MOSCOW, January 24. /TASS/. Fundamental changes in relations between the church and the state have occurred over the past ten years since the enthronement of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Synodal Department for Public Relations Vladimir Legoida told reporters at a TASS news conference dedicated to the beginning of the XXVII International Christmas Readings.
"In my opinion, the quality and type of state-church relationship has changed radically. <…> That concerns, first and foremost, the Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics, which are now taught at schools. … The second fundamental change is the appearance of priests in the army, which was followed by radical changes in the situation with the appearance of priests in detention facilities. <…> And the third crucial point underpinning relations between the state and the church is the 2010 law on returning religious property to religious organizations," Legoida said.
"It is very important to emphasize that the Church has moved from the periphery of public life to its center," he pointed out.
The spokesman stressed that the tenth anniversary of the enthronement of the Russian Orthodox Church’s primate would be reflected in the forum’s agenda, although it is an informal event to a large extent.
The International Christmas Educational Readings is a major church and public forum, with the tradition to hold it originating in 1992. The 2019 event titled "Youth: Freedom and Responsibility" will be held in Moscow on January 27-31.