Today believers of the Russian Orthodox Church should especially pray for peace on the land of Kazakhstan, which is part of historical Russia and has become a home for many Christians, said His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.
“We all know that the most difficult events are taking place on the territory of our once united huge country. People collided in a grave civil conflict, blood is really being shed,” said Patriarch Kirill about the situation in Kazakhstan on January 7, 2022 after the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, reports Patriarchia.ru.
“This is very close, these events are taking place on the territory of historical Russia, and therefore we cannot be indifferent to this shedding of blood, to these clashes, to this human disorder. And today, to the best of my ability, I prayed that the Lord would have His mercy on the people of Kazakhstan, so that internecine strife would stop, so that peace would be restored,” added the Primate of the Russian Church.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill expressed confidence that by the grace of God, peace will be established in Kazakhstan.
“But in response to God’s favor, people should, on their part, make efforts to be worthy of this favor. Therefore, establishing peace where there is no peace requires tremendous efforts, primarily from those involved in the conflict. It requires some kind of self-restraint in their demands, in their aspirations. And if the opposing sides are able to take on obligations for such self-restraint, then peace can be achieved,” His Holiness Patriarch Kirill stressed.
“May God grant that on the land of Kazakhstan, marked by the feats of many new martyrs and confessors of our Church, true peace will be established. We will pray for this, work and hope that it will be so,” he pointed out.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill also wished that the Lord God would extend His mercy “to all those who today are involved in conflicts, in internecine warfare, in whose hearts bitterness, anger and the desire to defeat the enemy by force have settled.”
“The angelic voice “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14) – this is the true key to the establishment of peace and human well-being. We know this secret of the Divine plan. We just need to increase our strength to affirm the great truth and great value proclaimed by the angels on the radiant night of Christmas in our personal, family, and social life,” concluded the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church.
You can follow Pravmir.com on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Telegram.