philology by St. Petersburg University (24 January); honorary Doctor of Theology by the Theological Faculty of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Belgrade (15 May); full member (academician) of the International Academy of Information Technology (Moscow, January 1996); honorary Doctor of Theology by the Tbilisi Theological Academy (Georgia, April 1996); Golden Medal holder by the Faculty of Orthodox Theology of the Kosice University (Kosice, Slovakia, May 1996), honorary member of the International Charity and Health Foundation; chairman of the Public Supervising Council for the Reconstruction of the Church of Christ the Saviour. Patriarch Alexy has been awarded many orders by Local Orthodox Churches and state orders by various countries. During the years of his episcopal ministry, Metropolitan Alexy has visited many dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church and many countries of the world and participated in many church events. As Patriarch of All Russia, he has made more than 110 pastoral visitations to different dioceses. Patriarch Alexy has published over 450 articles, addresses and papers on theology, church history, peacemaking and ecumenical and other issues in the ecclesiastical and secular press in Russia and abroad. Code for blog Since you are here… …we do have a small request. More and more people visit Orthodoxy and the World website. However, resources for editorial are scarce. In comparison to some mass media, we do not make paid subscription. It is our deepest belief that preaching Christ for money is wrong. Having said that, Pravmir provides daily articles from an autonomous news service, weekly wall newspaper for churches, lectorium, photos, videos, hosting and servers. Editors and translators work together towards one goal: to make our four websites possible - Pravmir.ru, Neinvalid.ru, Matrony.ru and Pravmir.com. Therefore our request for help is understandable. For example, 5 euros a month is it a lot or little? A cup of coffee? It is not that much for a family budget, but it is a significant amount for Pravmir. If everyone reading Pravmir could donate 5 euros a month, they would contribute greatly to our ability to spread the word of Christ, Orthodoxy, life " s purpose, family and society. Also by this author Today " s Articles Most viewed articles Functionality is temporarily unavailable. Most popular authors Functionality is temporarily unavailable. © 2008-2024 Pravmir.com |
| spirit of their Charter 1244, as well as their international obligations, that they defend and protect this violation of human, religious and the state rights of the Republic of Serbia. Source: www.interfax-religion.com Head of Russian Church slams Kosovo independence Moscow, February 20, Interfax – Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia has slammed Kosovo’s unilaterally declared independence. Kosovo’s independence, declared on Sunday, “is an anti-historic event that upsets the global balance and that may lead to very tragic events in a whole series of spots on the globe where separatist sentiments are being fanned,” Alexy said answering questions from journalists in Moscow on Wednesday. Alexy II cited himself as saying in a speech at the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly in October 2007 that advocates of independence for Kosovo were “people who had never been to Kosovo, didn’t know the history of that land, and didn’t know what Kosovo means to the Serbs.” The Battle of Kosovo in June 1389 was “a battle for the existence of the Serb people,” the patriarch said. He mentioned that the battle took place nine years after the Battle of Kulikovo, which ended Tatar-Mongol rule in Russia. Alexy II also said that a tremendous number of Orthodox churches and monasteries in Kosovo that are “a part of general European heritage” and are under UNESCO patronage “were and are being destroyed.” Code for blog Since you are here… …we do have a small request. More and more people visit Orthodoxy and the World website. However, resources for editorial are scarce. In comparison to some mass media, we do not make paid subscription. It is our deepest belief that preaching Christ for money is wrong. Having said that, Pravmir provides daily articles from an autonomous news service, weekly wall newspaper for churches, lectorium, photos, videos, hosting and servers. Editors and translators work together towards one goal: to make our four websites possible - Pravmir.ru, Neinvalid.ru, Matrony.ru and Pravmir.com. Therefore our request for help is understandable. |
| Patriarchal enthronement On December 5, 2008, Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia died at the age of 80, who had led the Russian Church for over 18 years. The election of Metropolitan Kirill. who occupied the 5th place among the permanent members of the Synod, as Locum Tenens was determined, among other things, by his work as chairman of the DECR, his personal supervision over the most complicated areas in the Church’s relations with the external world throughout the period of the Patriarchal ministry of His Holiness Alexy II. This is how the future Patriarch Kirill characterized the Primatial ministry of his predecessor: ‘His Holiness took over the Church weakened by decades of prosecution and oppression… However, at the same time our country was overwhelmed by tremendous historical challenges and the weak Russian Church had to assume these challenges, seeking to preserve her people, to help them find faith. And today, His Holiness the Patriarch standing before the face of God can say that he has left to us quite a different Church. She is no longer an infirm, a weak Church… because the Church is together with her people, because the spiritual has grown through the material, because millions of people have realized that without God and His truth there can be no human truth. His Holiness was aware that the Russian Orthodox Church is the only one that preserves the traditions, memory and values of Holy Rus’. On December 5, Metropolitan Kirill together with the assembly of bishops celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of Christ the Saviour. After the liturgy, the requiem service was held for Patriarch Alexy II, It was led by Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople. Among those who participated in the service were Primates of the Georgian, Romanian, Greek, Albanian Churches and the Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and representatives of all the Local Orthodox Churches, hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, numerous honorary guests, among them Russian President D. A. Medvedev and Chairman of the Russian Federation Government V. V. Putin, as well as Presidents of Byelorussia, Moldavia, Armenia, and heads of diplomatic missions from dozens of states. Speaking at the funeral service about his predecessor, Metropolitan Kirill gave special attention to the unity of Orthodox nations spiritually nourished by the Russian Church. |
| Archive Metropolitan Hilarion meets with President of the Appeal of Conscience foundation Rabbi Arthur Schneier 26 October 2019 year 11:46 On October 25, 2019, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate department for external church relations (DECR), met in New York with President of the Appeal of Conscience foundation Rabbi Arthur Schneier in this study at Park East Synagogue. During the talk, which was held in a warn and cordial atmosphere, Metropolitan Hilarion told his interlocutor about interreligious contacts of the Russian Orthodox Church today and the work of the Interreligious Council in Russia, of which Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia is a honorary chairman. In his turn, Rabbi Arthur Schneier, who will be 90 next March, shared his memories about numerous meetings with hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church and the visit made by Patriarch Alexy II of eternal memory to Park East Synagogue in 1999. They discussed a number of other matters of mutual concern and those related to interreligious cooperation. In conclusion of the talk they exchange tokens of the meeting. Arthur Schneier was born on March 20, 1930. He was a victim of the fascist persecution during World War II. He survived the Budapest ghetto. In 1947, he moved to the USA. Since 1962 he has been the chief rabbi of Park East Synagogue in New York. In 1965, he established and came at the head of the interreligious foundation ‘Appeal of Conscience’ with its priority area of work being interreligious dialogue. Rabbi Arthur Schneier is honorary chairman of the World Jewish Congress. President B. Clinton awarded him the Presidential Citizens Medal, the US second important civic award. His Appeal of Conscience Foundation holds annual award ceremonies for heads of states, international organizations and major financial structure and corporations. Rabbi Schneier visited the USSR in the 1960s-1980s. In June 1982, he met with Patriarch Pimen during his trip to the USA. On January 18, 1990, a delegation of rabbis headed by him was received by the DECR chairman Metropolitan Kirill. In 1991, Arthur Schneier initiated a meeting between Patriarch Alexy II and a group of rabbis and other representatives of the Jewish community in the USA (New York). During the visit made by Patriarch Alexy II to the USA in 1993, Arthur Schneier presented him with the Appeal of Conscience award. |
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