Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church meets with Russian President

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 30, 2005, at the presidential residence at Novo-Ogarevo.

In the course of their talk, the President touched upon the subject of the Kulikovo Battle anniversary celebrations. ‘I would like to thank you for your participation in the celebrations marking the 625th anniversary of the victory in the Kulikovo field. I know that the celebrations were held on a high level’, Vladimir Putin said.

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy noted that the Kulikovo Battle initiated the unification of separate Russian principalities into one state. Through common efforts the Russian people protected not only their land and faith, but also Europe’, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church emphasized.

They discussed among other things the efforts of the Church and state in overcoming the spread of drug-addiction in the country. In November 2005, a church public forum will be held in Moscow on National Sphere of Responsibility: Authorities, Business Community, Society Against Drug-addiction in Russia. ‘We call upon the authority, the business community and the entire society to take part in the struggle with this evil, which, unfortunately, is spreading more and more’, His Holiness said, describing dependency on drug as a ‘disease of the century’.