Russian Orthodoxy Sees Progress in the Dialogue with Catholics

Moscow Metropolitan Hilarion in newspaper interview: A lot has happened in the past ten years - progress also in the political relationship between Russia and the Holy See

Rome (kath.net/KAP) Russia's Orthodox Church sees a "significant step" in dialogue with the Catholic Church. In the last ten years, much has been done in relation to each other. As well as between Russia and the Holy See, said the Foreign Minister of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolit Hilarion, the Italian daily "Il sole 24 ore" (Thursday). There is consensus on current problems such as the loss of spiritual values ​​and Christian persecution. "This is a problem which disturb both the Orthodox Church and the Holy See in all of our soul, and drives us to unite our forces to find a common solution," the Metropolitan said.

Hilarion spoke on the occasion of the upcoming Moscow visit by Cardinal Secretary Pietro Parolin from Sunday to Thursday. His main themes he identified as the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine; Also a peace solution for Syria would surely be an issue. Parolin's visit could help to approach different perspectives and find common solutions to different problems, says Hilarion, who will also meet with Parolin himself. "I will discuss with him the full range of bilateral relations between the Russian Orthodox and the Catholic Church, and hope that we can set new perspectives for further development."

With regard to the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, he said that this was still "the most delicate issue in the relations of the two churches." At the same time, the foreign official of the Moscow Patriarchate in the interview appreciates the admission of full diplomatic relations between Russia and the Vatican in 2009 as well as the historic first meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kiril I in Havana, Cuba in 2016, resulting in strengthening the collaboration of both churches.

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG 

Relic of Saint Nicholas Drawing of Millions of Pilgrims in Moscow

(Moscow) For the first time in the history of Russia, there are relics of St. Nicholas of Myra, one of the saints especially worshiped in the Orthodox Church, on Russian soil. After almost a thousand years, for the first time, a relic of the Saint has left Italy.

Arrival of the relic shrine at the Moscow airport

During their meeting in Cuba, Pope Francis and the Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill agreed in February 2016 that a relic of the Saint would visit Russia. This passed May 21, it was time. All the church bells in the Russian capital Moscow rang as a sign of the great joy over the arrival of the relic. In a spectacular procession, it was taken to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, where Patriarch Kirill celebrated Divine Liturgy.

Since 22 May, the relics have been venerated by the faithful in the patriarchal church. Millions of believers have come. Since then, people have been patiently standing in mile long lines in front of the cathedral to find their way in. Often, it takes eight to nine hours before they can step in front of the relic and just wait a few seconds. That is enough to touch or kiss the shrine. Prayer is "in the heart" on the way there, as the Russians say. For this reason, the pilgrimage line moves rather quickly. All the more surprising is the never-ending line in front of the cathedral.

On a dedicated website, believers report on their pilgrimage to the relic, including a young woman, Alena Romanenko. She said, "After I crossed myself and kissed the relic, the priest allowed me to kiss him a second time, no one pushed or protested ... I think that everything depends on what you carry in your heart and the Saint brings it."

A few seconds at the reliquary shrine

On all Moscow metro lines (the Russian capital has the world's fourth largest subway network after Shanghai, London and New York), the visitor to the St. Nicholas Reliquary has been given directions since May on how to come to the pilgrimage.

So far, only the exhibition of the girdle of Mary in 2011 and the relics of Saint Andrew 2003 had moved such crowds. In order to find something similar in the past, one has to go back to 1989, when the body of Sakharov was exhibited in Moscow, and the people were kept in long lines at a most inhospitable temperature of up to minus 20 degrees centigrade. (-4 Fahrenheit) Communist rule in the truest sense of the word.

Vladimir Putin, the current President of Russia, visited the relic on the evening of May 21st.

Until July 12, the relic remains in Moscow, then it is transfered to St. Petersburg to the Alexander Nevsky Monastery. In St. Petersburg, an equally impressive number of believers are expected. On the way to the shrine of the saint they will touch or kiss, they will pass the tombs of Dostoevsky and Musorgsky, who are buried there.

