RAYMOND IBRAHIM ON "RESURGENT RUSSIA - THE HOPE OF PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS"!!

Resurgent Russia: The Hope of Persecuted Christians!!

By Ralph H. Sidway, guest contributor http://www.raymondibrahim.com/muslim-persecution-of-christians/resurgent-russia-the-hope-of-persecuted-christians/ Scarcely a day goes by now where we do not read of yet another in a constellation of initiatives being undertaken by both the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian government on behalf of persecuted Christians and other victims in Syria, Egypt, and elsewhere in the world. For instance, on July 31 it was announced that a charitable drive launched at the end of June by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia had raised US$1.3 Million to assist victims of the Syrian armed conflict. That these funds will be distributed through the auspices of both Orthodox Christian Patriarch John X of Antioch as well as Supreme Mufti Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun of Syria, shows the Moscow Patriarchate’s application of the Christian principle of caring for one’s neighbor, regardless of creed. This may not seem like a lot of money, but it is underscored by another program run by the Moscow Patriarchate, a “boots on the ground” affair in which representatives of the Russian Church enter harm’s way to personally deliver to Syria shipments of much needed medical equipment: “Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church have carried medical equipment at the amount of about three million rubles to Damascus,” said Hieromonk Efrem, acting representative of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia for the Patriarch of Antioch. Yet the Russian Church is not limiting her involvement with world affairs to “mere” acts of grassroots charity. In July, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, together with Russian President Vladimir Putin, took the occasion of the recent celebrations in Moscow, Kiev and Belarus of the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus into Orthodox Christianity as the ideal opportunity to nurture the conciliar ties among the Local Orthodox Churches, who together comprise the world’s second largest Christian communion, with an estimated 225-300 million members. Putin, in his address to the assembled hierarchs, affirmed the significance of the moment: "At a time when people are again in a search for moral supports, millions of our fellow citizens see them in religion and trust the wise pastoral guidance of the Russian Orthodox Church. Her selfless service of education is extremely called for and her public authority and peace efforts are aimed at strengthening harmony and stability and restoration of historical relations between our peoples and with our compatriots abroad…" This strengthening of Orthodox Christian ties is central to Russia’s foreign policy as well:... Continue reading.