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(ROCOR) - Orthodox Christians Respond to an LGBT Protest With Joint Prayer of Clergy and Laity of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA and the Russian Church Abroad
Clergymen and laity of the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia responded to an LGBT protest with joint prayers.
On Sunday, August 25, 2013, a protest was held before St Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in San Francisco, CA, by local LGBT members against legislation passed in Russia last June banning the propagandizing of homosexuality to children. The day before, blogs on the internet called for supporters of the LGBT community to gather at San Francisco’s Patriarchal cathedral during Divine Liturgy with anti-Orthodox and anti-Russian placards.
With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Justinian of Naro-Fominsk, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA, clergymen Protopriest Georgy Roshchin, Representative of the International Russian People’s Council to the United Nations, and Hegumen Nikodim (Balyasnikov), both of St Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York City, traveled to San Francisco to support the local parishioners.
On August 25, Archbishop Justinian spoke via telephone to His Eminence Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America of ROCOR. The archpastors discussed the unfolding situation, after which they came to the decision to hold joint prayers the next day in the Patriarchal cathedral. Priest Leonid Kazakov, Rector of St Nicholas Cathedral, gave advance notice to the planned action to the local police and to Mr Sergei Petrov, Consul General of the Russian Federation in San Francisco.
On the morning of August 25, Archbishop Kyrill and His Grace Bishop Theodosius of Seattle, Vicar Bishop of the Western American Diocese, arrived for the beginning of Divine Liturgy, where they prayed and partook of the Holy Gifts of Christ. For the edification of the worshipers, the archpastors brought with them a reliquary with portions of the relics of St John of Shanghai and San Francisco from the Cathedral of the Mother of God “Joy of All Who Sorrow” in San Francisco.
Divine Liturgy was celebrated by Fr Leonid and Hegumen Nikodim. Praying at the service were parishioners of St Nicholas and laity of ROCOR.
After partaking of the Holy Gifts, Archbishop Kyrill and Bishop Theodosius performed a moleben with the other clergymen, during which litanies and supplications from the rite of the Triumph of Orthodoxy were intoned.
Bishop Theodosius then read a sermon. Fr Leonid welcomed the archpastors on behalf of his parishioners, thanking them for their prayerful support and words of guidance. Protopriest Georgy and Hegumen Nikodim then thanked the hierarchs on behalf of Archbishop Justinian.
By Divine mercy, neither the cathedral nor any parishioners suffered any violence from the protesters. Member of the police secured the protest area and did not permit the breaking of any laws. The clergy and parishioners of St Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral of San Francisco expressed thanks to Archbishop Justinian and Archbishop Kyrill, Bishop Theodosius, the clergymen from New York’s St Nicholas Cathedral, as well as all the other clergymen and laypersons who supported them that day.
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This is very bittersweet to read. It is very sad to see where the efforts of our antiChristian president, and the dark powers behind him and those of the same mindset as he have gotten in this country. This is the first of many sorrows like this, in what was once at least a God-fearing nation. But what is a joy is to read here how the Russian Orthodox Church and ROCOR, who, above so many other groups, know what it is to be persecuted by lawless people, have set an example of turning to God in prayer. For me, as angry as I get about Obama and the activist and bigoted LGBT segment, this is a very good example to me of the Christian way to deal with these matters.
ReplyDeleteLord, have mercy on me, and on all of us!
I am Baptist from the 1689 Reformed tradition, and even though we have our differences in Theology, I am thankful to see such a response and fellowship. My prayers are with you.
ReplyDeleteFrom the (LGBT) perspective, if they are protesting Russia's new law, then why did they protest here and not at the General Consulate at 2790 Green St (not the OCA cathedral at 1520 Green St at the intersection with Van Ness)?
ReplyDeleteBecause they hate the Church.
DeleteThe Church is the only organization that will not be "politically correct". She will not submit, even when all rulers of the world, civil authorities and majority of people will. These groups (LGBT) are very violent in nature. They will persecute everyone who is not in agreement with them.
DeleteWhat Matushka said!
DeleteMay God eternal blessings be with all who pray that His truth may prevail. Saint Alexander Nevsky said: "God is not in the strength, but in the truth." This is the time when we all be tested how we adhere to the truth.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't sound like anyone here knows what is going on in Russia. I have always been a russophile and a faithful Orthodox Christian. But what i have seen is horrific. These laws, which may have been well intentioned, have created a frenzy of state sponsored terrorism. LGTB community is being hunted down and brutally beaten, sometimes to the point of death, on public streets and either the Russian police refuse to protect them from violence or take part in it. This is not acceptable behavior and definitely not Christian.
ReplyDelete