Remains of the Saint were translated to Bari from the Muslims

The faithful wait patiently in long lines

The mortal remains of the famous martyr bishop have been preserved since 1087 in the southern Italian city of Bari, where they had been brought for the protection from the Seljuk Muslims from the small Asiatic town of Myra (today Demre in Turkey). Since then they have not left the Apennine peninsula. After coming to terms with Patriarch Kiril on 19 June, part of a rib of the saint was recovered from the crypt below the altar of the basilica named after him in Bari. On the morning of May 21, 2017, Metropolitan Hilarion, the "Foreign Minister" of the Moscow Patriarchate, celebrated a Divine Litirgy at the St. Nicholas Basilica of Bari, attended by Monsignor Francesco Cacucci, Archbishop of the Apulian city. At the end of the liturgy, the metropolitain received the relic from the representatives of the Catholic Church.  Hilarion brought the relic to Russia, in a specially designed shrine where the relic was received at the Moscow airport with military honors.

At the request of the Patriarch, all the church bells of Moscow were ringing for this event at 6 pm. The relic reached Russian soil exactly on the eve of the feast, with which the Orthodox Church commemorates the transfer of the relics from Myra to Bari. With a grandiose procession, Patriarch Kirill accompanied the relic into the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, the main church of Russian Orthodoxy. The cathedral was blown up by the communist rulers in 1931, but after the end of the Soviet dictatorship it had once again been built up according to the original. On 19 August 2000 it was blessed by Patriarch Alexius II, the predecessor of Kyrill.

Great St. Nicholas procession of Veliteretskoye

Procession of Velitoretskoye

Also this year's Great Procession of Velikoretskoye, one of the great processions of Russia was marked by the presence of the relic of St. Nicholas. The procession, which ended on June 8, is actually a multi-day pilgrimage. It lasts from the 3rd to the 8th of June and finds its end in the inconspicuous place of Velikoretskoye on the river Velikaja in the remote Russia. In Velikoretskoye, about 50 kilometers northwest of Kirov, there is a monastery, where an ancient icon of St. Nicholas was preserved. The icon was found in 1383 by a farmer named Agalakov on the bank of the river. The revered icon is credited with numerous miracles. Soon the procession, still carried out today, was carried out, with the icon being carried 150 kilometers.

During the Soviet period it was first brought to the bishop's church of the city of Viatka, which was renamed by Stalin for the Communist leader Kirov, whom he had executed. When the Communists destroyed the Cathedral of Kirov in 1935, the icon was lost. The Great Procession was already forbidden at that time, but never broke off completely, as small groups of believers kept them secret. After the collapse of the Soviet regime, the pilgrimage was re-established and is now regarded as a sign of the orthodox rebirth of Russia. Since the early 1990s the pilgrimage takes place every year, even if only a replica of the old icon is available. In 2000, Patriarch Alexius II granted the event the status of an all-Russian procession. This year, 35,000 people came to a remote place, including Patriarch Kiril, who, through his personal presence, made the bridge to the relic of the saint, which was revered in Moscow.

https://youtu.be/DLjUmIDOFuo

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Bidl: Asianews

Trans: Tanceed vekron99@hotmail

Voice of America: "Meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kyril Part of the Message of Fatima"

(Rome) The Spanish-language newscast "El Mundo al Dia" Voice of America (VOA) reported on Wednesday yesterday on the of 5 PM (Washington time) broadcast of the general audience of Pope Francis in the late morning. "El Mundo al Dia" reported at time stamp 20'28'' of a prayer request by the Pope for good progress in the first meeting in Cuba with the Moscow Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Voice of America is the official state foreign broadcast of the US government. It broadcasts daily world news in English and 43 other languages from radio and television stations.

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On the the Pope's greeting  to the German pilgrims Voice of America reported:

"A few hours before the start of his historic pilgrimage to Mexico, Pope Francis made reference to a meeting  which after 1,000 years is almost unknown today. With a gesture of reconciliation, the Catholic Church will meet  with the Russian Orthodox Church, separated because of the Eastern schism since 1054 [Actually, Moscow didn't break with Rome till much later as a result of the Fourth Crusade and the sack of Constantinople], between

both their highest representatives in Havana on Cuba under the auspices and through the agency of  President Raul Castro. According to some historians, the approach is part of the conversion process of the Russian people, which began under the pontificate of John Paul II., and is part of the message that was revealed by the Virgin of Fatima when she appeared in the beginning of the 20th century to three shepherd children."

