MOSCOW, November 3 (Itar-Tass) —— Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia said Russian people’s active solidarity with the victims of the devastating flood in Krymsk this past summer was the most remarkable event of this year.
“The Krymsk tragedy revealed our ability to come to rescue and help other people, giving up one’s own regular and urgent work. It revealed our ability to love other people and take their grief as our own,” Kirill said in an interview with Itar-Tass on Saturday, November 3.
“This is truly Evangelic service and an example of sacrifice and selflessness that is so important for our society,” he said.
The patriarch also believes it important to “show compassion not only during national catastrophes”.
“If we look around we will find many tragedies similar to that in Krymsk: in provincial orphanages, senior citizens’ homes or night shelters for the homeless,” he said.
Kirill also said that every person who looks at the outgoing year “should remember the good things done and try to correct his mistakes”.
As a result of the flood in the southern Krasnodar Territory in early July, 153 people died, 4,100 private households were damaged in Krymsk and another 100 in Gelendzhik. The whole country joined in the charity campaign for the flood victims. The Russian Orthodox Church raised about 50 million roubles in aid.