Metropolitan Kirill: Cossacks in Russia are “Orthodox knighthood”

Russian Orthodox Church

Born on August 5, 1963 in Miass, Chelyabinsk region. My father, grandfather and great-grandfather on my father’s side were priests (my grandfather was repressed and was in the camps for 5 years). In 1963 he was baptized in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Miass. In 1970 he entered secondary school in Miass. In 1981 he graduated from the school for working youth in Zagorsk (now Sergiev Posad), Moscow region.

In 1981-1983 served in the Armed Forces.

In 1984 he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1988. In the same year, he was sent by the hierarchy to study at the Sofia Theological Academy (Bulgaria).

In 1989, with the blessing of Archbishop Alexander (Timofeev), he was tonsured a monk at the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra by Archimandrite Venedikt (Knyazev) with the name Kirill in honor of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Kirill, teacher of Slovenia. In the same year, Archbishop Alexander (Timofeev) ordained him a hierodeacon, and later a hieromonk.

In 1990, he transferred to the correspondence sector of the Moscow Theological Academy and joined the clergy of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese.

In 1993, with the blessing of Metropolitan Nikolai (Kutepov) of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas and by decision of the Holy Synod, he was appointed rector of the Annunciation Monastery in Nizhny Novgorod and rector of the Nizhny Novgorod Theological School.

In 1994, Metropolitan Nikolai (Kutepov) elevated him to the rank of abbot.

In 1995, by decision of the Holy Synod, he was appointed rector of the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary.

Since 1996 - Chairman of the Education Department of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese and Dean of the Diocese's monasteries.

In 2000, Metropolitan Nikolai (Kutepov) elevated him to the rank of archimandrite.

In 2001, he defended his PhD thesis at the Moscow Theological Academy and received a PhD in Theology.

In 2004, Archbishop Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas relieved himself of the position of rector of the Annunciation Monastery, rector of the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary, chairman of the education department and dean of the monasteries of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese and appointed dean of the 1st Nizhny Novgorod, Vyksa, Varnavinsky and Urensky districts.

In 2006, Archbishop Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas appointed him rector of the Vyksa Theological School.

Since 2005 - professor and then corresponding member of the International Slavic Academy.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 10, 2009 (magazine No. 83), he was elected vicar of the Moscow diocese with the title of Pavlovo-Posad.

On November 29, 2009, during the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, he was consecrated Bishop of Pavlovo-Posad. The ordination was led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 25, 2009 (journal No. 140), he was confirmed in the position of abbot of the Donskoy Stavropegic Monastery in Moscow.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 5, 2010 (journal No.), he was appointed chairman of the Synodal Committee for Interaction with the Cossacks.

From December 2010 to 2011, he cared for parish churches in the South-Eastern Administrative District of Moscow (Peter and Paul Deanery).

Since March 22, 2011 - member of the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 22, 2011 (magazine No. 13), he was appointed to the Stavropol See while retaining the position of chairman of the Synodal Committee for Interaction with the Cossacks.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of June 7, 2012 (magazine No. 51), he was appointed head of the newly formed Stavropol Metropolis.

On July 18, 2012 he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan.

By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 26, 2012 (journal No. 77), he was relieved of his post as abbot of the Donskoy Stavropegic Monastery in Moscow.

On August 1, 2012, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, he was included in the Council for Cossack Affairs under the President of Russia.

From June to December 2012 he temporarily governed the Diocese of St. George, from March to July 2014 he temporarily governed the Diocese of Elista.

By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill dated November 16, 2021, he was appointed honorary rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Consolation and Consolation” on Khodynka Field in Moscow, in connection with the acquisition of Cossack status for the temple.

From August 8 to August 25, 2021 - temporary administrator of the Ekaterinodar diocese.

Metropolitan Kirill: Cossacks in Russia are “Orthodox knighthood”

Metropolitan Kirill also said that courses on studying the history and traditions of the Cossacks are now being introduced into the curriculum of theological seminaries. And in “educational institutions with a Cossack component,” the subject “Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” was introduced and classrooms of Orthodox culture were created.

