19 World Folk Russian Cathedral (ARNS): description, history and features

In November 2015 the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow witnessed a significant event - it was the solemn opening of the XIX World Russian People's Council. Among the participants of such a representative international forum, in addition to hierarchs and priests, were representatives of all branches of state power, including representatives of the government of the Russian Federation, law enforcement agencies, public organizations, as well as prominent figures of science and art, and even guests from near and far abroad.

The birth of a new social structure

The World People's Russian Council is an intergovernmental non-profit structure whose goal was the desire to consolidate the spiritual forces of all representatives of the Russian people, regardless of their country of residence. The main initiator of this global project was the Russian Orthodox Church, with the support of the general public in 1993, officially registered the new organization. On this day, the constituent assembly of its first regional branch was held.

Basic provisions of the charter

According to its charter, the World Russian People's Council is headed by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. Every year, with his blessing, conciliar meetings are held, which deal with the most pressing issues of the current moment. From the day of the creation of the organization and up to its blessed death, it was headed by Alexy II, who was later replaced by the current Patriarch Cyril.

Between congresses of the cathedral the work of the organization is managed by its permanent presidium headed by its bureau. The Human Rights Center of the World Russian People's Council, which also does not cease its activities during the periods between convocations, is called upon to promote in every way the observance of the rights of representatives of all strata of society, regardless of political affiliation and religion.

General recognition of the activities of the organization

The need for its creation was quite obvious, since by that time the task of forming a civil society in the country was especially acute. It was the care for the future of Russia that united the people of the most diverse social strata and political views, for which the World People's Russian Council became a forum where they could discuss all aspects of the problem and outline the ways to solve it. Since the foundation of this organization, seventeen council congresses have been held in various cities of the country.

Every year, the World People's Council of Russia gained increasing authority in Russian society and abroad. President Vladimir Putin took part in the work of his next plenary meeting in 2001, and four years later, a clear testimony to the recognition of the cathedral in the international arena was the granting of consultative status to the United Nations Organization. In the same year, the Office of the ARNS, established under the United Nations Economic and Social Council, began its work.

Peacekeeping initiative of the cathedral

In 2012, the World Russian People's Council took an active part in promoting the establishment of peace in the Caucasus among other public organizations in every possible way. Stavropol became the site of the opening of its next regional branch, whose task was to unite all those who wanted to stop the bloodshed in this vast region, full of social, religious and political contradictions.

The cathedral, which opened in November 2015

The 19th World Russian People's Council (ARNS), held in November last year, was devoted to a very important topic today - the realization of the spiritual heritage of Prince Vladimir in our days. The significance of the cathedral was underscored by the greetings received from him by the head of state V. Putin and a large number of politicians. The work of the cathedral was held under the leadership of Patriarch Cyril.

Addressing the audience, he spoke about the difficult path that the World People's Council of the Russian Federation has done since the day it was created. His Holiness expressed the hope that right now this organization, which united the efforts of millions of people for the consolidation of Russian society, is ready to fully open its potential. Its members, adhering to different political views, remain united in the recognition of fundamental basic values.

The problems identified in the speech of the patriarch

Next, the presiding officer called on the XIX World Russian People's Council (ARNS) as one of the topics of his meetings to consider the tragedy experienced by the people of the country at the beginning of the 20th century and left its imprint on its entire future history. He drew particular attention to the connection between these events and everything that happened during the terrible war years, when our country suffered heavy losses than any other people in the world.

Separately, the head of the church focused attention on the problems that have arisen in the sphere of public education. According to him, it is necessary to create a single general educational space for the formation of the young generation of the right approach to the perception of spiritual values, which were the basis for all members of Russian society from time immemorial. He noted the obvious miscalculations made in the creation of textbooks of history and literature, on the basis of which the worldview of the younger generation is largely formed.

The role of the church in the consolidation of society

In his speech, Patriarch Cyril thanked God for the fact that the XIX World Russian National Council (ARNS) became a platform for such a fruitful discussion, pursuing common goals, excluding any confrontation and full of goodwill. In this regard, he stressed that the church organization managed to create conditions for constructive dialogue and open conversation mainly because it is not a competitor of political forces involved in the struggle for power. This position in no way corresponds to the purpose of the church and contradicts its basic principles.

The choice made a thousand years ago

Concerning the main theme that was dedicated to the 19th World Russian People's Council, His Holiness the Patriarch pointed out the mistakenness of the current statements that the choice made by the Baptist of Russia should be interpreted as a European one, as a result of which Russia is doomed to blind imitation of the Western model, without any reasoning On their soil their experience.

He also sharply criticized attempts to present the interaction of Byzantium and Rus as the relation of civilization to barbarism. Such an approach, in his opinion, is a consequence of ignorance of the historical realities inherent in that time. Deep and comprehensive studies show that this was a dialogue of equal partners, and it served a mutual benefit. Proof of this can be considered a marriage, concluded between Prince Vladimir and Princess Anna.

Only after discarding attempts to present the choice made a thousand years ago as a European or Byzantine and unconditionally giving it a definition of a purely Russian one, one can explain how the Russians managed to realize their spiritual and creative potential to such a degree. The words of the patriarch gathered in the hall with unanimous approval that the legacy of the holy baptizer of Rus is the covenant to build a society on the basis of universal solidarity, guided by the highly humanistic Christian principles embodied in the doctrine, which thanks to Prince Vladimir was revealed on the banks of the Dnieper. The main provisions of the speech of Patriarch Kirill were reflected in the final document, which, at the end, adopted the 19th World Russian People's Council.

Speeches at the closing meeting of the cathedral

At the final meeting of the cathedral, the main leitmotif of the speeches of the majority of speakers was the concern that our today's society will leave its descendants to the inheritance. The delegates stressed that if the 2000 years were under the sign of the restoration of the country after the chaos of the nineties that was going on in it, now, having found firm ground underfoot, it's time to reflect on the future and the role assigned to us on the path begun with the baptism of Rus by the holy prince Vladimir.