What did the German spokesman say at the general audience on behalf of Pope Francis?

"Dear friends, in the coming days I will visit Mexico. I ask you to accompany my Apostolic Journey and the meeting with Patriarch Kirill in Cuba with your prayers. Thank you so much! I wish you a good start of Lent. "

Voice of America reported that Havana was chosen as a meeting place, because, among other things Cuban President Raul Castro mediated the meeting.[How heartwarming.]

The US Government station sees connection between meetings in Cuba and apparition of Fatima

In addition, the official foreign transmitter of the US government provided a link between the meetings and the Message of Fatima on the conversion of the Russian people. At the time when Mary appeared to the shepherd children in Fatima,  Russia was in the midst of the revolution. With the February Revolution, the [legitimate] czarist regime had been overthrown. With the October Revolution, shortly after the apparition, the Bolsheviks violently seized domination and established the totalitarian Soviet Union, which officially existed until 1991. Our Lady had requested the consecration of Russia  to her Immaculate Heart at Fatima, then Russia will be converted, otherwise it would "spread her errors throughout the world, which will give rise to wars and persecutions of the Church. The good will be martyred, the Holy Father will have much to suffer, various nations will be annihilated, but at the end my Immaculate Heart will triumph."  "The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me which will be converted, and in the world is a time of peace to be given."  From  the so-called Second Secret of Fatima.

It is astonishing that the official foreign transmitter of the US government establishes a link between the meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill and the Fatima message of 1917.  It is a relationship which has not been picked up on by any official Catholic media, certainly not the media of the Vatican.

Voice of America was founded in 1940 under the leadership of Nelson Rockefeller as an instrument of propaganda during World War II. Its present name was given to the transmitter in 1942. The Spanish-speaking section of Voice of America is the oldest non-English department that aired programs to counteract Nazi influence on Latin America.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi

Bild VOA (Screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

When the Most Catholic Voice in Rome is the Moscow Patriarchate, That Should Be a Problem

(Rome) When one of the most Catholic voices in Rome   is that  of the Moscow Patriarchate, this is a problem. Last Tuesday  Hilarion of Volokolamsk Metropolitan addressed the Pope and the Synod of Bishops, a  message of greeting from the Moscow Patriarchate.  Archbishop Hilarion is head of the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Orthodox Church. Here is the full speech of Metropolitan. The highlights come from the editorial:

Holiness,
Beatitudes, Eminences and Excellencies,

On behalf of His Holiness Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, and the whole Russian Orthodox Church, I address our fraternal greetings to you all on the occasion of the XIV. General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops of the Catholic Church, which is dedicated to the theme of the family.

In our turbulent and unsettling world, man needs solid and unshakable foundations on which he can rely in order to fully trust to be able to build  their  lives on them. The secular society that is geared primarily to the satisfaction of individual desires can give man no clear moral orientations. The crisis of traditional values ​​that we experience in the consumer society leads to a contradiction between the different preferences, even in family relationships. When on the one side,  extreme feminism  sees in  motherhood an obstacle to  the self-realization of women who have children, on the other hand, more and more regard children as a right that can be realized by any means. Increasingly, the family is seen as a connection between two people, regardless of their gender, and it is believed that the individual can choose the affiliation to one or the other sex according to his personal taste.

On the other hand, new problems occur that directly affect the foundations of the traditional family. The armed conflicts of the modern world causing a mass exodus from the war-affected regions towards the richer countries. Emigration often leads to breaking of family ties while creating a new social environment, creating  connections that often have an interethnic and inter-religious character.