According to the head of the synodal committee, over the five years of work of this church structure, constructive and fruitful cooperation has developed with government authorities in the development of the Cossacks. In particular, Metropolitan Kirill said, committee employees, along with representatives of various ministries and departments, are members of the commissions and working groups of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for Cossack Affairs, created to implement the “Strategy for the development of state policy of the Russian Federation regarding the Cossacks.”

“The range of issues that we are all discussing together is indeed very wide: from the construction and then consecration of churches within the framework of the open-ended interregional project “Cossack Frontiers of Russia”, the participation of Cossacks in ceremonial events and services led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', to questions re-registration of the charters of military Cossack societies, security activities of the Cossacks, organization of the World Cossack Congresses,” said a representative of the Russian Orthodox Church.

So, on October 14 of this year, on the Cossack holiday of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the V World Congress of Cossacks will take place. The major forum will begin in Novocherkassk with a solemn liturgy, which will be led by Patriarch Kirill in the Patriarchal Ascension Military All-Cossack Cathedral, Metropolitan Kirill said.

“These days, the Cossacks do not replace the police or the army,” the agency’s interlocutor continued, “they continue to serve in joint raids with law enforcement officers to protect public order in villages and on the streets of cities, the state border, transport and environmental infrastructure facilities. I emphasize that the Cossacks have a desire to carry out such service at the genetic level. Today they really help law enforcement agencies resist terrorism and drug trafficking, join the ranks of volunteer firefighters, and with their help, dozens of Cossack youth military sports camps are opened.”

Speaking about other plans of the synodal committee for the current year, its chairman said that it is planned to hold the IV International information and training seminar “Spiritual and moral values ​​of the Cossacks and their identification in the system of continuous education of the Cossacks: the experience of the hero city of Novorossiysk, Krasnodar Territory”, forum in Omsk “Cossack Siberia”, conference and seminars in Krasnoyarsk, in the republics of Dagestan and Tatarstan. Also among the upcoming events is a scientific conference and exhibition in Moscow dedicated to the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War “On the Path to Victory. State. Church. Cossacks."

Characterizing the Russian Cossacks in general, Metropolitan Kirill called them “a historically and spiritually established Orthodox knighthood.” He recalled that many monasteries and churches in Rus' were built, among other things, by the labors of the Cossacks, among whom, according to him, “there are many outstanding Orthodox figures, glorified as saints - Patriarch Hermogenes, Saints Demetrius of Rostov, Joasaph of Belgorod and others.” .

“The main mission of the Synodal Committee is to ensure that the Cossacks, who have taken the oath before the cross and the Gospel, find themselves in church, fulfilling the commandments of God and fully participating in the Sacraments of the Holy Church,” the Metropolitan concluded. According to him, nine people now work with him on the synodal committee (the same as five years ago).

Ruling bishop

Metropolitan Kirill of Stavropol and Nevinnomyssk (Pokrovsky Leonid Nikolaevich)

