Home page News
On the Protection of Unborn Children

On the Protection of Unborn Children

Statement of the Interreligious Council in Russia

 

We, representatives of the traditional religious communities in Russia, express our profound concern over the practice of mass abortion in our country. Russia occupies one of the first places in the world according to the number of abortions both in absolute and relative indicators – the number of forcibly interrupted lives in mothers’ wombs, in various estimations, approaches a million a year or even exceeds a million. These terrible numbers echo with pain in our hearts and compel us to do all that is possible to protect unborn children.

We are convinced that the life of a human being begins from the moment of conception, which is consistent with the views of both our religious traditions and modern science. Those who deny an unborn child the right to live go against God, conscience and moral laws. The destruction of a helpless life hidden in the mother’s womb is a heavy sin. No consideration of one’s own comfort, gain or false fears cannot justify the sin of infanticide, which will inevitably lead to negative physiological, moral and spiritual consequences for all the participants in this crime.

Regrettably, due to the substitution of traditional family values by false consumerist ideals, the perception of the artificial interruption of pregnancy has become widely spread in society. Until the moment of birth, a child is often cynically called ‘a product of conception’ and denied the right to be regarded as a human being. The provision of operation for getting rid of a conceived child as a free of charge and easily available service financed from the public funds essentially justifies abortion in the public eye, equating it with treatment of an illness. We believe that abortions cannot be provided at the expense of taxpayers including believers, who are principled opponents of the forcible interruption of a new human life. We support the proposal to withdraw the payment for abortions from the Obligatory Medical Insurance funds.

The father of a conceived child, as well as those closest to the mother and medical workers have their own share of responsibility for an abortion made. We believe each conceived child must have the right to be born, whereas any encouragement for abortion on the part of doctors is categorically unacceptable.

Motherhood is a natural ability of a woman, her special gift and ultimate calling. In this connection, there is a great demand for the work of pregnancy crisis centers, which give consultative aid and reliable information about abortion and its consequences. We believe that the state should develop an effective concept of opposing abortion and, as one of the national policy priorities, allocate funds for the prevention of this pernicious phenomenon. Also, attention should be given to the material and psychological aid to women who have decided to keep the child as well as to lonely mothers who have found themselves in a difficult life situation. We support the effort of charitable foundations and public organizations, which stand for the protection of life and carry out programs of aid to those who have decided to refuse abortion.

We believe it necessary to change the information policy in favour of the assertion of family values, possession of many children and childbearing. It is extremely important that the mass media and advertising, often making a decisive influence on the mass conscience, should educate the younger generation for respect for the sacred gift of life, ideal of chastity, fidelity, mutual love and sacrifice and demonstrate the attractive image of a sound and happy family.

The task to support the family and to develop an effective demographic strategy is a matter of national security and an indispensable condition for making our country strong, prosperous, morally solid and spiritually rich. We call upon believers, all citizens of our country and the state to join efforts in the common task of saving children’s lives.

Share:
Message from the Primate of the Russian Church to His Holiness Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia in connection with blasphemous act on the ruins of ancient Ulpiana

14.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates on the feast of the 300th anniversary of the transfer of relics of St.Alexander Nevsky to St. Petersburg

12.09.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates All-night Vigil at the Christ the Savior Cathedral on the eve of Transfiguration

18.08.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' met with the Ambassador of India to Russia

30.07.2024

Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Awa III: Ukrainian government’s support for schism and persecution of the major canonical Church is a religious pogrom against the faithful Orthodox Christians of that country

24.07.2024

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church consecrates the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in the city of Tver.

21.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Liturgy at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius on the commemoration day of the saint

18.07.2024

The Primate of the Russian Church celebrates All-night Vigil at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

17.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius and reads akathist to the saint

17.07.2024

Patriarchal condolences on the death of Boris A. Nelyubov

14.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill congratulates His Holiness Patriarch Daniel of Bulgaria on his election and enthronement

30.06.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill Met with the Released Metropolitan Jonathan of Tulchin and Bratslav

25.06.2024

Patriarch Kirill led the bringing of the icon of the Holy Trinity, painted by the Venerable Andrei Rublev, to the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius

22.06.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with senior Russian Protestants

18.06.2024

Patriarch Kirill's Congratulations to Prime-Minister Narendra Modi on His Re-election as Head of the Government of India

12.06.2024

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with delegation of Orthodox Church in America

16.09.2024

DECR сhairman сelebrates in the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Paris

08.09.2024

Nice hosts celebrations marking 50th birthday and 14th anniversary of episcopal consecration of Patriarchal Exarch of Western Europe

06.09.2024

Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations meets with Slovenian Ambassador to Russia

30.08.2024

DECR chairman congratulates head of the Spiritual Directorate of the Muslims of the Caucasus on the occasion of his 7th birthday.

26.08.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates All-night Vigil at the Christ the Savior Cathedral on the eve of Transfiguration

18.08.2024

Holy Synod deems it expedient that Working Group for Cooperation between the Russian Church and Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs should continue its work

25.07.2024

Holy Synod recognizes importance of resuming theological consultations with Assyrian Church of the East

25.07.2024

Session of commission for international cooperation under the Russian Presidential Council for Interaction with Religious Associations takes place.

23.07.2024

DECR chairman meets with representative of the Macedonian Orthodox Church

23.07.2024

Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk meets with the Syrian ambassador to Russia.

22.07.2024

Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations meets with a delegation from Lebanon.

22.07.2024

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church consecrates the Holy Transfiguration Cathedral in the city of Tver.

21.07.2024

The Primate of the Russian Church celebrates All-night Vigil at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

17.07.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers at the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius and reads akathist to the saint

17.07.2024

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