Patriarch Kirill visited one of the northernmost towns of Russia — the village of Khatanga

    

10 September 2018 Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Kirill during the visit in Norilsk of the Krasnoyarsk diocese Archdiocese visited the village of Khatanga is one of the northernmost towns of Russia, located in the Taimyr Dolgano-Nenets district of the Krasnoyarsk territory, according to patriarhiei.

The Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was accompanied by managing Director of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan of St. Petersburg and Ladoga Varsonofy, Metropolitan Krasnoyarsk and Achinsk Panteleimon, head of the Administrative Secretariat of the Moscow Patriarchate, Archbishop Sergius of Solnechnogorsk, Bishop Norilsk and Turukhansky Agafangel.

At the airport Khatanga his Holiness was met by the head of the rural settlement Khatanga A. V. Kuleshov. From the airport, the Patriarch went to the Church of the Epiphany, where His Holiness was welcomed by the rector, hieromonk Euthymius (of Goncharov) and the people of Khatanga.

In the temple of his Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrated a prayer service.

In his welcoming speech, hieromonk Euthymios said that over the four centuries of the existence of the Church in Khatanga it is the first visit by the Primate of the Russian Church. The rector presented His Holiness with a carved image of a deer hunter and Orthodox calendar handmade Dolgan masters.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill addressed the congregation with a primatial word:

“Your Eminence, Your Eminence! Father Euthymius, dear people of Khatanga!

It is my great pleasure to come today to you and with you to pray. Khatanga is located in the Northern Christian parish in the world, not only among Orthodox parishes. And when you think about what 400 years ago came our pioneers, the Orthodox people, and founded this temple, then you understand what kind of power possessed by our people. 400 years ago only ended the time of Troubles, but after the turmoil, which so undermined the strength of the country, there was still strength to meet the sun — without maps, without roads, and to come here in Khatanga. And the first thing that was done by our people, is built Orthodox churches. So Khatanga — not just North of the village, this is a very special place on the world map and particularly the map of the Russian Orthodox Church.

When I was asked why I’m going to Khatanga, I few people answered this question. But I now explained why I’m here — because this is a special place associated with particular heroism of those who lived here, who built a life here and who live here today. Rejoice that you are in such a multitude gathered together with me to pray, because prayer reaches the heavens, the prayer the Lord answers us through prayer, we become stronger.

And how important it is that the Christian faith is not gone from our lives! Perhaps, here, in a remote location, especially felt God’s presence and the need of communion with God. I would like to Express to all of you a big thanks for all that you do here. Do you support the settlement, so important for our country, you create a family, and I rejoice in seeing so many kids and young people. This means that the Khatanga future, and the future certainly good.

But in order to make it so, we should all try very hard. Of course, you need to work hard, develop your settlement, but all this is possible only if a person has internal force. First and foremost, the power to overcome their own weaknesses, its sinful tendencies; in order to make the lives around him brighter, prettier, better.

Now, if there is an internal force, the person and around him to bring all that is good and true. And the inner power we have is from God. People can have strong muscles or to be a good specialist, but if not the power of the spirit, a man little in his life can do. That’s why I would like to wish all of you, my dear, first and foremost, peace, love in your families. To the next generation, born here and still in childhood, took over from the older generation of this great tradition Khatanga to this generation kept faith that people here did not leave, but on the contrary, did everything to ensure that life in the North better. God grant that by the power of God expelled all sorts of vices and we became stronger, more beautiful, to make life around us better.

May the Lord keep each of you — dad and mom, grandparents, children and grandchildren. I once again would like to say that I am very glad to see you all on the backdrop of the Northern landscape, the walls of the ancient temple, where for 400 years glimmer of the candle of Orthodoxy, and God forbid that any winds never extinguished. Let God help you in all circumstances of your life.”

As a gift to the Church, his Holiness Patriarch Kirill gave an icon of the Savior; believers were given icons of the Mother of God with the Patriarch’s blessing. The Primate of the Russian Church thanked the rector hieromonk Euthymius (Goncharov) for the work and have honored the right to wear a cross with decorations.

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