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Patriarch Kirill visits maternity home in Moscow

The Patriarch offered presents to the women and gave his blessing to them and their newborn

MOSCOW, January 7 (Itar-Tass) —— Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill on Monday, the Orthodox Christmas Day, visited a maternity home in a Moscow northwestern suburb to congratulate new and expectant mothers on the feast of the Nativity of Christ.

The Patriarch offered presents to the women and gave his blessing to them and their newborns.

Moscow’s maternity home number 3 is among the few that never makes abortion operations. Instead, it set up last year a department of medical and social assistance to pregnant women facing difficult situations in life. In 2012, more than 400 women used the services of this department. The number of child surrender cases in 2012 went down from 26 to three. The Orthodox crisis shelter for women with children “Home for Mother” cooperates with the department.

In his televised Christmas address, Patriarch Kirill called on Russians to adopt parentless children. According to the Synodal charity department, the Russian Orthodox Church supports about 90 shelters for homeless children and provides financing to courses for foster parents.

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