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Russian Patriarch Awards Castro Bros.
Fidel Castro and his brother Raul, head of the Cuban State Council, have been awarded orders by the Russian Orthodox Church for their role in the construction of an Orthodox cathedral in Havana and for ecumenical cooperation. Both orders were presented to Raul Castro by Metropolitan Kirill, representative of the Moscow Patriarchy’s department of external relations, at a meeting of the Cuban leadership in the State Council building, Vesti television reports.
“In the name of the holy Patriarch Alexy and in the name of the Russian people, we sincerely thank you for the construction of a Russian Orthodox cathedral in Havana. We were quite concerned about that construction. We know that Cuba is not very rich country yet and that it was not very easy to build the cathedral. But it was excellently done, very quickly and today, there is a magnificent monument to Russian-Cuban friendship in the old district of Havana,” the metropolitan said.
In the certificate signed by the patriarch, is written, “with attention to the aid in the construction of the Kazan Cathedral in the city of Havana,” Raul Castro is awarded the Order of Holy Prince Daniel of the True Faith, first class. Fidel Castro is awarded the Order of Glory and Honor with attention to his contribution to the strengthening of interreligious partnership and in connection with the dedication of the Cathedral of Kazan and the Kazan Icon of the Holy Mother in the city of Havana.”
The Russian Days in Latin America project kicked off in Havana two days ago. It will last through November 16. Events will take place in Cuba, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Chile and Paraguay. Russian Days in Latin America is a continuation of the visit of a joint Russian Orthodox Church and Russian Orthodox Church outside Russia delegation to dioceses and congregations in North America, Australia and Western Europe that took place in the spring of last year.
www.kommersant.com
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