These challenges and threats are, for all Christian churches alike, the need to look for the answers, by relying on the order entrusted to them by Christ,  to lead the people to salvation. Unfortunately, we often hear in Christian circles, voices demanding that there be a "Modernization" of the Church's conscience, thus the rejection of the apparently Christian apparently obsolete doctrine on the family. Nevertheless, we must not forget  the words of the Apostle Paul to the Christians in Rome: "conform  not on this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God: what He desires, is what is good and perfect."

The Church is called to be a light and a beacon in the darkness of this world, and Christians are called to be the "salt of the earth" and "light of the world". We all need to remember the harrowing admonition of the Savior: "If the salt loses its savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is good for nothing; it is thrown out and trampled by men."  (cf.. Mt. 5:13 to 14). Such a salt that has lost the power of its own taste, are in our time what some Protestant communities who call themselves Christian but preach moral ideals  that are incompatible with Christianity. When a community of this kind, introduces the rite of blessing  homosexual unions, and a lesbian woman who describes herself as a "bishop", who prompts her churches to remove the crosses from the steeples and replace them with Islamic crescents, can such a community may be called "church"? Before our eyes is Christianity is  betrayed by those who are willing to play the game of secularized, anti-clerical and Godless society.

The leadership of various countries of Europe and America, despite numerous protests, even by the Catholic faithful, continue a policy aimed deliberately at destroying the understanding of family. Not only are homosexual connections made legally equivalent to marriage. One goes so far as  to prosecute those who because of their Christian faith, refuse to register these connections. Immediately after the end of the visit of Pope Francis, the American president Barack Obama has openly declared that the rights of homosexuals are more important than religious freedom. This clearly shows the intention of the secular authority to continue the attack against the healthy forces of society who defend  traditional family values. The Catholics are in the front line in this fight, and just against the Catholic Church, there is a veritable campaign of discredit and lies under way. Therefore, the force in defending the Christian conviction and fidelity to the tradition of the Church today are particularly necessary.

Society today comes to resemble more and more  the foolish man, "who built his house on sand" (Mt see. 7.26). It is the duty of the Church, to remind   society of its established foundation - the family as a union between man and woman, who has the birth and education of children as its goal. Only such a family, established by the Lord at the time of the creation of the world itself, is able to prevent the release of modern society into the abyss of moral relativism, or at least slow it down.

The Orthodox Church, like the Catholic, has always followed the Holy Scriptures and Holy Tradition in their teaching about the family and established the principle of the sanctity of marriage affirming that  based on the words of the Savior Himself (cf.. Matt 19:6 ;. Mk 10:9) In our time, this position must be united and unanimous. We must work together to defend dialogue with the legislative and executive powers of each country and at the level of international institutions such as the UN and the European Union. We can not only limit ourselves to exhortations. We need to ensure the legal protection of the family completely.

The solidarity of the Church and all people of good will is essential for the purpose, to protect the family from the threats of the secular world, and thus to safeguard our future. I hope that the fruit of this Synodal Assembly will be a development of Catholic-Orthodox collaboration in this direction.

I wish you peace, God's blessing and success in your work!

Translation: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Il Timone

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

Wagner's Tannhäuser With Jesus in Bordello -- Freedom and the German Feature Pages

(Moscow) The director's theater can sometimes spoil  the full musical experience in an opera house. Theater managers  and directors who put themselves in scene and trample over music, composer, librettist and their intentions with the "lightness" of elephants in a magnificent rose garden.

Actually the Russian Novosibirsk with a wanted to honor the Tannhäuser of Richard Wagner with an adaptation. But the theater director Timothy Kuljabin intended to deface the "most Catholic" of Wagner operas with a "Jesus-sex scene" (Die Welt). The redemption theme in conjunction with the Catholic Church is difficult for a disbelieving director to do.  Intellectual honesty would require one  to refuse a commission with which you can not identify. In general, the artist director decided not to do without, but to enjoy himself  by the "deconstruction" of the works.

After protests from the audience and the Orthodox Church, the Novosibirsk  cancelled the staging  and dismissed theater director Boris Mesdritsch. He had defended Kuljabins sacrilege and refused to publicly apologize for offending religious feelings.

Is there a "right" to blasphemy?

Kuljabin presents himself remains unapologetic and complained of the "right" to offend God, religion and the religious feelings of Christians. A charge of blasphemy was rejected in a court in Novosibirsk.

