InfoAnda - Russian Orthodox Church rallies faithful after criticism |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Japan's former PM says China seeking 'lebensraum' | 19 October 2010
After outcry, France changes tone on Roman Polanski case | Entertainment | | 1 October 2009
Israel, Egypt discuss efforts to revive peace process | 30 December 2009

Rachel Weisz sizzles in Streetcar | Entertainment | | 30 July 2009

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Russian Orthodox Church rallies faithful after criticism |

Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Home Business Business Home Economy Technology Media Small Business Legal Deals Earnings Social Pulse Business Video The Freeland File Markets Markets Home U.S. Markets European Markets Asian Markets Global Market Data Indices M&A Stocks Bonds Currencies Commodities Futures Funds peHUB World World Home U.S. Brazil China Euro Zone Japan Mexico Russia India Insight World Video Reuters Investigates Decoder Politics Politics Home Election 2012 Issues 2012 Candidates 2012 Tales from the Trail Political Punchlines Supreme Court Politics Video Tech Technology Home MediaFile Science Tech Video Tech Tonic Social Pulse Opinion Opinion Home Chrystia Freeland John Lloyd Felix Salmon Jack Shafer David Rohde Bernd Debusmann Nader Mousavizadeh Lucy P. Marcus David Cay Johnston Bethany McLean Edward Hadas Hugo Dixon Ian Bremmer Lawrence Summers Susan Glasser The Great Debate Steven Brill Jack & Suzy Welch Fred Kempe Breakingviews Equities Credit Private Equity M&A Macro & Markets Politics Breakingviews Video Money Money Home Tax Break Lipper Awards 2012 Global Investing MuniLand Unstructured Finance Linda Stern Mark Miller John Wasik James Saft Analyst Research Alerts Watchlist Portfolio Stock Screener Fund Screener Personal Finance Video Money Clip Investing 201 Life Health Sports Arts Faithworld Business Traveler Entertainment Oddly Enough Lifestyle Video Pictures Pictures Home Reuters Photographers Full Focus Video Reuters TV Reuters News Article Comments (0) Full Focus Photos of the week Our top photos from the past week. Full Article Images of March Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read France votes, economy clouds Sarkozy's chances 11:48am EDT Away from unrest, Bahrain Grand Prix plays to empty stands 12:08pm EDT Wal-Mart silenced Mexican bribe inquiry: NY Times 1:00am EDT More agents likely to go over Secret Service scandal: U.S. lawmaker 21 Apr 2012 French voters frustrated on eve of election day 9:11am EDT Discussed 181 Trayvon Martin’s killer showed signs of injury: neighbors 95 Nugent says had ”solid” meeting with Secret Service 88 Human-made earthquakes reported in central U.S Watched Bull on bull in South Korean sport Fri, Apr 20 2012 IMF officials keep up pressure on Europe Sat, Apr 21 2012 Repaired A380 set for takeoff Sat, Apr 21 2012 Pictures Reuters Photojournalism Our day's top images, in-depth photo essays and offbeat slices of life. See the best of Reuters photography. See more | Photo caption Weird world records From who can wear the most bees to who can unicycle the longest. Slideshow Protests in Bahrain Anti-government demonstrations continue in Bahrain. Slideshow Russian Orthodox Church rallies faithful after criticism Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Crisis proves a curse for Greece's Orthodox Church Fri, Apr 20 2012 Protesters detained at Russian punk group hearing Thu, Apr 19 2012 Russia's Putin calls for unity but opponents walk out Wed, Apr 11 2012 Grisly death fuels tales of Russian police torture Thu, Apr 5 2012 Russian Orthodox Church apologises for doctored photo Thu, Apr 5 2012 Analysis & Opinion Vatican crackdown on U.S. Catholic nuns has been a long time brewing Economic crisis proves a curse for Greece’s Orthodox Church Related Topics World » Russia » By Alissa de Carbonnel MOSCOW | Sun Apr 22, 2012 11:38am EDT MOSCOW (Reuters) - The head of the Russian Orthodox Church led thousands of believers in a nationwide day of prayer on Sunday to defend the Church against what he says is an attack by anti-Russian forces trying to erode its authority. Large crowds gathered at Christ the Saviour, Moscow's main cathedral, to show their solidarity with the Church after an upsurge in criticism of its close relationship with the state, and particularly with President-elect Vladimir Putin, since a women's punk rock band sang a protest song in the cathedral. The arrest of three members of the Pussy Riot group ignited a debate about the Church's role in politics and opened Orthodox Patriarch Kirill to criticism over his lifestyle which critics say is ostentatious and unbecoming of the Church's leader. "We are under attack by persecutors," said Patriarch Kirill, his bass voice carried via speakers from an outdoor stage where he stood flanked by red- and gold-robed priests. "The danger is in the very fact that blasphemy, derision of the sacred is put forth as a lawful expression of human freedom which must be protected in a modern society." Kirill depicts Christ the Saviour as a symbol of the resurgence of the Orthodox Church since the end of atheist Soviet rule in 1991. It was rebuilt in the 1990s after being razed in the Soviet era and converted into a swimming pool. But Kirill, who has steered the Church towards a more active role in politics, has faced criticism over his overt support for Putin, a former KGB spy whose 12-year rule Kirill has described as a "miracle of God". "This series of acts of vandalism... it's because the Church now backs the state very strongly and this wave is mostly against the current authorities," said Anastasia Pavlukhova, 20, a theology student, who made the 1,350 km (840 