His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II blessed a new building of the Unity of Orthodox Nations Foundation

HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH ALEXY II BLESSED A NEW BUILDING OF THE UNITY OF ORTHODOX NATIONS FOUNDATION

Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia blessed on December 29 a new building of the Unity of Orthodox Nations Foundation in Moscow. Present at the ceremony were Archbishop Clement of Kaluga and Borovsk, first deputy head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, diplomats, as well as patrons and benefactors of the foundation.

Assisted by clergy, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church lifted up a prayer for the blessing “of the building and all those who are to work in it”, so that God’s grace may protect them and give them unity, love and accord.

Addressing the Patriarch and guests, the president of the foundation, V. Alekseyev, said: “We highly appreciate the fact that His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II is blessing our building today, just as two years ago he blessed its foundation stone. This event has become especially solemn because it is the last socially significant event in the outgoing century to be honoured by the presence of His Holiness the Patriarch. It is a door opened by His Holiness the Patriarch to the coming millennium. Thank you for everything, Your Holiness, and may the All-generous Lord give you spiritual and physical strength for many good years”.

Speaking in response, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church warmly congratulated all the members and donors of the foundation on the remarkable event and gave high assessment to its work. “The foundation, which was established five years ago, has done much for the fruitful cooperation among Orthodox nations. I believe that the foundation’s participation in and support for the pilgrimage along the three great rivers in Russia, Ukraine and Belorussia and its other projects became events which united many people. As we are entering the first year of the 21st century and the first year of the third millennium after the Nativity of Christ, I would like to wish the foundation that in its new home it may, with God’s help, successfully continue its work to unite Orthodox nations and to help Orthodoxy in solving many problems it faces, so that the new year and the new century may become a time of peace, creativity and well-being for all citizens in Russia and other countries”, His Holiness said.

His Holiness gave the foundation an icon of the Saviour as a sign of patriarchal blessing. He also decorated those who made a special contribution to the unity of Orthodox nations and to the foundation’s particular projects with church orders and diplomas. Among them were I. Mogilat, deputy presidential business-manager, S. Golovko, head of a Gazprom department, Yu. Bylegzhanin, director of the Georgiy restoration company, and others.

The Unity of Orthodox Nations Foundation marked its 5th anniversary in Spring 2000. Its major tasks is to carry out patriarchal projects of aid to the Chernobyl victims, to support the European Inter-Parliamentary Orthodox Assembly, to build hotels for pilgrims to the Holy Land, to hold processions with the cross along the Volga, Dnieper and Western Dvina and to build churches in various dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church. Among those who have supported the foundation are the Presidential Management Office, Gazprom, Slavneft, the Capital bank and other donators. The new building of the foundation in Pomerantsev Lane will house the major units of the foundation including the Trustees Council and the Board.