Date of birth: August 5, 1963 Date of consecration: November 29, 2009 Date of tonsure: 1989 Angel Day: May 24
Biography Born on August 5, 1963 in the city of Miass, Chelyabinsk region. My father, grandfather and great-grandfather on my father’s side were priests (my grandfather was repressed and was in the camps for 5 years). In 1963 he was baptized in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Miass. In 1970 he entered secondary school in Miass. In 1981 he graduated from the school for working youth in Zagorsk (now Sergiev Posad), Moscow region. In 1981-1983 served in the Armed Forces. In 1984 he entered the Moscow Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1988. In the same year, he was sent by the hierarchy to study at the Sofia Theological Academy (Bulgaria). In 1989, with the blessing of Archbishop Alexander (Timofeev), he was tonsured a monk at the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra by Archimandrite Venedikt (Knyazev) with the name Kirill in honor of Saint Equal-to-the-Apostles Kirill, teacher of Slovenia. In the same year, Archbishop Alexander (Timofeev) ordained him a hierodeacon, and later a hieromonk. In 1990, he transferred to the correspondence sector of the Moscow Theological Academy and joined the clergy of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese. In 1993, with the blessing of Metropolitan Nikolai (Kutepov) of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas and by decision of the Holy Synod, he was appointed rector of the Annunciation Monastery in Nizhny Novgorod and rector of the Nizhny Novgorod Theological School. In 1994, Metropolitan Nikolai (Kutepov) elevated him to the rank of abbot. In 1995, by decision of the Holy Synod, he was appointed rector of the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary. Since 1996 - Chairman of the Education Department of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese and Dean of the Diocese's monasteries. In 2000, Metropolitan Nikolai (Kutepov) elevated him to the rank of archimandrite. In 2001, he defended his PhD thesis at the Moscow Theological Academy and received a PhD in Theology. In 2004, Archbishop Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas relieved himself of the position of rector of the Annunciation Monastery, rector of the Nizhny Novgorod Theological Seminary, chairman of the education department and dean of the monasteries of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese and appointed dean of the 1st Nizhny Novgorod, Vyksa, Varnavinsky and Urensky districts. In 2006, Archbishop Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas appointed him rector of the Vyksa Theological School. Since 2005 - professor and then corresponding member of the International Slavic Academy. By the decision of the Holy Synod of October 10, 2009 (magazine No. 83), he was elected vicar of the Moscow diocese with the title of Pavlovo-Posad. On November 29, 2009, during the Divine Liturgy in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, he was consecrated Bishop of Pavlovo-Posad. The ordination was led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill. By the decision of the Holy Synod of December 25, 2009 (journal No. 140), he was confirmed in the position of abbot of the Donskoy Stavropegic Monastery in Moscow. By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 5, 2010 (journal No.), he was appointed chairman of the Synodal Committee for Interaction with the Cossacks. From December 2010 to 2011, he took care of parish churches in the territory of the South-Eastern Administrative District of Moscow (Peter and Paul Deanery). From 22 March 2011 - Member of the Supreme Church Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. By the decision of the Holy Synod of March 22, 2011 (magazine No. 13) he was appointed to the Stavropol See while retaining the position of chairman of the Synodal Committee for Interaction with the Cossacks. By the decision of the Holy Synod of June 7, 2012 . (magazine No. 51) appointed head of the newly formed Stavropol Metropolis. On July 18, 2012 he was elevated to the rank of metropolitan. By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 26, 2012 (magazine No. 77) he was relieved of the post of vicar of the Don Stavropegic Monastery in Moscow. August 1, 2012 year, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation, he was included in the Council for Cossack Affairs under the President of Russia. From June to December 2012, he temporarily managed the Diocese of St. George, from March to July 2014, he temporarily managed the Elista Diocese. By decree of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill dated November 16, 2021, he was appointed honorary rector of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God “Consolation and Consolation” on Khodynka Field in Moscow, in connection with the acquisition of Cossack status for the temple.

Education 1988 - Moscow Theological Seminary. Sofia Theological Academy. Moscow Theological Academy (candidate of theology).

Awards : 2013 - Order of St. blgv. book Daniel of Moscow II century; 2021 - Order of St. blgv. book Daniel of Moscow III Art. Secular: 2021 - medal of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation “For Merit”.

— Vladyka, tell us about the situation in the east of Stavropol. Why did you decide to pay special attention to this part of the region?

— Five years ago, His Holiness the Patriarch appointed me to the Stavropol See. I became interested in the situation in the border areas and began to prepare a program to stop the outflow of the Russian-speaking population.

In the dioceses neighboring to the east, the situation is even worse, since the Russian-speaking population constitutes an absolute minority in the republics. Especially if we talk about Chechnya, where difficult military events took place. But in the Stavropol region today the situation is not easy. The Russian people have lost their will, they have lost the desire to work on the land. The state abandoned the village in the 90s, which caused the destruction of the local infrastructure and culture as a whole. And private farming was completely destroyed during the years of the so-called “dekulakization” and finished off during the reign of Khrushchev. Therefore, it is now very difficult to start developing a farm, especially for young families who do not have experience and funds.

The main reason for the outflow of the indigenous population can be called uncontrolled migration from neighboring republics. Maybe migrants come with good things. But having a completely different mentality, culture and religion, they cannot always integrate into the environment where they come to live. They often behave aggressively, forcing Russians to leave their lands. This is very bad. After all, in fact, the Russian and Caucasian peoples lived quite peacefully for centuries. This needs to be learned again. Learn the culture of living together.