mile) journey to the event from the southern city of Pyatigorsk by bus with her parish. "I don't think it is right for the Church to meddle in state affairs... but there are better ways to protest," she said. The Orthodox Church describes Pussy Riot's protest as part of a series of anti-clerical acts of vandalism. On March 6, a man took an axe to icons in a church northeast of Moscow in Veliky Ustyug. Two weeks later, an assailant with a hunting knife desecrated the altar and beat up a priest in a church in the southern Russian city of Nevinnomyssk. "I came here because there is a very big threat of returning to our godless past. I can't imagine Russia not being an Orthodox country," said Olga Golubeva, a 54-year-old lawyer in a red headscarf. "When I walked up and became part of this crowd I wanted to cry. To see this is happiness." Large white bouquets decorated the cathedral, and a choir sang on the steps outside as a sound system carried their voices to the crowd so that they could be heard above the chiming bells. The Orthodox Church said 50,000 people attended the prayer service, but a Reuters journalist estimated attendance was much lower. DAY OF PRAYER Earlier this month, Church leaders called on Orthodox Christians to attend Sunday's ceremony to pray "in defense of the faith, desecrated sanctuaries, the Church and its good name". Kirill has also been criticized over his ownership of a luxury watch, which bloggers said was air-brushed out of a photograph, and for winning thousands of dollars in compensation in a lawsuit against neighbors of a flat he owns in central Moscow. Aides have dismissed the criticism. His call for tough punishment of the three members of Pussy Riot, who on February 21 burst into the cathedral and performed a "punk prayer" at the altar in short dresses and colored masks, has divided the Church, with some clergy and faithful urging him to show leniency. "The Church needs this kind of demonstration to show it has more supporters than critics, but also to consolidate the clergy and parishioners," Alexei Makarkin, of the Moscow Centre for Political Technologies, said of Sunday's prayers. "Within the Church itself, opinion has been divided over what was worse: The 'punk prayer' or the Church's reaction to it, the scandal or the demand for severe punishment of the girls." Many people at the Moscow ceremony dismissed criticism of the institution which enjoys its highest level of public trust since the onset of chaotic capitalism in the 1990s, and complained about what they regard as a lowering of moral standards. "My only hope today is in the Church," said Yelena Antonova, a 52-year-old librarian. "The state is not yet passing the right laws to protect society from this total absence of morality that now reigns ... I think that if the Church and state are closer, it will be healthier for society." A court refused last week to free the three members of Pussy Riot at a hearing where supporters scuffled with police. Each faces up to seven years in jail if found guilty of "hooliganism" over their altar rendition of "Holy Mother, throw Putin out!" Pussy Riot's action was part of a protest movement against Prime Minister Putin that has lost momentum since he won a presidential election on March 4. (Writing by Alissa de Carbonnel and Timothy Heritage; Editing by Andrew Osborn) World Russia Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above. Edition: U.S. Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom Back to top Reuters.com Business Markets World Politics Technology Opinion Money Pictures Videos Site Index Legal Bankruptcy Law California Legal New York Legal Securities Law Support & Contact Support Corrections Connect with Reuters Twitter Facebook LinkedIn RSS Podcast Newsletters Mobile About Privacy Policy Terms of Use AdChoices Copyright Our Flagship financial information platform incorporating Reuters Insider An ultra-low latency infrastructure for electronic trading and data distribution A connected approach to governance, risk and compliance Our next generation legal research platform Our global tax workstation Thomsonreuters.com About Thomson Reuters Investor Relations Careers Contact Us Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Sunday, 22 April 2012
Dutch train crash injures 125: police |
Nigerian kidnappers release Spanish doctor |
South Sudan says troops bombed during flashpoint pullout |
Dutch elections loom as budget talks collapse |
Loyalist soldiers move into Mali's rebel-held north |
Motorola CEO pay package rose to $47 million in 2011 |
Voting begins in France, economy may doom Sarkozy |
F1 teams to race while rage boils on Bahrain streets |
Chinese firm suspected in missile-linked sale to North Korea: U.S. official |
Australian parliament speaker stands aside amid lawsuit row |
Dutch train crash injures 125: police |
Fifteen killed in northern Mexican bar shootout |
China military warns of confrontation over seas |
Bee Gee Robin Gibb wakes from coma: report |
Dark Shadows TV star Jonathan Frid dies at age 87 |
Violence persists in Syria as Annan urges truce compliance |
Taylor verdict takes aim at Africa Big Man impunity |
Russian Orthodox Church rallies faithful after criticism |
Brazil's Rousseff achieves record approval: newspaper |
International Committee of Red Cross aide abducted in Yemen |
Israel cabinet OKs break-up of big conglomerates |
China's geologist premier meets unease in Iceland |
Sudan says repulses rebel attack in border state |
James Cameron eyes co-production projects in China |
Hunger Games gives up box office crown |
DJs battle with dance music dominance in U.S. pop music |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph	VPN on MacOSX	BlogMeter 1.01