Moscow, August 16, 2010 - Interfax
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia urged people to
think over reasons of fires raging in Russia and make
corresponding conclusions
"Each person should do "the blame storming"
and once again to think over his responsibility before God
for himself, for his relatives, for nature, for the world
around," the Patriarch said after the divine service
St. Stephan of Makhrisch Monastery in the Vladimir Region.
The Church Primate noted the reason of fires was evil intentions or barbaric attitude to nature of those who "get used to work for their flesh so much that they believe absolutely unimportant any consequences of their actions."
Patriarch Kirill, cited by his press service, believes that all, who pollute forests, are guilty in elimination of national wealth and perish of people.
"It's impossible to go in the forest near big cities: it's a rubbish dump, it's a great amount of broken glass, plastic bottles and bags - all these things increase sun heating and make it easier for the forest to burn. We're burning ourselves," the Patriarch said and noted that forest fires were "natural response to infamous human factor based on people's sin."
"Our national wealth is burning down in our eyes, we become poorer, we're losing human lives and not only those killed in fire, but also those sick who died from suffocation in hardest conditions of big smog cities," Patriarch Kirill said and expressed hope that "it's a sign" given to us "from above" will "make us think and start a new life."
"We heartily pray so that the Lord grants rain to our land and believe that the rains we have recently had were nevertheless small signs of God's mercy to us. We believe that the Lord will lead us through this trial. Human wisdom is ability to draw lessons. May the Lord give our people, who have passed through this fire trial of hot summer 2010, to draw this spiritual lesson we gave to ourselves," Patriarch Kirill said.