A big problem for the eastern Stavropol region is terrorist attacks and Wahhabism. As we see, civilians of all nationalities, and even imams and muftis, are dying at the hands of terrorists. This is a big problem that has not yet been solved.

Having received the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch to support the Russian-speaking population, I instructed my assistants to analyze the situation in the eastern deaneries, began to collect information from various sources myself, and held several meetings at which we developed a program for intensifying spiritual, educational, missionary and social work in these territories.

— Tell us more about this program.

— We started implementing it back in 2012. It includes, among other things, the construction of new churches in eastern deaneries. The East of Stavropol region is made up of 5 deaneries, uniting 10 municipal districts. Among the priority items is the construction of 24 churches for the largest villages where there is a school. In addition to churches, there is an urgent need for priestly personnel. At least 59 shepherds must be sent there. Despite the activities of the Theological Seminary, there is a catastrophic shortage of priests in the diocese. Therefore, the east of Stavropol region will have priority in the distribution of ordained priests. Sending them to eastern deaneries, I understand perfectly well that serving there is often very difficult. The density of the Russian-speaking, Orthodox population there is much lower than in other areas. Accordingly, this affects the income of the clergy and churches in general. I think that over time we will definitely prepare a program of financial support for these devotees.

If we simply list the points of the program, then this is the construction of spiritual and educational centers, Sunday schools, the opening of cadet classes, the organization of agricultural farms at church parishes, the opening of educational classes for the study of the Russian language and Russian literature at the cultural centers of deaneries for arriving migrants, regardless of their religion.

Creation of a powerful information and analytical Internet portal about the spiritual, public, social and economic life of the eastern regions. Development of a missionary route for all settlements where there is no church. The missionary group includes a priest, the small choir of the Stavropol Theological Seminary, general practitioners, a psychologist and a lawyer. To organize trips, it is planned to manufacture a mobile temple bus.

Opening museums of Cossack history and culture in every regional center, supporting regional and rural Cossack societies.

Opening in every deanery branches of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky rehabilitation center for citizens suffering from drug and alcohol addiction, from families in difficult life situations.

Organization of a series of anti-sectarian and apologetic lectures in all regional centers and large populated areas.

Publication of the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament in the languages ​​of the peoples living here. A similar translation of Easter, Christmas and other holiday television programs “Stavropol Blagovest” into “minor languages” with subsequent broadcast at the municipal level.

Organization of annual interfaith, namely Orthodox-Muslim, and sports and patriotic youth camps.

Thank God that, at my request, His Holiness the Patriarch and the Holy Synod decided to open a new Diocese of St. George in the eastern regions and the developed program was taken up by Bishop Gideon. I help him with this as much as possible.

— You are also the chairman of the Synodal Committee for Interaction with the Cossacks. What challenges do you face in this regard?

“Today our committee, together with the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church, has already appointed more than 1000 confessors to care for Cossack communities throughout the country. Today, a priest has been appointed for every society - farmstead, stanitsa, rural, district, military - in the territory of the North Caucasus.

Today we regularly conduct seminars with them, develop methodological documents in order to help confessors in their work on the churching of our Cossacks. And that is great. We have no right to stop this work, not only in the Caucasus, but in Russia as a whole. Today all Cossacks declare themselves to be sons of the Russian Orthodox Church, Orthodox people. This was the case historically, and today we need to go a long way in order for the Cossacks to truly find themselves. I name three pillars on which it stood and should stand. The first is Cossack traditions, without which there simply will not be a Cossack, but an ordinary person in uniform. The second is church involvement, church life, without this there will also be a person in uniform, a person who is in some club of interests, and there will not be here that warrior or Orthodox knight, Christian, which the Cossacks have always been. And the third is service to the Fatherland and the people. For centuries, Cossacks lived on the border, protecting their families, lands and the state as a whole. The authorities need to support this, help and, perhaps, load the Cossacks with this service. Such tasks have been set today by His Holiness the Patriarch.