Since then, Kuljabin has portrayed himself as a defender of  "common sense" and as a victim of "ultra-radicalism", "censorship" and "paternalism". Doubts about Kuljabins common sense abound.

The daily Die Welt  immediately aligned itself on the side of "artistic freedom" and denounced critics of blasphemy and Tannhäuser  together as "militant Orthodox activists". In no time there were well-known alliances of the liberal left-crowd and old-communist cliques to defend an egocentric "freedom".

Unknown Director Was an Overnight "Celebrated Young Star" in German Feature Pages

Timothy Kuljabin

The 30-year Kuljabin  Tannhäuser scandal was indeed known  to Russia insiders, but outside he was unknown.  Since  presenting his blasphemy on stage, he has mutated overnight into a "star" for the German culture journalist. The features section of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung made ​​him even the "much celebrated young star ".

What catapulted Kuljabin  to media darling, is Tannhäuser, which comes from the   film "Venus Grotto" about Jesus in a brothel. Tannhäuser is the film director, Jesus one of the actors, who is surrounded by half-naked prostitutes. The advertising promoting the production shows  Jesus between two woman legs on a large movie poster.

Protest by Metropolitan Tikhon

Metropolitan Tikhon of Novosibirsk initiated a charge last February for blasphemy. The lower court judge ruled on the side of director and artistic director, and decreed that religious symbols have been used in "artistic context".

Mesdritsch offered the Archbishop a public debate on Kuljabins Tannhäuser adaptation. Metropolitan Tikhon felt duped and sent a letter to the Governor of Nowosibrisk. In the letter, he explained that a public debate only makes sense if the performance in the current production is to be suspended.

 Novosibirsk Director Dismissed

Christians gathered in front of the Opera House in protest and prayer. The new director of Novosibirsk was the artistic director of the St. Petersburg Mikhailovsky Theatre, Vladimir Kechman. Kechman had a week-long discussion  on Kuljabin's Tannhäuser blasphemy and criticized him for it. There was no cause for government art programs to insult people and to serve as a stage for the self-promotion of individuals.

The Lenkom- and the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow however, have offered Kuljabin the opportunity to be able to produce on their stages "what he wants". This too is a form of defending "freedom of art" or in other words to express the aversion to Christianity.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Picture: Channel 24 (Screenshots)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

AMDG

Patriarch of Moscow Positive About Ecumenical Course with Rome

Moscow Patriarch Kyrill I on "gay marriage": In a consumer society no one wants to relinquish his vice: "On the contrary, vice is legalized and legitimized."

Moscow (kath.net/KNA) The Moscow Patriarch Kyrill I. is expressed himself hopefully for ecumenical collaboration.  The Russian Orthodox Church is in "open dialog with the Roman Catholic Church" and hopes, that this dialog will continue to develop together with the Pope, said the Patriarch in a television interview on Orthodox Easter.

Patriarch Kyrill stressed the positive development already begun under Benedict XVI. He hopes that this trend will continue and deepen with Francis.  The new Pope is "open to social problems and sensitive to social injustice."

Under Benedict XVI. (2005-2013) relations are to have essentially improved between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, because it was decided, to put aside some "extravagant projects", said the Patriarch with a view to an earlier proposed visit to Moscow.  There is a common challenge for both churches.

As for so-called gay marriage, Kyrill I said, in the consumer culture no one wants to give up his vices: "On the contrary, vices will be legalized and legitimized."  All this leads to a "destruction of personality" and to possible economic, financial, political or ecological crises.  The enormous protest in Paris against "gay marriage" had been a "joyous surprise", said the Patriarch.  He had not expected such a powerful, religiously motivated protest.

Link...

Words of Praise from Russian Orthodox Leaders for Benedict XVI

Kyrill I: In the “difficult situation”, in which western Christianity today finds itself, the Pope “courageously” defends the positions and moral values of his church.

