Exhibition Focuses on a Russian Renaissance
Orthodox Church Organizes Event in Rome
MOSCOW, DEC. 11, 2006 (Zenit.org).- An exhibition entitled "The Church and the Spiritual Renaissance in Russia" will open Tuesday at the Museo del Corso in Rome.
The exhibition has been organized by the Publishing Council and the Foreign Relations Department of the Russian Orthodox Church, with the support of the Sophia International Association and the Urengoigaz company, a subsidiary of Gazprom.
The exhibition includes a unique photographic archive of the Russian Orthodox Church's Publishing Council of news agencies RIA, ITAR-TASS and Reuters, as well as of the Trud and Kommersant newspapers.
The exhibition also includes icons, books and artistic religious objects of the Russian Orthodox Church. The event, in part, aims to establish and develop contacts with fellow Russian Orthodox in Italy and with Italian Christians.
"On one hand there are people who very much accept the Orthodox Church, many who love Russian icons, art, thought and philosophy and culture," explained Bishop Egorevski Mark, vice president of the Russian Orthodox Church's Foreign Relations Department, at a Dec. 6 press conference.
"On the other, there is also a strange perception of what Orthodoxy is: an incomprehensible religion," the bishop said. "What are the Orthodox? Are they also Christians? And this because of lack of information."
Given the above, during the exhibition there will be Orthodox clerics available to dispel doubts and answer people's questions, noted the organizers.
Patronal feast
The opening of the exhibition has been scheduled to coincide with the patronal feast of the first Russian Orthodox church to be established in Rome, dedicated to St. Catherine. The Moscow Patriarchate plans to give this church a series of religious, historical and educational books, as well as literature in general, for the faithful's library.
Archpriest Vladimir Cilovev, president of the Russian Orthodox Church's Publishing Council, pointed out that the exhibition is of vital importance for the Orthodox-Catholic relationship. When difficulties exist in the official line of communication, he said, cultural exchanges and communication through the civil society are of that much greater importance.
For his part, Bishop Mark stressed that "though we hear about the difficulties in the relationship between the Russian Orthodox and the Catholic Church, dialogue and contact between both is taking place intensely."
The prelate added that just as this exhibition is being shown in Rome, a similar exhibition on the Catholic Church and the problems of Christians in Western Europe would be of great usefulness to Orthodox Christians.
http://www.zenit.org/english/
Orthodox Church Organizes Event in Rome
MOSCOW, DEC. 11, 2006 (Zenit.org).- An exhibition entitled "The Church and the Spiritual Renaissance in Russia" will open Tuesday at the Museo del Corso in Rome.
The exhibition has been organized by the Publishing Council and the Foreign Relations Department of the Russian Orthodox Church, with the support of the Sophia International Association and the Urengoigaz company, a subsidiary of Gazprom.
The exhibition includes a unique photographic archive of the Russian Orthodox Church's Publishing Council of news agencies RIA, ITAR-TASS and Reuters, as well as of the Trud and Kommersant newspapers.
The exhibition also includes icons, books and artistic religious objects of the Russian Orthodox Church. The event, in part, aims to establish and develop contacts with fellow Russian Orthodox in Italy and with Italian Christians.
"On one hand there are people who very much accept the Orthodox Church, many who love Russian icons, art, thought and philosophy and culture," explained Bishop Egorevski Mark, vice president of the Russian Orthodox Church's Foreign Relations Department, at a Dec. 6 press conference.
"On the other, there is also a strange perception of what Orthodoxy is: an incomprehensible religion," the bishop said. "What are the Orthodox? Are they also Christians? And this because of lack of information."
Given the above, during the exhibition there will be Orthodox clerics available to dispel doubts and answer people's questions, noted the organizers.
Patronal feast
The opening of the exhibition has been scheduled to coincide with the patronal feast of the first Russian Orthodox church to be established in Rome, dedicated to St. Catherine. The Moscow Patriarchate plans to give this church a series of religious, historical and educational books, as well as literature in general, for the faithful's library.
Archpriest Vladimir Cilovev, president of the Russian Orthodox Church's Publishing Council, pointed out that the exhibition is of vital importance for the Orthodox-Catholic relationship. When difficulties exist in the official line of communication, he said, cultural exchanges and communication through the civil society are of that much greater importance.
For his part, Bishop Mark stressed that "though we hear about the difficulties in the relationship between the Russian Orthodox and the Catholic Church, dialogue and contact between both is taking place intensely."
The prelate added that just as this exhibition is being shown in Rome, a similar exhibition on the Catholic Church and the problems of Christians in Western Europe would be of great usefulness to Orthodox Christians.
http://www.zenit.org/english/
