BELLINGSHAUSEN ANTARCTIC STATION /Waterloo Island/, February 18. /TASS/. The Antarctic is a model of an ideal humankind, with no weapons, no wars and people of different nations selflessly helping each other, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, who is currently visiting a Russian Antarctic station, said on Thursday.
"Antarctic is the only place on Earth where there are no weapons, no wars, no development of mass destruction weapons… it is a king of a model of an ideal humankind and an example that people can live that way - with no borders, no weapons, no hostile competition, that people can cooperate and feel like a family," he said at a meeting with polar explorers at the Bellingshausen station.
He said that regardless of their nationality or citizenship, polar explorers expend a helping hand to each other in a difficult moment thus presenting as example of cooperation.
He said it was quite logical that the only operating church in Antarctica, the Russian Orthodox church at the Bellingshausen station, is named after the Holy Trinity. "Trinity is an ideal model of unity," Patriarch Kirill said. "Looking at the Holy Trinity we can bridge the world’s gaps"
"It is good that Antarctica has a church where polar explorers can step over division lines. Antarctica is a place of special spiritual and humanitarian significance for the entire world. Thank you for the example you are setting to the world," he said.
Earlier in the day, the Patriarch served a Divine Liturgy at the Holy Trinity Church on Waterloo Island and raised a prayer for the entire world.
"Here, at the top of the world… When I blessed water in Antarctica today I was thinking about the entire planet below and prayed for this God’s creation," he said after the service.
"There are such places in the world that require no words as the very site has a special spiritual energetics. And this spiritual energetics is especially felt during a prayer. This is such place. Maybe because people here are working in a very harsh environment, or maybe because they raise sincere prayers in this church, because they have strong faith," the Patriarch said.
The Patriarch presented an icon of St. Prince Vladimir, the Baptizer of Rus, as a gift to the church.
The church service was attended by Russian polar explorers and invited members of expeditions of other countries, including Chile.
Patriarch Kirill flew to Antarctica from Punta.