Today in Christ the Savior Cathedral the ceremony of enthronement of the new patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Cyril took place. As election of the patriarch became the main political event of the beginning of 2009, the most important is what new head of Russian Orthodox Church speaks in the field of external and internal policy.
Patriarch Cyril defined himself as "defender of external initial boundaries of Church".
"This service gets special value which appeared after formation of independent states on the territory of historical Russia. Respecting their sovereignty and taking care of the blessing of each of these states, the patriarch at the same time is called to take care of preservation and strengthening of spiritual connections between peoples occupying them in the name of saving of that system of values which is presented to the world by uniform orthodox civilization of Holy Russia", - the head declared.
Considering care "of the unity of universal Orthodoxy" his task, he assured that he would be always open "to the dialogue with sister - churches as well as to joint efforts which would help to strengthen and improve all-orthodox cooperation, to achieve greater coordination of vicarial and missionary efforts".
AS to church - state relations patriarch Cyril declared that it should develop "within the framework of benevolent dialogue and cooperation, on the constitutional basis" and "serving the blessing of church, the state and people".
It is typical that the words of the new patriarch about unity of initial territory was listened only by one president - Dmitry Medvedev. Apparently, refusal to struggle for the patriarchal throne of the Kiev metropolitan Vladimir will mean that Russian Orthodox Church continues its way to the state church of the Russian Federation and no more than that.
It's no mere chance that when Dmitry Medvedev made congratulatory speech he noted that "the work between the state and church will be callable in the name of development of our country and all orthodox peoples".
"It's an event which opens both a new epoch of development of Orthodoxy in our country and creates, we hope, new conditions for high-grade solidary dialogue between Russian Orthodox Church and the state. Service of the patriarch is really an extremely hard, great cross. Te feat of patriarchate which was made in Russia before was the certificate of extremely close, special attitude of the patriarch to people, his protection in very complex, at times tragical circumstances".
It is a pity historical chance is missed once again - both to get out from under state press for church and to become the center of universal Orthodoxy, instead of new "attorney-general" for Russia.
