Home page News
A representative of the Russian Orthodox Church to…

A representative of the Russian Orthodox Church took part in a press conference on anti-religious actions in Europe

DECR Communication Service, 04.08.2023.

On the 2nd of August, the Rossiya Segodnya International Multimedia Press Centre held a press conference on the new wave of anti-religious actions in European countries. In particular, the recent acts of burning Qurans in Sweden and Denmark were discussed.

The event was organised by the Cultural Representation at the Iranian Embassy in Russia. Among its participants were Kazem Jalali, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the Russian Federation, Damir Mukhetdinov, First Deputy Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation, Alikber Alikberov, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Masoud Ahmadvand, Head of the Cultural Representation at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Russia.

With the blessing of the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Deacon Ilia Kashitsyn, Acting Secretary for Interreligious Relations of the DECR, took part in the press conference.

Journalists and members of the public were in attendance.

The aim of the event was to reflect on the causes and consequences of blasphemous actions fr om the perspective of religious and political figures and the expert community.

The participants noted the pronounced application of a policy of "double standards" in the reaction of the international community, individual countries and global organisations to the desecration of religious symbols under the guise of expressing the freedom of human choice. The good example of interethnic and interreligious relations in Russia, wh ere such actions are unacceptable for the majority of the population, had been stated. In his speech, the representative of the Russian Orthodox Church drew attention to the fact that similar actions with burning of Christian holy books were practiced several years ago by the militants of the terrorist organisation "Islamic State" in the captured territories in Syria and Iraq (Salwan Momika, who committed the burning of the Quran at the Embassy of Iraq in Stockholm on 28 June 2023, is the native of Iraq).) Mentioning that the preconditions for the emergence and strengthening of terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa arose after foreign interference in the affairs of sovereign states, the conference participants recalled that it was the Russian Federation that was able to neutralise the terrorist threat in the region. In addition, speakers noted that attempts to offend the feelings of believers should be seen in the context of key developments on the world stage, such as the degradation of international law, the threat of a world war, attempts at cultural bans, and discrimination on national and religious grounds.

The representative of the Russian Orthodox Church also drew attention to the fact that long before the current events, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus’ had already warned of the threat to the very existence of mankind in the case of continued indulgence of any human desires and passions, the cultivation of a consumerist, self-centred and immoral way of life.

A full recording of the press conference is available on the website of Rossiya Segodnya.

Share:
Condolences of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill to the Primate of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in connection with the terrorist attack at the Church of the Prophet Elijah in Damascus

22.06.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Elders

19.06.2025

Primate of the Russian Church celebrates Liturgy at the Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra on the Feast of the Holy Trinity

08.06.2025

Representatives of the Local Orthodox Churches participate in Patriarchal service on the occasion of Saints Cyril and Methodius Day.

24.05.2025

Congratulatory Address by the members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill on the occasion of his name’s day.

24.05.2025

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church participates in the Paschal reception at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia

20.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill congratulates Pope Leo XIV on his election to the See of Rome

09.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro

08.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with the President of Cuba

08.05.2025

Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church awarded highest order of the Republic of Serbia

08.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić

08.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill: AFU attack on the church in Belgorod region indicates lack of Christian faith of those who committed it 

07.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with Sheikh ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazade, Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims’ Board

05.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill meets with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev

03.05.2025

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill arrives in Baku

03.05.2025

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