At the grand opening of new gorgeous cathedral, Putin said he hoped that it would deepen the "understanding of good" in Russian society
Earlier this year, a gigantic and gorgeous cathedral was built in the one of the oldest, most famous monasteries in Moscow.
Putin attended the grand consecration, once again demonstrating his support for the rebirth of Christianity in Russia.
His presence also shows his deep goodwill towards the popular abbot of the monastery, Bishop Tikhon Shevkunov, author of the bestseller book Everyday Saints.
Here’s video footage of part of his speech at the grand opening and consecration of the church:
His Main Points:
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Importance of National Memory: Putin talked about how, 100 years after the revolution, it is important to develop national memory and courageous acceptance of history--all of it. Always remembering the fragility of peace and accepting and national history fully, that, he said is the only way we can we can learn from the past
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Importance of Church Unity. The opening of the church coincided with the 10-year unification of two branches of the Russian Orthodox Church (The Russian Church Outside of Russia [ROCOR] and Russian Church based in Russia. More about ROCOR here)
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How integral Christianity is in Russian Society. Russian society, the president explained, is impossible to imagine without the ancient experience of the Russian Christian Church. Putin applauded the building of the new cathedral and expressed hope that it would help Christianize the society, deepening national understanding of morality.