Conference on Orthodoxy in China held in Kazakhstan

(orthodox.cn) - A conference on "Orthodoxy in the regions of China," dedicated to topical issues of Orthodoxy in China took place in Almaty on May 31 with the blessing of Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and Kazakhstan in Almaty on May 31. A welcome message from Metropolitan Hilarion, DECR Chairman, was read at the beginning of the conference. His Eminence Archbishop Gennady, Bishop of Kaskelen presented a report on the perspectives of preaching Orthodoxy in China.

Conference reports were devoted to issues such as preaching Orthodoxy among the Chinese diaspora and also addressed the problems of the Orthodox Church in the regions of China. Particular attention was paid to the pastoral care by the Kazakhstan Metropolia to the Orthodox congregation in Xinjiang. A report on this subject was made by Igumen Vianor (Ivanov). Messages were also presented by Fr Seraphim (Petrovsky); DECR representative, D. Petrovsky; priests-in-charge of the Russian Orthodox the parishes in Hong Kong and Beijing, Archpriest Dionysy Pozdnyaev and Priest Sergei Voronin; the rector of the Russian Orthodox Institute; Igumen Peter (Eremeev); priest Sergiy Malashkin and by students of Moscow Theological Seminary studying Chinese in Taiwan.

During the conference there was a presentation of the album "Orthodoxy in China" and the monograph by Prof. Datsyshen "History of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in China", published in Moscow and Hong Kong in 2010.

Conference participants appreciated the Kazakhstan's Metropolia's initiative of creating a forum for discussion of problems and prospects of Orthodoxy in China, and also adopted the outcome summary document, in which, in particular, they expressed an intention to create a regular mechanism for conferences on this issue.

The Conference concluded with a joint prayer during the service of the leave-taking of Pascha, served by Metropolitan Alexander of Astana and the Kazakh, concelebrated by Bishop Gennady of Kaskelen and all cathedral clergy and ordained guests in Almaty's Ascension Cathedral.