MOSCOW: Patriarch Kirill Calls For Unity Between Russia And Armenia

PATRIARCH KIRILL CALLS FOR UNITY BETWEEN RUSSIA AND ARMENIA

The Voice of Russia
March 18 2010

Patriarch Kirill, currently on an official visit to Yerevan, has
consecrated the foundation stone of an Orthodox church to be built
in the Armenian capital in the next few years. His Holiness has
also visited another Orthodox church where he met with the Russian
compatriots.

The Russian Diaspora in Armenia includes several thousand descendants
from the former Soviet republics, and the Armenians demonstrate
a kind-hearted attitude to Russians. Nevertheless, there are few
Orthodox churches. The new one, to be known as the Church of the
Elevation of the Life-Creating Cross, will be the third.

Addressing the congregation, Patriarch Kirill said his visit aims at
supporting the Russian Diaspora who should live in fraternal peace
with the people of Armenia:

"The Armenian Diaspora in Russia is large enough, and Armenians are
fully integrated into the Russian society. But Russians in Armenia
are not that many. And they are people of different descent. But we
are one Orthodox family and should live in peace and harmony".

In the opinion of Patriarch Kirill, Armenia has all the conditions
for Russians to maintain and develop their cultural identity. Several
dozen Russian schools are attended by Russians and Armenians alike:

"The Russian believers should cement Orthodox faith and they should
also make their own contribution to Armenian cultural and religious
traditions, so that they could participate freely in the country’s
social life. Our common Christian roots create a solid foundation
for good neighborly relations between Armenia and countries taking
spiritual guidance from the Russian Orthodox Church".

Timed for Patriarch Kirill’s visit was the presentation of two of
his books in Armenian translation which took place at the Yerevan
State University. His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
Kirill was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of the Yerevan State
University, the country’s top higher education establishment. The
title-awarding ceremony was attended by the head of the Armenian
Apostolic Church Garegin II.