+Alexis II Speaks On Day Of Peoples Unity

[Kollyvas]

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Patriarch Alexy speaks on the Day of People’s Unity

On 4 November 2005 the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church visited Nizni Novgorod, where he called on a famous fair and reception given by V. Shantsev, governor of Nizni Novgorod Region, on the occasion of the Day of People’s Unity. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy addressed all the present his welcome speech.

He congratulated the participants on the Day of People’s Unity and on the feast of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and said:

‘The coincidence of these two feasts are very significant for us, Orthodox people. The icon of the Mother of God called Kazan more than once became a sign of God’s mercy to our Fatherland and united people for the defense of their country. This miraculous icon was brought to Nizni Novgorod from Kazan in 1612 and accompanied the people’s guard from here on to Moscow.

We believe that the Day of People’s Unity the whole multinational Russia will be celebrate from then on, will be the day reminding us about true unselfish ministry to the Fatherland. The feat of the guards leaded by Minin and Pozharsky was real manifestation of ‘civil society’.

To preserve and strengthen the power of Russia, our society needs unity of people belonging to different classes and confessions based on self-sacrificing love to our country. Celebrating of the Day of People’s Unity is also necessary to stop the processes that tend to replace traditional spiritual and moral guiding lines in public life. Selfless love to the neighbor, devotion to the Fatherland, careful attitude to family, and creative work should become a standard of life for every Russian citizen.

Nizni Novgorod has become the center of today’s celebrations commemorating the best pages of our history’.

His Holiness expressed his gratitude to S. Kirieenko, RF President’s plenipotentiary in the Privolzhsky federal district, V. Shantsev, Nizni Novgorod governor, V. Bulavinov, head of Nizni Novgorod administration and all participants in celebrations of the Day of People’s Unity in Nizni Novgorod.

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Festive reception in the Kremlin

On 4 November 2005, Russian President Vladimir Putin gave a reception in honour of the Day of National Unity in St.George’s Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace.

Attending the reception on behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church were Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna; Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations; Metropolitan Sergiy of Voronezh and Borisoglebsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for church charity and social ministry; Bishop Alexander of Dmitrov, vicar bishop of the Moscow diocese; Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for Relations with the Army and Law Enforcement; Archpriest Vladimir Siloviev, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Publishing House; hegumen Ioasaf (Poluyanov), head of the Patriarchal centre for spiritual development of children and young people at St.Daniel’s monastery in Moscow; Priest Mikhail Dudko, DECR secretary for state-society relations; Archpriest Alexy Zlobin, rector of the church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in the village of Gordon, Tver region; Archpriest Artemiy Vladimirov, head of St.Philaret's Brotherhood; hieromonk Anatoliy (Berestov), head of the Rehabilitation centre for assisting those who suffer from drug, alcohol, game and other addictions; Priest Dimitriy Olovyannikov, chairman of the Department for church charity and social ministry of the Moscow diocese; Archpriest Andrei Goryachev, rector of the church of the Tikhvin Mother of God in Moscow.

Also attending the reception were Orthodox laymen – heads and representatives of international and Russian charity organizations, regional charity associations, heads and representatives of social institutions and organizations, volunteers and participants in charity projects.