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The Russian Church increased by 5,000 churches and 10,000 clerics over the last six years
Pravoslavie ^ | 08-03-2016 | Pravoslavie

Posted on 08/03/2016 11:08:13 AM PDT by NRx

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia believes that increasing number of Orthodox churches in Russia is testimony that the mission of the Russian Orthodox Church is something the people want.

"Over the last six years our Church increased by 5,000 churches and 10,000 clergymen, which means that people need the Church’s mission. There could not be such growth in the Church if there were no demand. That is why we feel so special when we place the foundations of new churches," the patriarch said at the ceremony of laying the first stone in the foundation of the Assumption Cathedral of the Sarov Hermitage, where St. Seraphim of Sarov lived.

According to Patriarch Kirill, this is a testimony to "the faith of our people, their spiritual power, to the vector of spiritual and even social development that connects material prosperity with spiritual growth."

The patriarch has recently said that churches in Russia are built because people have the need, and not by command from the hierarchy.

"This is not because someone ordered to build [a church], but because of enormous strength of the faith of our people, who support the authorities’ wish," the Church primate said on July 28 after consecrating the restored Church of Smolensk icon of the Mother of God in Oryol.


TOPICS: Current Events; Orthodox Christian
KEYWORDS: churches; moscow; orthodoxchurches; russia
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1 posted on 08/03/2016 11:08:13 AM PDT by NRx
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To: NRx

I remember Paul Harvey remarking many years ago that Russian and the US seemed to be ready to pass each other going in different directions. The more I read of these articles the more I believe it.


2 posted on 08/03/2016 11:11:17 AM PDT by MSF BU (Support the troops: Join Them.)
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To: NRx
It's all good in Russia...as long as you're part of the "approved" denomination

Russia's Newest Law: No Evangelizing Outside of Church

3 posted on 08/03/2016 11:14:44 AM PDT by gdani
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To: NRx

With Pope Francis going over to the other side, I guess this guy is Numero Uno now.


4 posted on 08/03/2016 11:15:31 AM PDT by MUDDOG
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To: NRx

Those damn Russian Christians!

Hillary and George Soros will make it their top priority to take them down!


5 posted on 08/03/2016 11:18:49 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: NRx

Who is funding these churches? The congregations or the government?


6 posted on 08/03/2016 11:20:44 AM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: NRx

Ho hum.

Another soon-to-be-dead State Church.

How did a State Church work out for the Romans (RCC), the Greeks (Orthodox), the Anglicans, the Lutherans??

All dead, dead frozen, compromised, heretical cluster-bombs.

7 posted on 08/03/2016 11:24:08 AM PDT by fishtank (The denial of original sin is the root of liberalism.)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

Mostly the people. The government has provided some limited funds for the reconstruction of a handful of historic churches that were destroyed by the Communists, perhaps a dozen in all.


8 posted on 08/03/2016 11:24:15 AM PDT by NRx (A man of integrity passes his father's civilization to his son, without selling it off to strangers.)
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To: NRx

The only way to have a vibrant Christianity is with the American example of religious freedom.


9 posted on 08/03/2016 11:24:57 AM PDT by fishtank (The denial of original sin is the root of liberalism.)
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: NRx

It’s funny to see these guys post on the internet about how more Christians and Christian churches are a really terrible thing or something. Like worse than ISIS! I mean come on.

I don’t know if it’s all legit or all statism or not, but I will pray that it is mostly legit.

Freegards


11 posted on 08/03/2016 11:31:36 AM PDT by Ransomed
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To: aMorePerfectUnion
Who is funding these churches?

At least half of the Russian Orthodox Church's funds come from their assorted business interests -- making church products for sale to other churches, medical supplies, hotels, charging for rituals, buying & selling autos, and other assorted business activity.

12 posted on 08/03/2016 11:34:51 AM PDT by gdani
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Comment #13 Removed by Moderator

To: fishtank

“The only way to have a vibrant Christianity is with the American example of religious freedom.”

Yep, because there was no legitimate form of Christianity before 1787. /s


14 posted on 08/03/2016 11:37:19 AM PDT by NRx (A man of integrity passes his father's civilization to his son, without selling it off to strangers.)
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To: NRx

For a Catholic, this is fantastic news. Whatever one might think of the Russian Orthodox church’s role in Russian politics, these are valid, orthodox (i.e., non-heretical) vocations which will have a real impact in the spiritual world.

Those who expect Russia to necessarily become Roman Catholic in fulfillment of the Fatima prophesy forget that the Russian Orthodox church is validly “Catholic” despite the schism.


15 posted on 08/03/2016 11:50:06 AM PDT by dangus
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To: NRx

For perspective, that’s a gain of 10,000 priests out of 35,171 priests.


16 posted on 08/03/2016 11:51:39 AM PDT by dangus
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To: NRx

FROM WIKIPEDIA “USSR anti-religious campaign”

Lest Westerners buy into the trap that the Russian Orthodox Church went along with Soviet Communism:

The main target of the anti-religious campaign in the 1920s and 1930s was the Russian Orthodox Church, which had the largest number of faithful. Nearly all of its clergy, and many of its believers, were shot or sent to labour camps. Theological schools were closed, and church publications were prohibited. More than 85,000 Orthodox priests were shot in 1937 alone. Only a twelfth of the Russian Orthodox Church’s priests were left functioning in their parishes by 1941.

In the period between 1927 and 1940, the number of Orthodox Churches in the Russian Republic fell from 29,584 to less than 500.


17 posted on 08/03/2016 12:02:18 PM PDT by dangus
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To: dangus

Total killed during the Stalinist purges are over 95,000.


18 posted on 08/03/2016 12:02:50 PM PDT by dangus
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To: dangus

Thank you for posting that.

Great & Holy New martyrs of Russia pray for us!


19 posted on 08/03/2016 12:06:13 PM PDT by NRx (A man of integrity passes his father's civilization to his son, without selling it off to strangers.)
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To: Samogon

Church = nazi indoctrination center to you? My God, the Left isn’t even so moonbatty.

95,000 Russian clergy died as martyrs during the Stalinist purges. 23 million Christians died, 600,000 as martyrs (i.e., killed specifically for professing their faith with foreknowledge of the consequences).


20 posted on 08/03/2016 12:06:52 PM PDT by dangus
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