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Putin says Orthodox Christians need to enhance spiritual strength

The Russian president wished well-being and prosperity to the monastery and a long life and good health to its inhabitants

ST PANTELEIMON MONASTERY (Athos), May 28. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin has pledged to make every effort so that St. Panteleimon Monastery, which was founded by Russian monks in the 11th century and is referred to as the Russian monastery on Athos, will keep cultivating spiritual strength of all Orthodox Christians.

"I would like to thank you, the Very Reverend and the brethren of the monastery, for hospitality and kindness you meet our compatriots with," Putin said after a short prayer service attended also by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia.

"You are exemplary in following principles of humanity, goodness and justice. These traditional, and moral and cultural values stand for the moral measure and foundation for all of us and are of great importance for preserving peace, consolidating Russia and maintaining unity of the Russian Orthodox Church," Putin said.

The Russian president wished well-being and prosperity to the monastery and a long life and good health to its inhabitants.

"It is a matter of importance that we can keep joining efforts so that this Russian corner in Athos will be cultivating spiritual strength of all Orthodox Christians," he said.

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