Moscow(kath.net/KNA) The Head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kyrill I, has recently found words of praise for Pope Benedict XVI.. In the “difficult situation” in which western Christianity finds itself, the Pope has defended “courageously” the positions and moral values of his church said Kyrill II according to church reports of Sunday evening during a meeting with the new Russian Ambassador to the Holy See, Alexander Awdrejew. Without these positions the Church would not be able to endure any longer and be transformed into a “mixture of various Christian organizations”.

The Patriarch stresses at the same time the stand points of the Russian Orthodox and the Catholic Church agree in the “most significant questions of the past”. Both churches should continue to work together, so that the Christian message as much in the East as also in the West will be convincingly preached. Kremlin Chief, Vladimir Putin had named the former Russian Culture Minister Awdejew as Ambassador of to the Holy See in January.

Since the election of Benedict XVI., the diplomatic and ecumenical relations between the Russian Orthodox and Catholic Church have been remarkably improved. According to the political change of 1989, the Moscow Patriarchate reproached Rome for building of Catholic church structures in the states of the earlier Soviet Union, to serve to proselytize their faithful. The Patriarchate consider the Federation States as the canonical territory of Orthodoxy.

 Link to kath.net…


Also a Russian Orthodox theologian has his own words of praise for Pope Benedict:

Russian scholar praises Benedict XVI, slams John Paul II

Moscow, February 12, Interfax - Outgoing Pope Benedict XVI "has been able to strengthen the Catholic Church and improve relations with" the Russian Orthodox Church, a Russian religious scholar said.

"His decision to resign deserves respect. He has been a powerful leader, and would be able to continue his mission successfully if it weren't for his age," Roman Silantyev told Interfax-Religion.

Benedict took charge of what was "a church that had been seriously weakend by his predecessor," Silantyev said.

"John Paul II wanted to be liked by everyone, and as a result he did huge harm to the Catholics, turning millions of people away from his Church. His tenure saw mass-scale closures or conversions of Catholic Churches in Europe. Seminaries with histories spanning many centuries lost their students, and orphanages in Third World countries became the main source of new clergy," the scholar said.

During Benedict's tenure, "the useless 'thrust toward the East' [alleged proselytism by Uniates], which was taking up huge resources, has come to an end, there has been an improvement in relations with the Russian Orthodox Church, which has proved to be the Vatican's main ally in asserting the Christian way of life in the European Union," Silantyev said.

Benedict "hasn't had the idee fixe of coming to Moscow because he has repeatedly met with the incumbent Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia anyway," he said.

"It appears to be most likely that an Italian cardinal will be elected to this post," Silantyev said.

Grass Roots Orthodox Group Seeks Ban on Homosexual Propaganda

Edit: it's a gradual restoration of the values of Christendom. Here's the article from interfax:
Orthodox activists demand closure of gay clubs, ban on homosexual "propaganda" in Moscow

Moscow, October 9, Interfax - Orthodox activists will be seeking a ban on homosexual "propaganda" in Moscow.

"Homosexuality and its propaganda are grave sins. We will be seeking the closure of gay clubs in Moscow and a general ban on same-sex 'love,'" the Orthodox public movement Narodny Sobor (People's Council) told Interfax-Religion.

Narodny Sobor believes Moscow parliamentarians could follow the example of their colleagues in St. Petersburg and other cities, where the propaganda of homosexuality among minors has already been banned.

A law envisioning administrative liability for the propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia among minors became effective in St. Petersburg on March 17, 2012.

Legislation banning the propaganda of homosexuality has been passed in some regions of Russia, specifically, in the Ryazan, Arkhangelsk, Kostroma, and Novosibirsk regions.
Link to interfax-religion...

Traditionalist Group Spreads Catholic Faith in Moscow

Summorum Pontificum


A German Cleans up Moscow

Even in the capital city of Russia the little plants of the Old Mass are showing themselves to a greater and more powerful tree. -- kreuz.net

(kreuz.net)  Since January 2011 there has been a website 'summorum-pontificum.ru'.

In the sign of the Sacred Heart of Jesus


The web title page is published by the "Society of the Most Precious Heart of Jesus".

The society was founded in 2010 on All Hallows by Moscow Catholics.

