The Moscow Patriarchate believes missionary activities should be transparent

The Russian Orthodox Church is concerned that some missionaries don't observe the law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations as they conceal their confession, Interfax-Religion reports. "The Russian law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Associations clearly reads: "Name of the religious organization should contain information on its confession. Religious organization should indicate its full title when carrying out its activities," Vice-chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin writes in his Scraps essays published by the Pravoslavnaya Moskva paper.

"Unfortunately, no responsibility is provided for this violation," the priest noted. According to him, it results in common practice of "religious anonymity:" "missionaries don't say what Church they present." "Though they claim to preach over-confessional "general Christianity. Or even disguise as Orthodox," Fr. Vsevolod said.