Religious factor will play more significant role in future policy of the EU
5. June 2009 - 7:49The Russian Orthodox Church believes a religious factor will play more significant role in future policy of the European Union. "There is potential for this," acting representative of the Russian Church at the European international organizations Archpriest Antony Ilyin said in his interview published by the NG-Religii newspaper on Wednesday.
Patriarch Kirill believes World War II was punishment for sins of Russians
5. June 2009 - 7:44Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia believes World War II was a redemptive sacrifice of Russian people for the sin of apostasy. "Some people wonder why the last war was so terrific and bloody, why so many people died!" the Patriarch has said after Wednesday Liturgy in the Moscow Sretensky Monastery.
Nikita Mikhalkov: Fostering Orthodox spiritual revival will gain Russia the world's leading position
23. May 2009 - 8:16Nikita Mikhalkov, a renowned Russian film director, believes that Russia's main challenge today is to develop spiritual immunity to withstand external influence and gain a leading position in the world.
"If this immunity is implanted, no influence can affect us, because poison penetrates only vulnerable souls and burns them to ashes. If souls are shielded with culture, religion, history, and tradition, they have nothing to be afraid of," Mikhalkov said in an address to the 13th World Russian People's Council opened Friday in Moscow.
Tom Hanks is happy to be a member of the Orthodox Church
22. May 2009 - 8:14Hollywood actor Tom Hanks appreciates his membership in the Orthodox Church and intends to raise his four children in similar vein.
"I am aware that it is vitally important to come to church and contemplate those substantial questions put by the Orthodoxy and the answers it offers," Hanks said in an interview published by Argumenty i Fakty.
Russian Church concerned about the probability of religious minorities' "dictatorship" in Europe
30. May 2009 - 8:08Archpriest Georgy Ryabykh, deputy head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations, urges European religious leaders to pursue protection of their believers' rights at the legislative level to offset the dominant influence of new religious movements.
"Sometimes, we can even witness the minorities' dictatorship. They demand more rights and benefits for themselves than the major religions have in the public sector in many European countries," Fr. Georgy said at a meeting of the European Council of Religious Leaders in Lille, France.
