DIOCESE OF EASTERN AMERICA AND NEW YORK : April 3, 2006

Pilgrimage to the Holy Land Sold Out; Protopriest Victor Potapov to Participate in the World Russian People's Conference

As reported by Protopriest Victor Potapov, Rector of St John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC, so many members of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia have already registered for the pilgrimage he will lead to the Holy Land, scheduled for July, that the pilgrimage has sold out. The Editors of the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia will report on other pilgrimages to the Holy Land scheduled for later this year. Yesterday, with the blessing of His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus and of the Synod of Bishops, Fr Victor departed for Moscow to participate in the World Russian People's Council. An important outcome of this Council (which last year was granted consultative status with the United Nations) will be the statements this Council addresses to the world. Among the questions under consideration is that of values, in particular, of the necessity for Russia to creatively adopt democratic principles on its own terms. The Council will pay special attention to the formulation of ecclesiastical-social positions on matters of human rights and the value of the individual.