The Synodal Department for Prison Ministry held a meeting with assistant heads of Moscow pre-trial detention centers on work with believers and Orthodox volunteers visiting penal institutions. Priest Kirill Markovsky, acting chairman of the Synodal Department for Prison Ministry, took part in the event.
The prison ministry in Moscow involves a large number of clergymen who feed pretrial detention centers, as well as full-time clergy — assistant chiefs of pre-trial detention centers to work with the faithful. The mission of prison ministry also involves many lay people who regularly visit pre-trial detention facilities, assist in the performance of divine services, conduct catechetical talks with inmates, organize spiritual-educational events for them, helping them to come to faith, repentance and correction.
A meeting of Priest Kirill Markovsky with clergy and Orthodox volunteers visiting Moscow detention centers, discussed the issues of more effective organization of spiritual-educational activities on the territory of regime institutions.
A meeting of Priest Kirill Markovsky with clergy and Orthodox volunteers visiting Moscow detention centers, discussed the issues of more effective organization of spiritual-educational activities on the territory of regime institutions.
According to Fr. Kirill, such a number of laymen who regularly come to penitentiary institutions are the following institutions and assisting clergy in their mission is not found in any region of Russia. In some dioceses the laity are not involved in prison ministry at all. In Moscow, however, more than 200 people who are not in the priestly ministry bring the Word of God to prisoners and support them in a difficult period of life.
Orthodox volunteers perform various obediences; they sing on the choir, conduct classes in Sunday schools, operate for inmates of detention center maintenance units, organize spiritual-educational events for them, conduct catechetical talks. It is very important for the inmates that the person who came to them from prison is ready to talk to them about their painful problems, to discuss topics troubling their souls, as well as life plans for their release.
Sunday school classes for inmates are held regularly in the pre-trial detention center, but volunteers noted that it is difficult to provide knowledge in a systematized course, not only because of the regular turnover of students, but also because inmates may be periodically involved in other activities on Sunday, when classes are held.
Sunday school classes for inmates are held regularly in the pre-trial detention center.
Father Kirill shared his experience of prison ministry and expressed gratitude to both clergy and volunteers for their work.
Father Kirill shared his experience of prison ministry and expressed gratitude to both clergy and volunteers for their work.
«With his unequal concern And through your good deeds you help prisoners to rethink, understand, and most importantly, to find faith and meaning in life," the clergyman emphasized. Yes, a person can go free and then leave the Church, even commit a new crime. But I am convinced that sooner or later those spiritual seeds that you have sown will surely sprout, and a person will remember that in his life there were people who, sacrificing their time, came to him and spoke about Christ and His love for each of us. Who tried to comfort and inspire the prisoner with the hope that with God accepting every repentant sinner, it is possible to start a new life».
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Meetings between the leadership of the Synodal Department for Prison Ministry and clergy and Orthodox volunteers are becoming traditional and allow us to join forces to ensure that the mission of prison ministry is not a formal one, but actually contributes to the correction of people who have committed crimes.
Meetings between the leadership of the Synodal Department for Prison Ministry and clergy and Orthodox volunteers are becoming a tradition.
Synodal Department for Prison Ministry/Patriarchy.ru
