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Patriarch Kirill calls for praying for Ukraine in these Easter days

MOSCOW, April 20, 2:46 /ITAR-TASS/. Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill has urged all Christians of the Russian Orthodox Church to pray hard for peace in Ukraine in these Easter days.

“Today, we should pray for the people of Russia and Ukraine in particular; let’s pray that peace be restored in the minds and hearts of our brothers and sisters in blood and faith and that the lost ties and cooperation which we all need so much also be restored,” the head of the Russian Orthodox Church said in his Easter message.

The patriarch said that the Russian Orthodox Church like all Christianity in general united people irrespective of national, cultural and state borders because the light of Christ’s teaching enlightened everybody.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church stressed the creative nature of Christ’s creed. “Let the joy of this holiday give us more strength and inspires us to new good deeds; let it give us courage and strength so that we stay calm and self-restrained amid the rough sea of our life,” Patriarch Kirill said, urging Orthodox Christians to share the joy and Easter mood with everybody who “needs our attention and support.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin attended the Easter service at the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Saviour.

At the end of the Easter morning service, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill exchanged triple kisses with Vladimir Putin, Dmitry Medvedev and his wife Svetlana, as well as Sergei Sobyanin and gave them decorative Easter eggs as gifts.

The Russian leaders also extended their Easter greetings to the patriarch and left the Christ the Saviour’s Cathedral.