— What problems are most important today?

— On the one hand, the Cossacks are becoming an increasingly serious factor in our life, actively offering their service to the state. In the Kuban there are already 2,000 Cossacks serving on a par with the police, and similar processes have begun in the Stavropol region. On the other hand, the Cossack world, unfortunately, is not yet ready to accept responsible powers. This is evidenced by sad cases of separatism. That is why, if the Cossacks themselves say that we have already been reborn, I answer them: there is still a long way to go before the final revival! We are just at the beginning of the journey. When the geologists' town on Khopra is burned, despite all the contradictory nature of the nickel deposit development project and the threat of destruction of natural resources, one cannot agree with such methods of protest. Sometimes our Terek Cossacks, including atamans, are not right in everything.

— It’s probably not so easy for the Cossacks to integrate into the modern way of life...

- Absolutely right. I advise them to study more deeply the laws of the state in which they live, whether someone likes them or not. But even more important is that the spiritual revival of the Cossacks is still far away! A true spiritual Cossack is a warrior who devotes himself entirely to serving the Fatherland. And a soulless Cossack is often a rebel and a robber. This has been enough in Russian history. Why did Mother Catherine resettle the Cossacks from the Zaporozhye Sich? Because they served the Turkish Sultan or the Polish king for money, against their brothers of the same faith. And what kind of spirituality was there, what kind of faith? One name. Therefore, there is still a long way to go along the path of revival. I hope that the Cossacks will take these steps together with the church, instilling in children genuine Cossack traditions, and not far-fetched ones.

— You visit a number of Russian regions where this topic is also relevant.

— Yes, I had a chance to meet with Cossacks in Tambov, Nizhny Novgorod, Omsk, Krasnoyarsk, and other regions of the country. They have their own stages of development, more modest in scale. In general, I hope that the Cossacks, having spiritually risen to their feet, will definitely be a wonderful instrument of serving the Fatherland and people.

- While at the Stavropol department, you are also the rector of the oldest theological educational institution in the North Caucasus - the Stavropol Seminary. Most recently, it celebrated the 170th anniversary of its founding. Over the years, the seminary was closed twice, but reopened its doors to everyone. Tell us about it.

— The Stavropol Theological School was founded according to the resolution of the Holy Synod in 1846 and was then called the Caucasian Theological Seminary. The local clergy at that time were mostly illiterate. Moreover, there was a catastrophic shortage of clergy. And this is quite understandable - a long, painful Caucasian War was going on in the region. In addition, paganism flourished here, and dialogue was just beginning between Orthodox people and those who professed Islam. And then the seminary became the main educational institution in the Caucasus - not only spiritual, but also humanitarian.

We must bow deeply to the founders and teachers of the Theological School for the feat they accomplished in educating seminarians. After all, the shepherds who emerged from the walls of this educational institution became not just priests, but in addition to this, often also farmers, scientists, and doctors, because the education they received was of a fairly high level.

In 1920, the Stavropol Theological Seminary was closed. And only after the Great Patriotic War, in 1946, at the Holy Cross Church in Stavropol, it was revived.

In June 1960, the Theological School was disbanded. And in 1989, the seminary reopened, now for the third time, thanks to the care of Archbishop Anthony (Zavgorodniy) of Stavropol and Baku. And this, I hope, is forever.

— Among the graduates there are those whose names are well known to us...

— The galaxy of our celebrities is large. Many of them accepted martyrdom for Christ during the godless Soviet years. These are the holy martyrs John Vostorgov, Nikolai Kandaurov and other holy new martyrs and confessors of Russia. Also graduating from the Stavropol Theological School were Metropolitan Gideon (Dokukin), who later ruled the Stavropol diocese for many years, Archimandrite Matthew (Mormyl) - the famous regent of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archpriest Pyotr Sukhonosov, Archpriest John Belevtsev, Archpriest Bogdan Soyka and many other clergy, professors of theological academies, devotees of piety.

— Do priests who recently graduated from seminary need to improve their level of education?

