Home page News
Major Orthodox public forum, 21st International Christm…

Major Orthodox public forum, 21st International Christmas Readings, opens in Moscow

January 24, 2013 – the 21st International Christmas Educational Readings were opened by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia at the State Kremlin Palace. This year the theme of the Reading is Traditional Values and the Modern World.

 

Sitting in the presidium of the forum, along with prominent hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, are high-ranking state officials including Head of the Presidential Administration S. Ivanov, Vice-chairman of the State Duma A. Torshin, Deputy Chair of the State Duma L. Shvetsova, Minister of Education and Science D. Livanov, Minister of Culture V. Medinsky, Presidential Envoy for Central Russia A. Beglov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee for Public and Religious Organizations Ya. Nilov, Moscow Deputy Mayor for Regional Security and Information Policy A. Gorbenko, President of the Russian Academy of Education N. Nikandrov.

 

The Christmas Readings are attended by bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, representatives of Local Orthodox Churches, state officials and public leaders, Russian and foreign scholars, staff of synodal structures, and teachers of secular and church educational institutions.

 

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church addressed the meeting.

 

Messages of greetings were brought from President V. Putin, Prime Minister D. Medvedev, Council of the Federation Speaker V. Matvienko, State Duma Speaker S. Naryshkin and Moscow Mayor S. Sobyanin.

 

The gathering was also addressed by D. Livanov, V. Medinski and Metropolitan Mercury of Rostov and Novocherkassk, chairman of the Department for Religious Education and Catechism.

 

During the opening session there was an award ceremony for the winners of the Russian National Contest ‘For the Teacher’s Moral Feat’. The contest is held annually by the Ministry of Education and Science and the ROC Department for Religious Education and Catechism with the support of Presidential Envoys in federal regions.

 

After the award ceremony, a speech was made by President of the Russian Academy of Education N. Nikandrov. Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Department for External Church Relations, presented a paper on ‘Traditional Values – a Challenge to the Secular Worldview’.

 

In conclusion of the opening session, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill remarked that the task of the Russian Orthodox Church was to bear witness tracing back to the apostolic times and preserved by the church tradition. ‘I should say that in recent times we see certain signs showing that many of those who were born and raised in completely different traditions and in a different moral climate take in this witness with consideration and interest. God grant that the Christmas Readings may help us all to come to a better understanding of all that is associated with the main theme of these Readings – with the meaning, substance and importance of traditional moral God-established values for human life. God grant that this may give us an opportunity for reflecting on the importance of tradition itself as a mechanism of handing down values from generation to generation, from culture to culture and for being asserted in this understanding’, His Holiness noted, reminding the audience again of the special importance of church witness before the modern world.

 

The 21st International Christmas Readings will be held till January 26 and will end in the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated at the Church of Christ the Saviour on Sunday, January 27.

 

According to the Patriarchal Press Service, the forum is attended by over 8 thousand people including representatives of 148 dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Great Britain, Germany, Canada, France, and Switzerland. Among the participants are also delegations from Greece and Georgia. Fifty four bishops will chair the work of conferences, sections and round tables.

 

For the first time the Christmas Readings are accompanied by parliamentary meetings in the State Duma devoted to topical issues of societal life.

 

DECR Communication Service

Share:
Αγιώτατος Πατριάρχης Κύριλλος: Η παραβίαση των δικαιωμάτων των πιστών της Ουκρανικής Ορθοδόξου Εκκλησίας αναγνωρίζεται στους απολογισμούς των διεθνών οργανισμών προστασίας ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων.

20.12.2024

Phone conversation took place between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and His Beatitude Patriarch John of Antioch

12.12.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill expressed sympathy and full support to the Primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Church

12.12.2024

The Primate of the Russian Church is fervently praying for the Patriarch, bishops, clergy, and flock of the Antiochian Church

12.12.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with the Chairman of the Senate of the Republic of Kazakhstan

22.11.2024

Phone conversation took place between the Primates of Russian and Serbian Orthodox Churches

17.11.2024

Telephone conversation held between His Holiness Patriarch Kirill and the Primate of the Malankara Church of India

01.11.2024

Address by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the VIII World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad

30.10.2024

Order of Right-Believing Prince Daniel of Moscow presented to Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk by Patriarch Kirill

24.10.2024

Primate of the Russian Church celebrates Divine Liturgy in the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius Lavra on the commemoration day of St. Sergius of Radonezh

09.10.2024

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrates Little Vespers and Akathistos hymn to St. Sergius in the Lavra of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius

07.10.2024

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

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