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We are One with the People
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Protestants lay wreaths at the Kremlin Wall for the third time
M o s c o w – For the third year in succession, representatives of Russia’s Protestant churches laid wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the walls of the Kremlin on 8 May, one day prior to the Day of Victory in WW II. For only the second time, Russian Protestants were allowed to visit present-day Russia’s most revered location strictly as Protestants.
“Our appearance is an expression of our unity with the lives of our people. We also are one with the Russian people.” That was the opinion of Simon Borodin, Vice-President of the small “Missionary Union of Evangelical Christians”. Vitaly Vlasenko, Director of External Church Relations for the "Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists" (RUECB), added: “We too are a part of Russia’s past and present.” As supporting evidence he pointed to the fact that his father and pastor – both Baptists – had served as soldiers during WW II. Another church leader expressed regret regarding the fact that ever fewer of the elderly who had suffered through the war years are able to attend the commemoration.
Yet Vlasenko is convinced this Protestant event is becoming ever more popular among those born later. Thirty believers attended a year ago; the number now was roughly 50. “This event is finding more-and-more favour in our congregations. I’m convinced it will develop into an institution in the common life of our Protestant denominations.” A larger number of Lutherans attended this year for the first time. The event’s sponsors are the “Advisory Council of the Leaders of the Protestant Churches of Russia” and the “National Prayer Breakfast Foundation”.
A few Protestant church representatives were among the 2.000 guests invited to the festive inauguration of Dmitry Medvedev as President of the Russian Federation on 7 May. They were Sergey Ryakhovsky, Bishop of the Charismatic “Associated Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith”, Vassily Stolyar, President of the “Seventh Day Adventist Church”, and Alexander Semchenko, Baptist businessman and member of the “Advisory Council for Cooperation with Religious Associ¬ations at the Seat of the President of the Russian Federation”. Official Protestant policy in Russia interprets Medvedev´s profession of an Orthodox, Christian faith as a potential bridge of understanding to Protestants.
Source: Dr. William Yoder
Department for External Church Relations, RUECB
Photo: Eternal flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow. |
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