— Although graduates of our Theological School have a fairly high level of education, we have organized advanced training courses for clergy. About 90 pastors have already completed them, and approximately the same number of people will take them in the next academic year. Such courses are needed to refresh the memory of certain subjects, and most importantly, to get acquainted with the new decisions of the church that come out after each Council of Bishops, and are also developed by the commissions of the Inter-Council Presence, the bodies of the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council. These documents are necessarily published on the Patriarchate website. Every priest should know them, and it is better if he gets to know them at advanced training courses, where he can ask and discuss something.

— You have been heading the seminary for five years. Is it possible to draw some conclusions today?

— Of course, I am only continuing the work of my predecessors, but I hope that over these five years I have also done a lot for the Theological School.

Our teachers have reached a new level of training, new teachers have appeared, including our graduates, who subsequently completed master's and postgraduate studies in Moscow and St. Petersburg. They have written monographs and other scientific works. Today, the “Bulletin of the Stavropol Theological Seminary” is published in two languages ​​- Russian and English. Our site is constantly developing.

Last November, the Theological School was visited by a commission of the Educational Committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, which, with the blessing of His Holiness the Patriarch, carried out a scheduled inspection. Based on the results of the inspection, our seminary received a high rating.

— How many students are studying now? Will they all be in demand?

— Today there are 60 full-time students, 110 part-time students. We have students not only from the Stavropol Territory, but also from the Volgograd and Rostov regions, Krasnodar Territory, Kalmykia and other regions. We have no right to refuse anyone. All graduates of the Stavropol Theological School are in demand, since there are currently not enough clergy.

We also have a regency school (a structural unit of the seminary), which has been preparing church choir directors for more than a quarter of a century. Today there are 15 girls studying there, and they are in great demand in the parishes. Most of the students, after training, become regents of churches not only in Stavropol, but also in many other dioceses.

In addition, the Theological School has a department for training parish specialists, where about 150 people are currently studying. They will become the main assistants to the rectors in the parishes.

Thank God, our seminary is developing and providing excellent spiritual education to future shepherds of the Church of Christ. Of course, there are some unresolved issues, but - with God's help - we will definitely solve them. We have the most important thing - our wonderful teachers and students, as well as enormous experience that we will pass on to new generations.

I hope that the clergy of our diocese, metropolis and all dioceses of the blessed Caucasus will constantly be replenished with wonderful priests - graduates of the Stavropol Theological Seminary, who will work in parishes, serve their Fatherland, and most importantly, God.

— How are things going in the diocese with the construction of new churches? After all, even in the regional capital there are still places where there is no church of its own.

— The diocese has been running the “20-20” program for several years now, the goal of which is to build 20 churches by 2021. All of them should be built in new areas, where there is one temple per 30-50 thousand people, and in some there is not one. Thank God, the city is in disarray, and churches are very much needed.

It would be good if, when planning the development of the city, developing a general plan for the settlement, a place for a school, a kindergarten and, of course, a temple was determined in advance. I addressed this question to architects, and I suggest that all localities do this. After all, 80% of our population are baptized Orthodox people.

Some churches were included in the “20-20” program during the construction phase, and today they are almost completely built. Also, temples must be located on the territory of hospitals.

— Who takes part in the “20-20” program?

“It is simply impossible to do this with our funds, which believers donate by buying candles or giving notes.” This is only enough to maintain or repair the temple. Of course, we are very grateful to our parishioners that at least we have these funds. But it is unrealistic to build anything on them.

Today, the main assistant to the abbot in the construction of churches is donors. This has always been a sacred thing in Rus'. These people built temples, almshouses, orphanages and other charitable institutions.

In this case, I want to thank our long-term benefactor Yuri Ivanovich Ivanov, the general director of the famous construction company, who has been helping in the construction and repair of our churches for many years, and recently bought a plot in the South-Western district of Stavropol, where a temple for a thousand people, a spiritual center, will be built and an Orthodox kindergarten.

Interestingly, Yuri Ivanovich gave us a plot in the year of memory of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Grand Duke Vladimir. Therefore, the temple and kindergarten will bear the name of Prince Vladimir.

May the Lord bless all good workers who are engaged in such holy deeds as temple building.

Interviewed by Ekaterina Zubkova