On August 25, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia presided over a regular meeting of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church. Some of the Holy Synod members attended it in person, others participated remotely.
The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church chairs the session fr om the Patriarchal and Synodal Residence in St. Daniel’s Monastery in Moscow, Patriarchal Press Service reports.
Attending the meeting in person are also Metropolitan Pavel of Krutitsy and Kolomna, Patriarchal vicar for the Moscow Metropolia; Metropolitan Dionisy of Voskresensk, chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate; and Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations.
Other Holy Synod members participated in the meeting via video conference.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill delivered an opening address, saying in particular:
“We are holding this meeting, as you know, in times of turbulence for various parts of the Holy Rus’. Many people are suffering, really suffering, but their afflictions have not started now, as some claim, but have been a reality for the past eight years. Great many people in Donbass were indeed under the strongest pressure, which gave rise to their deepest dissatisfaction. Wh ere justice is violated there is always resistance to injustice, and today all this affair of the last eight years is largely radicalized.”
“Our Church always brings the message of peace, of reconciliation; the Church cannot have another message,” the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church continued, “However, when speaking of ‘peace’ we also have to speak of justice. Peace without justice is what cements and hardens human suffering. There is no lasting peace without justice. Such peace cannot last long. Therefore, we pray today for both peace and justice to come to those who are undergoing really hard times, who are suffering themselves and who share the afflictions of their people.”
“Let us pray for the soonest cessation of all these developments, for the peace and justice to descend on the land of Donbass, so that opportunities may come for peaceful life and further economic, spiritual and cultural progress in these regions,” His Holiness added.
After his opening remarks Patriarch Kirill presented the meeting agenda.
