On November, 22nd, 2001 in a conference hall of hotel " Aaieeianeay " the International Church-Scientific Conference on Christianity in China, organized by the Department of external church communications of the Moscow Patriarchy and Institute of the Far East of the Russian Academy of sciences has opened.
The Reference of the Most holy Patriarch Moscow and vseja to Russia Alex II to participants of conference was read by chairman of the Department of external church communications of the Moscow Patriarchy metropolitan Smolensk and Kaliningrad Cyril. The full text of the reference is resulted below.
Having acted then with introductory speech, metropolitan Smolensk and Kaliningrad Cyril has told about history of Orthodoxy in China, begun with capture by armies tsinskogo emperor Kansi of the Russian cossacks defended jail Albazin. Captives have been lodged per 1685 in Beijing and from a permission of emperor have based the first orthodox temple in China.
The Special attention in the report of metropolitan Cyril has been given to the Beijing Mission which was engaged not only spiritual okormleniem the Russian lived in this country, but also studying of the Chinese history and culture. " Activity of the Beijing Mission in beginning XX of a century has been directed on assistance of adaptation of Chineses to Christian culture. In the long term such position of Mission should promote overcoming of xenofobia at expansion of the Russian-Chinese communications ", - has noted Lord Cyril.
Having noted, that destiny of Orthodoxy in China in XX a century carried tragical and in many respects inconsistent character, metropolitan Cyril has in detail told about modern position orthodox believing in the Peoples Republic of China. Now members of the Chinese Independent Orthodox Church are about 10 thousand the laymen who are not having neither priests, nor bishops that speaks a position of the Chinese authorities which are not resolving after death in 2000 last Chinese priest about. Grigory Chzhu rukopolagat new. " Russian Orthodox Church is ready to render any assistance in normalization of position of the Chinese Independent Orthodox Church, in particular and consequently, that it today is Church of Russian national minority in China and our compatriots temporarily staying here, keeping deep communications with Mother - Russian Orthodox Church, - has declared Lord Cyril. - It is represented, that between Russia and China the question on position of the Chinese Independent Orthodox Church should find the decision in a context of positive development of attitudes ".
Metropolitan Smolensk and Kaliningrad Cyril has called politicians and public figures of Russia and China to show special attention to this problem.
Scientific and church figures take part In conference from Russia, the Peoples Republic of China, the Western Europe and the USA. In the program of a forum - discussions, symposiums, round tables on which questions of history of christianity in China are discussed; actual problems of service of the Chinese Independent Orthodox Church in modern conditions; various aspects mezhtsivilizatsionnogo dialogue and historical experience of cultural adaptation of the western christianity in China; the religious factor in the Russian-Chinese attitudes, and also activity in Russia new religious cults of the Chinese origin.