Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church urged “not to forget about the historical unity of Holy Russia, the origins of which date back to the Kyiv Baptismal Font.”
He stated this in his address to the World Congress of Russian Compatriots Living Abroad, the website of the Russian Orthodox Church reports.
He also said that he “feels deeply the division in the fraternal people, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church was reported as saying by Religiyna Pravda.
“We must not forget about our historical unity of Holy Russia, the origins of which originate from the Kyiv Baptismal Font. Like most of us, I feel pain over the current divisions between the fraternal people for political and religious reasons,” Kirill said.
He also spoke about “the difficulties faced by compatriots abroad.”
"Protecting the rights of our compatriots abroad and their interests, no matter what part of the world they live in, is our common duty,” the Patriarch said.
And he added that at the churches of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, compatriots often find support, “with the help of the Russian language, they communicate and share their joys and concerns.”
Kirill stressed that” preserving the Russian identity means thinking, writing and speaking Russian."
"... we will try to work honestly and conscientiously, each in his own place, in order to build a common civilizational space with the short name 'Rus'”, he said.