Metropolitan Anthony: Growing manifestations of extremism threaten preservation of common Christian shrines in Holy Land

DECR Communication Service, 17.06.2022.

In his commentary to the TASS news agency, the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk pointed to the danger of continued manifestations of extremism with regard to Christian shrines in the Holy Land. Among the latest incidents of this kind was the attack made on June 6 by a group of radicals on the chapel of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem on Mount Zion.

The faithful of the Russian Church cherish the Holy Land. For centuries, our pilgrims have sought to venerate the places associated with the events and earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ. The growing manifestations of extremism threatens the preservation of common Christian shrines and call into question the opportunity for access to them. We rebel against the demonstrative desecration of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem’s chapel on Mount Zion. The Russian Orthodox Church resolutely support His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem who, together with other local Christian leaders, is struggling for the preservation of Christian presence in Jerusalem and in the whole Holy Land. Let us continue doing all that depends on us to support our brothers and draw the attention of the world public to this problem.

I hope that the state authorities of Israel will promptly respond to this lawlessness, find a way to curb the manifestations of extremism and ensure a harmonious and peaceful coexistence of communities of the three world religions in the city holy for them.

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Metropolitan Anthony: Growing manifestations of extremism threaten preservation of common Christian shrines in Holy Land

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons

Patriarch

Department Chairman

Sermons