Metropolitan Tikhon of Pskov holds anti-addiction, healthy lifestyle forum

Bad habits such as drinking, smoking, and drugs bring much grief and suffering to the Russian people, and thus the spread of these scourges must be fought in the most active way, said His Eminence Metropolitan Tikhon of Pskov and Porkhov at the All-Russian “For a Healthy Lifestyle” forum in Pskov on August 24, reports the Pskov Information Agency. Met. Tikhon serves as the Co-Chairman of the Church-Public Council for Protection Against the Alcoholic Threat and as Chairman for the Patriarchal Cultural Council.

The forum was held in Pskov from August 23 to 25 August at the initiative of Met. Tikhon, with the support of the Governor of the Pskov region Mikhail Vedernikov and the Russian Ministry of Education.

“It’s no secret that people who cross the line of reason become a curse for themselves and their loved ones. And it is very easy to cross this line—the person himself doesn’t notice,” Met. Tikhon commented.

“We all know unfortunate people, completely succumbed to alcoholism, who say they aren’t drunks. It’s madness… To remind and show the dangers of this line is absolutely necessary, I think. That is what we are doing now,” he added.

Met. Tikhon also noted that the schools in the Pskov Province will soon present lessons for high schoolers on the “Fundamentals of Life Safety,” including unique videos of social advertising, created at the initiative of Met. Tikhon.

“They are fascinating and interesting, they are heavy, and truly terrible, but they reflect reality. When they watch them, people already begin to think about whether they are rushing down this terrible path, or do they reason and take responsibility for their lives, the lives of their loved ones, of their future children,” the Pskov hierarch explained.

Sine the creation of the Church-Public Council for Protection Against the Alcoholic Threat in 2009, more than 50 such videos have been made and shown on Russian television.

The 3-day forum in Pskov featured presentations and master classes by representatives of educational, religious, social, and scientific organizations with a focus on promoting healthy lifestyles.

Source: Orthochristian.com