The voice of solidarity of the metropolitan Hilarion
After the profanation of the Miraculous Image of Our Lady at Jasna Góra
The chairman of the Department of Ecclesiastical Contacts of Moscow Patriarchate, the metropolitan Hilarion Ałfiejew sent letters of solidarity to the chairman of the Polish Episcopal Conference archbishop Józef Michalik and the metropolitan of Częstochowa archbishop Wacław Depo, to express his pain with clergy and believers of the Church in Poland after the profanation of the Miraculous Image of Our Lady of Częstochowa. In the letter of the metropolitan Hilarion we read among the others: ' The sacrilege taking place at Jasna Góra on 9 December 2012 echoed with big pain in the hearts of believers of the Russian Orthodox Church, coming to the Częstochowa icon of the Blessed God's Mother with prayers. This act was understood with outrage and bitterness by believers in Poland and also by the orthodox in Russia'.
Archbishop Depo, grateful for the gesture of the metropolitan Hilarion, notes that this expression of pain and solidarity in a prayer is a great gift for the unity of the Church, for the unity of faith.
He adds that the metropolitan Hilarion says in his letter also about 'dangers from the contemporary civilisation which are strangely contrary to the Gospel'. Archbishop Depo understands the gesture of the metropolitan Hilarion in the categories of 'the common action for the sake of saving these values which are values of life for us'.
The sacrilege was committed in the sanctuary at Jasna Góra on the second Sunday of advent 2012. Thanks to special protection the Icon was not destroyed. The culprit of the act was arrested.
(AA)
"Niedziela" 3/2013