CWNews.com - 20090202 - Metropolitan Kirill was enthroned on Saturday as Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia in a colorful traditional ceremony held at the cathedral of Christ the Savior.
“Youth will become an object of our special care,” he said, “as young people badly need spiritual guidance. In the epoch of moral relativism, when promotion of violence and depravity steals the souls of young people, we can't sit and wait” for youth to Christ. “The Patriarch's task,” he added, “is not to let factions-- which, according to the apostle, must be-- grow into schisms, dissentions and false teachings. The Patriarch should care that every person with all individuality finds his or her place in the Church body, but at the same time that dissidence doesn't break love and weaken our common efforts taken to build the house of God.”
Pope Benedict XVI sent the new Russian Patriarch a chalice, personally delivered by Cardinal Walter Kasper, "as a sign of the desire to achieve full communion as full as possible." The Pontiff also sent a message voicing his confidence that the Roman and Russian churches "will continue to cooperate in finding ways to foster and strengthen communion in the Body of Christ, in fidelity to our Saviur's prayer that all may be one, so that the world may believe."
Source(s): these links will take you to other sites, in a new window.
- Enthronement of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour (Moscow patriarchate)
- Patriarch Kirill says his main tasks are enchurchment of youth, protection of church unity and its external boarders (Interfax)
- In pictures: Kirill enthroned (BBC)
- Continue cooperation in order to strengthen communion (VIS)