Home page News
Representative of Russian Orthodox Church attends …

Representative of Russian Orthodox Church attends conference on Persecution of Christians in the World

July 1, 2015 – A conference on the Persecution of Christians in the World took place at the European Parliament in Brussels. It was initiated by European People’s Party with the aim to call the European Union leaders and EU member states to make the persecution of Christians a priority in their foreign policy in pursuance of the Resolution adopted by the European Parliament on April 30, 2015, in relation to the killing of students in Kenya by terror group al-Shabaab.

The program of the conference included an introduction and two issue panel discussions concerning the situation in the Middle East countries, primarily Iraq and Syria, and the situation of Christians in other regions, especially in Asia and Africa.

The forum began its work with a minute of silence in memory of Christians victimized by Christianophobia.

The conference was addressed by officials of the European Parliament, prominent religious leaders and media persons.

Local Orthodox Churches were represented by Archpriest Dimitry Sizonenko, acting representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to the European international organizations in Brussels, and Archpriest Sorin Selaru, head of the Romanian Church representation to the EU.

The speakers stressed that Christians are the most persecuted religious community in the world today; their rights and dignity are trampled in 75% of the countries in the world. This situation speaks of the existence of Christianophobia as a widely-spread phenomenon. The mass media would willingly report killings of Christians in the Islamic world while passing over in silence the cases of persecution taking place in other countries and in peaceful situations. Disrespect for freedom of faith inevitably begets the violation of other freedoms, political and economic.

In many countries, the discrimination of Christians has grown into mass persecution against people of other religions when the religious factor becomes an instrument of pressure brought to bear on dissent and disliked minorities. Thus, the persecution of Christians has become not only a humanitarian or confessional disaster but also a disturbing sign of the political degradation of society. A society in which there is no freedom of faith inevitably finds itself on the brink of civil war.

Summing up the discussions, European Parliament member Cristian Dan Preda said in particular that it should be admitted that it is easier today to reach a consensus in the European Parliament with regard to persecution for a faith or religious beliefs if Christians are not mentioned at all. Every day, reports are coming about glaring facts of discrimination against Christian, but publications in the mass media do not help towards a deeper understanding of the problem – they only build up fears. The religious component of the protection of Christians should become one of the key factors in the foreign policy work of the European Union for the sake of the preservation of peace.

 DECR Communication Service

Share:
Congratulations of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to the President of Turkey on his 70th birthday

26.02.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill's condolences in connection with the murder of the monks of the Ziquala Abo Monastery in Ethiopia

24.02.2024

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the XII Christmas Parliamentary Meetings at the Federation Council of the Russian Federation

23.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: Patriarch of Constantinople is not a free man

07.01.2024

Christmas Message from Patriarch KIRILL of Moscow and All Rus’

06.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill had phone conversation with Metropolitan Ioann of Belgorod and Stary Oskol

02.01.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill expresses condolences over deadly earthquake in northwest China

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill congratulates Mr Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on his re-election as President of Egypt

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill welcomes the opening of an exhibition dedicated to the decoration of the Church of St Sava in Belgrade

19.12.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill presides over jubilee meeting of Inter-Religious Council of Russia

07.12.2023

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at jubilee meeting of Inter-Religious Council of Russia

07.12.2023

Patriarchal greetings on the occasion of 60th anniversary of the Diocese of Vienna and Austria

26.11.2023

Primate of Russian Church presents historic miracle-working Kazan Icon of the Mother of God to the faithful and celebrates Liturgy in the Kremlin Dormition Cathedral

04.11.2023

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ to the participants of the World Conference of Compatriots Living Abroad

01.11.2023

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill met with the Primate of the Assyrian Church of the East

31.10.2023

Metropolitan Hilarion: Many things in a person's life depend on faith

29.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Holy Spirit is the main treasure of the Christian soul

01.08.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: Holiness is a constant striving to imitate the Lord Jesus Christ

27.06.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: God does not want to condemn, but to save us

07.03.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord always grants to us the opportunity to display our talents

24.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: The Lord has imbued the waters of Jordan with his divine presence to wash away human sins

19.01.2021

Metropolitan Hilarion: to repent means to change your way of life

17.01.2021

On commemoration day of St. Catherine, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk officiated at the Church of St. Catherine the Great Martyr In-the-Fields  the representation of the Orthodox Church in America

07.12.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We can always show compassion for people

29.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion celebrates on commemoration day of St. Varlaam of Khutyn at the church of ‘Joy to All the Afflicted’ icon of the Mother of God

19.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: We should remember that the life of each human being is in the hands of God

06.11.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: For God there is nothing impossible

25.10.2020

Metropoplitan Hilarion: The cross which was an instrument of dishonourable execution becomes the symbol of salvation for millions of people

27.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Eucharist is the wedding feast, to which Lord Jesus Christ invites each of us

13.09.2020

Metropolitan Hilarion: Faith alone is not enough for salvation

30.08.2020

Page is available in the following languages
Feedback

Fields marked by * are mandatory required

Send a message
Рус Укр Eng Deu Ελλ Fra Ita Бълг ქარ Срп Rom عرب