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News
December 05, 2008 | news
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Today, on December 5th 2008, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II who led greatly the Russian Orthodox church from Soviet times died at age 79.
Alexy II was inaugurated as patriarch of Russia in the Church of the Holy Trinity Of St. Sergius Lavra (70 km. or 42 miles from Moscow) in 1990 when it was still under the Soviet regime. Then the fresh winds of perestroika ushered in under Mikhail Gorbachev in the 1980s brought a time of great changes and hopes for the future. During the past 18 years under the leadership of Alexy II, it is evident that there has been a revival of religion in Russia. Many churches and monasteries were reopened and restored after suppression of religion during the Soviet times. One of the most important projects completed in the years 1995-2000 was the reconstruction of the great Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Millions of people have visited this Cathedral in the past few years, including an entire new generation of Russian youth. Nicholas II, Russia's last Tsar, and his family were canonized in recent times as well as many recent martyrs who had suffered under communism. One of the most important events for all of Orthodox Christians was the unification of the Western and Eastern churches after the start of democracy in Russia.
Dimitri Medvedev, our President of Russia, issued a statement upon the death of His Holiness Alexy II. President Medvedev had been on a visit to India and promptly returned to Russia to speak to the people. It was with deep sorrow that President Medvedev addressed the nation following the death of the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. Here is a quotation from his speech:
"A great sorrow has befallen our nation, our society – the death of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II. He was an outstanding religious figure and true spiritual leader, and he was also a great Citizen of Russia, a man whose destiny reflected all the great trials and upheavals that our country traversed in the twentieth century, a critical time in our country's history. He was a true pastor and an example of spiritual steadfastness and noble acts throughout his life. He was with his flock during the days of persecution and during the revival of faith..." (resource is the website of president of Russia Kremlin.Ru).
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Moscow, Russia 
Contact Info: Arthur Lookyanov