On August 15, 2024, at the Patriarchal and Synodal Residence in Danilov Monastery in Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia met with Alexei Olegovich Chekunkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic.
Holy Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill met with Alexei Olegovich Chekunkov, Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic.
«I have a special attitude to the region for which you are responsible, — said the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, welcoming the guest. — From Murmansk to Vladivostok, all the mouths of the great rivers, all the large settlements on the coast of the Arctic Ocean, all the significant villages — I have been everywhere and therefore have a more or less complete idea, first of all, of course, of the religious life of the people — this is what interested me above all. But not only the religious life, also their everyday life, material provision, spiritual demands, the problems they face»
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«I will tell you frankly: I am very connected with this region in my soul, — continued His Holiness. — Because to live in such conditions — is a feat. And the word "feat" has the same root as the word "movement". There can be no feat without movement. Where there is no movement, there is stagnation, and stagnation in such conditions as in the North, — it is death. Therefore, very It is important that both the state authorities and the Church contribute in every possible way to ensuring that difficult living conditions do not stop the growth of spiritual and material well-being. In this sense, I think we have common tasks: yours are horizontal, and ours are vertical. Therefore, I am very glad to meet you and would like to discuss some specific issues with you.
«Thank you, Your Holiness. You have very accurately summarized what the formula for help is, — A.O. Chekunkov said in turn. — Because both your and our task — is to help people to live in the territories that distinguish our country from all other countries. The Arctic and the Far East — this is a little more than half of Russia, and only 6% of the country's population lives on these lands. But we can say that they are the future, because the riches are immeasurable, but the challenges are also commensurate.
«In what you said, I heard a very sensitive understanding that people are aware of the practical challenges that are in life,— continued the minister. — We, of course, conduct sociological research in all modern ways, and every time four themes are heard. It is income, because prices are higher everywhere. It's roads, because the permafrost and the distances are huge, you know that very well. It is medicine, because in our capitals, in big cities, the standard is very high. high, world-class medicine, but we are not able to treat everywhere like this, especially in hard-to-reach, remote areas. And this is education, especially school education. And our task, as representatives of the state, is to work with this».
«And here, of course, the role of the Russian Orthodox Church is huge. I have been fortunate to be engaged in this work for the eleventh year. Indeed, we can see changes. New temples are opened, the mood of people is visible, and the northernmost in the world Orthodox cross is erected on Spitsbergen, — emphasized A.O. Chekunkov. Therefore, of course, only through joint efforts and faith can we overcome all the challenges and achieve confidence in the future, so that the Far East and the Arctic remain a territory of advanced development.
The meeting was attended by Metropolitan Gregory of Voskresensk and Chairman of the Synodal Department for Relations between the Church and Society and the Media V.R. Legoyda.
Press Service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