Huber was born in the 30,000 population city Buhl -- about 10km south west of Baden-Baden in the immediate vicinity of the Elsace border.

For 10 years he has lived and worked in Moscow.

Destructive and sinful

"It wasn't until 2008 that I visited Holy Mass in the ancient Roman Rite for the first time in Moscow."

For him it is clear, "that this Liturgy is the complete unabridged Catholic Faith celebrated to the honor of God".

At the same time he was surprised that this Liturgy has been so significantly criticized in the Catholic Church:

"That appears to me completely senseless -- even destructive and sinful".

Maintain Permanently


The founding of the "Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus" was for Huber a consequential step back to Tradition:

"We experience much joy and gratitude in this work for the Catholic Faith."

Huber's society would like to organize and permanently maintain the worthy celebration of the Old Mass in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary in Moscow.

Additionally they promote the spiritual lives of members through Eucharistic adoration, the Holy Office, the ember days, the Rosary and spiritual exercises.

The Society is also taking pains to promote the Old Mass in all Russian regions.

Invitation to Priests

Huber invites priests, who celebrate the Old Mass, to celebrate it in the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.

The Old Mass will be celebrated there every Sunday at 5pm in the large chapel of the Cathedral.

translated from: Link to kreuz.net....

Patriarch Kirill Blessed Putin for Highest Office in Russia

Moscow, May 11, Interfax - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia prayed for Putin's wise governance on Monday, the day of his inauguration.

"Majority of our people deliberately, reasonably and freely have chosen you the President of the Russian Federation. Today we ardently prayed in this old Kremlin, where many of your pious predecessors were blessed for the highest work for the Motherland, so that the Lord would be merciful to you and our country, give you spiritual and physical strength, wisdom, courage and strength of spirit," the Patriarch said addressing Putin after a prayer service in the Kremlin Annunciation Cathedral.

According to the Primate, to make the work successful, it is necessary to hear people's voice.


Read further at interfax...

Moscow Library Erects Memorial to John Paul II

It's about an "extraordinary gesture of the Russian State", said the Catholic Cathedral Rector of Moscow Jozef Zaniewski.

Moscow(kath.net/KNA)For the first time a Russian institution has erected a memorial for Pope John Paul II (1978-2005). In the inner court of the Moscow State Library for foreign literature a statue will be inaugurated on 14. October, says the Catholic Cathedral office in Moscow.

It is about an "extraordinary gesture of the Russian State", said Pastor Jozef Zaniewksi for the Polish media. John Paul II would have wanted to have visited Russia. This unfulfilled wish is enshrined by this memorial. The Moscow Patriarchate had declined a visit then.

The figure was financed according to the library by the Polish company and a company. It shows the former Pontiff of the Catholic Church siting with a book in his hand. The statue was created by a Polish and a Ukranian sculptor.

Link here...

Modernization in Russia to base on moral norms - Patriarch Kirill

Moscow, March 3, Interfax - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia urged to modernize Russia basing on moral principles and historical experience.

"True modernization always bases on modern principles... Modernization without moral dimension turns to unrestrained pursuit of temporary goods and pleasures, heartless technocracy, results in perverted relations between people," the Patriarch said on Thursday at a ceremonial session dedicated to 150 anniversary of serfdom cancellation in Russia at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.

According to him, a lesson of the 19th century reforms is that even most sensible and logical reforms "didn't resonate with ordinary people if they were performed impetuously, without looking back to the previous experience and traditions."

Read further...Interfax.

Moscow jihadist shouted "I will kill you all" before setting off his bomb

World leaders issue their usual expressions of sorrow and outrage (not reproduced below; why bother?) -- but what will they end up doing to try to prevent another attack like this? Not much in the way of actual focus on the real perpetrators. "'I will kill you all': at least 35 die in Moscow airport bombing," by Maria Antonova and Stuart Williams for AFP, January 25:

H/t: Jihad Watch

Acting mayor against gay rallies in Moscow

Moscow, September 29, Interfax - Acting Moscow Mayor Vladimir Resin has said he will continue with Yury Luzhkov's policy of not authorizing gay pride parades in the Russian capital.

