A Presentation of the Third Volume of the Orthodox Encyclopedia
14.06.2002 · English, Архив 2002
A PRESENTATION OF THE THIRD VOLUME OF THE ORTHODOX ENCYCLOPEDIA
On May 14, 2002 in a conference hall of the Moscow Theological Academy a presentation of the third alphabetic volume of the Orthodox Encyclopedia took place. The presentation was attended by hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, members of the Public and Supervisory Boards of Orthodox Encyclopedia, students of theological schools. His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia chaired the ceremonial meeting. The Primate highly appreciated the work of the editors of Orthodox Encyclopedia. ‘The Church should consider formation of the Orthodox outlook and moral way of life in the modern Russian society to be her main task’, said His Holiness.
His Holiness Patriarch Alexy gave church awards to some professors and educators of the Moscow Theological Academy for their great contribution to the publishing of the Encyclopedia.
S. L. Kravets, head of Orthodox Encyclopedia Church Research Center (CRC) spoke of the third volume of the Encyclopedia and of the future plans of the center.
In recently published third volume of Orthodox Encyclopedia there are articles about Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic Church. Particular attention is given to the articles devoted to the Bishop’s Councils of the Russian Orthodox Church. Previously unknown archival materials were used in the articles of the Encyclopedia’s authors. S. Kravets noted that archival work is one of the main directions in the work of Orthodox Encyclopedia CRC.
At present, work at the forth volume of the Encyclopedia is underway. It is expected to come out in autumn 2002. S. Kravets also spoke of the media projects of the Church Research Center, which are a TV journal entitled ‘Orthodox Encyclopedia’ on the TV-Center channel, a program on the Majak radio station, and Internet site Sedmitza.ru.
Then Archbishop Evgeny of Vereja, Chairman of the Education Committee, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary, delivered a speech. “In Orthodox Encyclopedia, created by the efforts of many toilers, we see spiritual resurrection of our Church and beginning of spiritual regeneration of our state,” said Archbishop Evgeny. This year Orthodox Encyclopedia gained a status of students’ textbook for secular higher educational establishments specializing in history, fine arts and theology. S. Mironenko, who also participated in the presentation, handed over to His Holiness Patriarch Alexy a CD with archival materials of the Council for Religious Affairs under the USSR Council of Ministers. Kept in secret before, these materials give previously unknown details concerning relations between the Church and society in the years of the Soviet ruling.
His Holiness the Patriarch thanked the staff-members of the archives who helped to save unique documents and illustrations about the persecution against the Church in the years of theomachy and noted that staff-members of Orthodox Encyclopedia had been cooperating with the State Archive of the Russian Federation for many years.
In the course of the ceremonial meeting it was announced that a Beneficial Association (Partnership) of Orthodox Businessmen was established with the blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy. The charitable work on the edition of Orthodox Encyclopedia united these people for the noble task of Orthodox Enlightenment The aim of the partnership is to help revive Russian traditions of charity, propriety, business ethics and mutual support.
As a first charitable action of the new association, the best graduates of the Moscow Theological Academy received free subscription to the full edition of Orthodox Encyclopedia.
Press-service of the Orthodox Encyclopedia Church Reserch Center
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