>Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos on mount Athos sat in the chair, which previously could only occupy the Byzantine emperors. Putin said about the need to “strengthen the spiritual power of all the Orthodox” and declared the Greek mountain “a source of well-being and grace” for the Russian Orthodox world.
>Putin visited Athos, having participated in events in honor of the 1000th anniversary of the appearance of Russian monks on the Holy mountain. On the website of the Kremlin promptly a photo gallery, and Greek TV covered the trip live. As notes “Ribbon.”, thanks to the spiritual life of the head of state was put on public display, which usually happens.
>Putin on mount Athos visited the Church of the assumption of the blessed virgin, where was celebrated a short prayer service, during which was prayed with supplication for the health, life and mercy the servant of God of Vladimir with the family and those around him, reports TASS. After this welcome address said the Holy mountain protopectin father Paul.
>In response, Putin thanked the Ecumenical Patriarch and the primates of the Greek Orthodox Church for what they do to maintain relations with the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian people. “I’m here for the second time and always feel a special warmth, kindness and the best attitude not only to me, as the head of the Russian state and the Russian people, the people as a whole”, – said the President of Russia.
>He also noted that on the Holy mountain is very important and very necessary for the Orthodox world an act” associated with the strengthening of the moral foundations of society: “To a large extent you are the source of well-being and grace”.
