His Holiness the Patriarch visits the Greek embassy
8.03.2001 · English, Архив 2001
HIS HOLINESS THE PATRIARCH VISITS THE GREEK EMBASSY
His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia visited the Greek embassy on March 4 to meet with the Greek Ambassador Dimitrios Kypreos and take part in the celebrations devoted to the feast of the Triumph of Orthodoxy.
These meetings in the Greek embassy with the participation of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church for common Orthodox celebrations have become traditional. “It is for the eighth time that we celebrate the great Orthodox feast together with His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia”, said Mr. Kypreos, welcoming the guests, “these meetings show that Greece and Russia are fraternal countries in which the majority of the population confess Orthodoxy”.
This year the meeting is devoted to the theme “Orthodoxy, Youth and Mass Media at the Beginning of the New Millennium”. Speaking about the dynamic of the new generation and its aspiration for the future, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy expressed the conviction that moral and spiritual development can help youth to overcome problems and trials. He said: “Youth is our future, and we are not indifferent to what they will be in the new, 21st century”. He announced that the Orthodox youth will hold a congress on May 12 in Moscow. He also called youth in Orthodox countries to co-operation and noted the contribution that the Russian Orthodox Church made to the work of the SYNDESMOS world fellowship of Orthodox youth.
His Holiness Patriarch Alexy and Ambassador Kypreos answered questions from journalists. His Holiness spoke, in particular, on the planned visit of Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens and All Greece to the Russian Orthodox Church.
In his remarks concerning the intention of the Afghani Talibs to destroy the gigantic statures of Buddha, His Holiness described the destruction of historical monuments as barbarous, saying: “Speaking about the preservation of shrines and monuments of culture, we should not forget the systematic destruction of Orthodox churches in Kosovo. Unique churches of the 14th-15th centuries are being ruined”.
Answering the question about a possible revocation of the decision on the excommunication of Leo Tolstoy, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy said: “I do not think we have the right to impose on a person who died one hundred years ago a return to the Church which he himself repudiated in his lifetime. Though Leo Tolstoy is a genius of Russian literature, there were in his work anti-Christian writings”.
Speaking about the position of the Orthodox Church on cooperation with the European Union, His Holiness emphasized that Orthodox nations should seek to maintain cooperation with the European Union while preserving their faith, culture, history and traditions.
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