Meet the Patriarch Who Rocks: Introducing Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Russia!
Believe it or not, Mortals, the Russian Orthodox Church is about to get some good rockin'! Why is this, you ask? Pray, consider:
MOSCOW, February 9th (RIA Novosti) --- A Russian Orthodox cleric known for preaching to punk rock music and heavy metal fans is planning to arrange a meeting between Russia's newly-enthroned spiritual leader and several leading Russian rock musicians, a popular daily said here this morning.
Father Sergy told Novye Izvestia that he hoped that Patriarch Kirill would shortly receive him, and that he would cordially invite the 62-year-old Church leader to a meeting with several rock musicians. Sergy also complained about the apparent lack of contact between the Russian Orthodox Church and young people.
The rockin' cleric and Deacon Andrei Kurayev, a respected theologian and articulate public speaker, had earlier arranged a meeting between Kirill and certain Russian rockers in 2006, when His Holiness served as head of the Church's External Relations Department.
Then-Metropolitan Kirill, seen as a liberal in the traditionalistic Russian Orthodox Church, said at the meeting that he'd once spoken before some 16,000 people at a rock concert, and, despite being brief, it was probably one of his best-ever sermons, the paper said, adding that His Holiness further proposed that there should be regular meetings between the clergy and the rock music community, given the fact that "society has strong interest in their possible cooperation.
"Even if 100 or 200 people get their religious enlightenment out of rock music, can we even forbid it? A few words from rock musicians at a concert would have a far greater effect than at a long church sermon," Kirill commented at the time.
"I shall receive an audience with His Holiness Kirill. Of course, right at the moment, he is too busy, but sooner or later, I shall invite him to a meeting with a real good rock band," the daily quoted Father Sergy as saying, adding that he had also had a similar meeting in mind for the late Patriarch Alexy II.
Kirill was enthroned Patriarcch of Moscow and all Russia last Sunday, replacing Alexy, who had died in December at the age of 79. Alexy had led a revival of Russian faith after the collapse of the officially atheist Soviet Union.
Sergy told Novye Izvestia that he had no doubt that His Holiness would gladly accept the invite. "His Holiness Kirill believes that Russian rock music is a spritual phenomenon, one of many ways to search for God. I myself was a Hippie ... it was a Rebellion, which eventually led me to search for God," he said.
Methinks your humble Dragonmaster is beginning to like this guy already. Kirill's already planning, besides all of the aforenoted, meet-n'-greets with Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Benedict --- and, dare we hope, Archbishop Demetrios of America --- who, by the way, will shortly, if he hasn't done so as yet, observe 10 awesome years as Numero Uno in America's Greek Orthodox community! Stay tuned --- and let's look forward to seeing some real cool adventures from this rockin' Patriarch dude ASAP! Huzzah!
Master Blackwolf
MOSCOW, February 9th (RIA Novosti) --- A Russian Orthodox cleric known for preaching to punk rock music and heavy metal fans is planning to arrange a meeting between Russia's newly-enthroned spiritual leader and several leading Russian rock musicians, a popular daily said here this morning.
Father Sergy told Novye Izvestia that he hoped that Patriarch Kirill would shortly receive him, and that he would cordially invite the 62-year-old Church leader to a meeting with several rock musicians. Sergy also complained about the apparent lack of contact between the Russian Orthodox Church and young people.
The rockin' cleric and Deacon Andrei Kurayev, a respected theologian and articulate public speaker, had earlier arranged a meeting between Kirill and certain Russian rockers in 2006, when His Holiness served as head of the Church's External Relations Department.
Then-Metropolitan Kirill, seen as a liberal in the traditionalistic Russian Orthodox Church, said at the meeting that he'd once spoken before some 16,000 people at a rock concert, and, despite being brief, it was probably one of his best-ever sermons, the paper said, adding that His Holiness further proposed that there should be regular meetings between the clergy and the rock music community, given the fact that "society has strong interest in their possible cooperation.
"Even if 100 or 200 people get their religious enlightenment out of rock music, can we even forbid it? A few words from rock musicians at a concert would have a far greater effect than at a long church sermon," Kirill commented at the time.
"I shall receive an audience with His Holiness Kirill. Of course, right at the moment, he is too busy, but sooner or later, I shall invite him to a meeting with a real good rock band," the daily quoted Father Sergy as saying, adding that he had also had a similar meeting in mind for the late Patriarch Alexy II.
Kirill was enthroned Patriarcch of Moscow and all Russia last Sunday, replacing Alexy, who had died in December at the age of 79. Alexy had led a revival of Russian faith after the collapse of the officially atheist Soviet Union.
Sergy told Novye Izvestia that he had no doubt that His Holiness would gladly accept the invite. "His Holiness Kirill believes that Russian rock music is a spritual phenomenon, one of many ways to search for God. I myself was a Hippie ... it was a Rebellion, which eventually led me to search for God," he said.
Methinks your humble Dragonmaster is beginning to like this guy already. Kirill's already planning, besides all of the aforenoted, meet-n'-greets with Patriarch Bartholomew, Pope Benedict --- and, dare we hope, Archbishop Demetrios of America --- who, by the way, will shortly, if he hasn't done so as yet, observe 10 awesome years as Numero Uno in America's Greek Orthodox community! Stay tuned --- and let's look forward to seeing some real cool adventures from this rockin' Patriarch dude ASAP! Huzzah!
Master Blackwolf
posted by Master Blackwolf | 8:22 AM
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