Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill: We don't want to become a state Church
Source: Newspaper Vima (Greece)A year and a half ago You became Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia. What are the most touching moments in Your Ministry during this time, You can recall?- There were many; but for me, of paramount importance is the opportunity to pray with many of the Orthodox people in all the countries I visited. What a joy to see the faith of the people, their deep devotion to the Lord and His Holy Church. Despite all the disasters of the twentieth century, the faith of the saints of old Russia alive in their spiritual heirs. When you see how the spiritual life is revived where, it seemed, did not remain nothing but abandoned ruins, when you see how people brought up in militant rejection of Orthodoxy, return to the Lord in repentance and faith, especially clearly realize the immutable words of the Savior: "I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt.16, 18).- What are the difficulties encountered by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church? How heavy is the mission placed on You?- Today our Church carries out its Ministry in the situation generated by the long decades of state atheism, when people were artificially isolated from their own spiritual and, to a large extent cultural traditions.We are facing a huge task to give people back their own heritage - Orthodox culture, we must address the conditions with which the Church had not yet encountered.Some problems are common to all of Europe: problems of economic inequality, injustice, difficulties in inter-ethnic and interreligious relations. We also have to deal with the spreading cult of pleasure and unbridled consumption, which often makes people dishonest or even criminal way of life.Common to all of us is also the problem of propaganda of militant secularism, which expressly rejects the Christian roots of our civilization. Читать полностью -->
Unreasonable hopes on Russia
Alexander ArtemevIn the U.S. Congress held hearings about the future of Russian-American relations. To act on them has been invited former adviser to Vladimir Putin, Andrei Illarionov. He said "the Newspaper", what message he wanted to convey to us lawmakers.On Wednesday, Congress held two sessions devoted to Russian studies. While in the Senate discussed the prospects of the deployment of the U.S. missile defense system in Europe, the members of the house Committee on foreign Affairs decided how you can improve Russian-American relations.At the hearings "From competition to collaboration: strengthening the U.S.-Russian relations" chaired by the head of the foreign Affairs Committee of the lower house Democrat Howard Berman. Читать полностью -->
The world according to Medvedev
At a meeting with the Valdai club, the President of Russia has told about his vision of a new world orderA new war in the Caucasus Dmitry Medvedev compared with the tragedy of September 11. According to him, from the terrorist attack seven years ago the world has learned "many lessons". Certain conclusions must follow from the evaluation of events August 8. In particular, the world should recognize that the existing security architecture does not work, hence the need to create a new one, which would correspond not to the right of the strong, and international law.Participants in the international club Valdai are about 80 political scientists, experts and journalists from Russia, USA, UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovakia, Canada, Japan, China, India, Israel and Iran. On Thursday morning members of the club met with the presidents of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and in the late afternoon - with the Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin."A polycentric world - the only way to deal with contemporary challenges" Finally, on Friday, a discussion was held with the participation of the Russian head of state Dmitry Medvedev. At the very beginning of the conversation, the President of the Russian Federation categorically stated to protect the life and dignity of Russian citizens wherever they are, is the Central task of the state."We should not create any illusions for concern, but it is our task," he said. Читать полностью -->
Sensation: 20% of Russians belong to the middle class
Andrey Bilzho, NewsIn our country now have a middle class. Its representatives make up 1/5 of the population of the country, and in the future in their ranks can still join up to one third of the citizens. However our sredneoblastnymi very different from their counterparts in the West. In order to identify these features, scientists have summarized the results of studies of this question in the analytical report of the Middle class as the social basis of competitiveness of Russia.Not a single rubleA stumbling block for many scholars and ladies, who studied for the last years the features of the Russian middle class was the issue of the appropriate level of income. Say, it primarily allows you to label the category of the successful representatives of the developing capitalism. Some researchers have proposed to start the countdown with 300-500 American monetary units per family member per month, others would raise the bar to $1000 or more. Читать полностью -->
About death and grace
Pastor Jacob Epping (Jacob Epping gave 63 years of life Church service)I'm dying. Die from cancer. Last Christmas was my last. Spring has always been my favorite time of year. Now, as I write these lines, I really hope to see the spring of 2008.I have always loved basketball. Today the doctor said that probably I will be able to watch on TV the opening of the season with my favorite team the Detroit Tigers. Читать полностью -->
The dialogue with the West on lake Seliger failed: Europeans look at the Nashi as psychos
The rapprochement between the West and Russia in the framework of the youth camp Seliger organization "Our", failed, say participants in the international session, which was attended by representatives of 80 countries in the world. As stated by the results of the dialogue Pro-Kremlin activist Yana Starikova, Western youth "very long and carefully brainwashed", so "to sow some new thought is simply impossible".It is worth noting that the online community largely did not support this review about the brainwashed Europeans, said "New region". For example, blogger nick2305 wrote in reply: "It's not they're stubborn, and you are there on lake Seliger. Here Africa and other countries who know about freedoms, just like you, only from his mouth ventriloquists, this is your company. Correctly look like a psychiatric patient, and you have patients who complete lobotomy, after which obvious is not perceived".Activist Starikov was surprised that in the West think in terms of "freedom, democracy and liberalism" and oppose Russia itself, where there are no democratic freedoms, the opposition is not allowed to speak, where a totalitarian police state. "We, at first, very actively rushed to persuade them otherwise, but then just waved his hand - it's completely USELESS", - quotes the letter of the girl, her namesake, Nikolai Starikov in his blog.Thus in the debate, defending his point of view on Russia, they, according to the girl, rather monotonous: there is constant talk about the suppression of opposition protests, the arrest of former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky as the manifestation of tyranny and manipulation of gas as a way to put pressure on Europe. Читать полностью -->