"I don't support that. None of them have contacted me," Resin told reporters on Wednesday commenting on the decision made by the prefecture of the Moscow Central District to allow a protest organized by gay activists on October 1.

This is the first protest organized by gay activists to be allowed by the authorities.

The official said the purpose of the protest as stated in the application is to call for a boycott in the use of Swiss Airlines due to an incident that occurred at Moscow Domodedovo airport on September 15, when Nikolay Alexeyev, Russia's most prominent gay rights activist, was seized by men he thinks were special security agents.

Link at Interrfax...

200 Churches Will Be Built in Moscow

After almost a century of socialism, Russians are going to Mass again and finding hope. Everywhere else, Christianity seems to be in retreat, but Russia is the great contradiction.

200 new Orthodox churches will be built in Moscow in the next 30 years, says a project considered by Moscow's Mayor Yuri Luzhkov and the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill.

They discussed changes in Moscow's architecture which also includes building new churches.

According to Kirill, 90 percent of Muscovites are Orthodox and altogether they need some 590 new churches.

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Patriarch Kirill consecrates icon on Kremlin tower

Moscow, August 30, Interfax - Last Saturday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and about thousand believers attended a solemn ceremony of consecrating an icon over the gates of the Moscow Kremlin Spasskaya Tower held by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

At 03:00 p.m. sharp with chimes striking, the President and the Patriarch walked out of the Kremlin Building No. 1 and proceeded through the Spasskaya Tower gate to the square. After a prayer service, Patriarch Kirill came up to a platform decorated with white flours that was then elevated to the level of the icon. The Primate sprinkled the icon with holy water and blessed the believers.

Ceremony of opening the icon over the gates was timed for the Assumption. Earlier that day the Primate celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral.

St. Andrew the First-Called Foundation had initiated the reinstallation of icons over the gates of the Moscow Kremlin towers as far back as in 2007. The project received the government support and the blessing of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia.

In April 2010, experts of the Interregional Scientific and Restoration Office made probes of the icon-cases of the Spasskaya and Nikolskaya Towers. The research has confirmed the hypothesis that the icons were preserved under the layer of plaster.

Ancient icons were discovered on the Spasskaya and Nikolskaya Towers of the Kremlin. They were walled in during Soviet times and have been deemed lost for a long time now.

According to the existing historical materials, the Spasskaya Tower houses the icon of the Savior depicted with St. Sergius and St. Varlaam falling down at His feet. The icon was painted to commemorate the rescue from the siege of Moscow by the army of Magmet Girey in 1521. The mural on the Nikolskaya Tower dates back to the late 15th - early 16th centuries. During the civil fights in October 1917, the icon of St. Nikolas of Mozhaysk was riddled with shots, but his face escaped unharmed which the Moscow believers considered a miracle.

Link to original...Interfax.

Idealistic Young Priest Preached to Moscow's Muslim Immigrants

Voices From Russia

I last met with Fr Daniil just last week… I was going to write an article about his missionary school. He opened it two years ago at his parish, St Thomas church. Classes meet twice a week, the curriculum includes a comparative analysis of Islam and Orthodox Christianity, the strengths and weaknesses of each religion, and in-depth study of both the Koran and the Bible. Fr Daniil, himself half-Tatar in ancestry, was the only priest in Moscow who advocated preaching Orthodoxy amongst the migrants and guest workers. His clerical colleagues called him the “Orthodox Wahhabi” for the fire gleaming in his eyes and his passionate speeches.

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Famous Orthodox Missionary Murdered by Masked Gunman in Moscow

Moskau (kath.net/RNA)

35 Year old priest Daniil Syssojew was one of the most active missionaries in the Russian Orthodox Church.

He was killed by numerous shots fired at him in his church along with another priest who was wounded. It is possible that he was murdered out of religious motivations, as Interfax Agency the reported on Friday. Accordingly, a masked man was seen bursting into the church that Thursday evening.

He fired on Syssojew and wounded also another priest. The state prosecuter suspects radical Islamists or sects of the crime had assaulted the priest

Link to article..

Interfax...