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Vladimir Legoyda, chairman of the Synodal Information Department of the Moscow Patriarchate
Over the years, the exhibition or rather a church social event has become indeed a notable public event, and I think you will agree that it has become a prominent media event.
I would even say that it has reached an unprecedented level of public recognition for church activities, first of all, of course, through the efforts of those who prepared this forum.
We have made a lot of different exhibitions, church and non-church, with different components.
What is remarkable and important for us here is that at the center of the exhibition which will open on November 4, once again, there are prayer and discussion of socially important issues.
All other components of this exhibition do not deny something that for the faithful people, for the organizers is a major issue.
This is evidenced by His Holiness, always opening this exhibition, emphasizing the importance of the subject and content of the event.
This year... You know that, traditionally, each year the exhibition "Orthodox Russia" brings Orthodox sanctuary.
This year it will be Theodore Icon of the Mother of God which will be delivered to Manezh by the opening of the exhibition, and during the days when the exhibition will be open it will be possible to worship at any time during the exhibit.
We are now going to talk a lot about the subject of the event - it's the Romanov dynasty.
I understand that now we have no need for any great historical reminiscences, but this is what I would like to draw attention.
On the one hand, it is remarkable that such forums and such exhibitions are held.
On the other hand, we remember that a hundred years ago in our country, there were too many different forums.
It is important that these forums could provide some proper lessons, because something that took place a hundred years ago did not deter us from the terrible events of the early XX century.
So I very much hope that the theme of unity, that sounds today in the public field and in the media field, the theme of unity which will be heard at our exhibition, it will be understood not as a unity against someone or a certain amount of hatred, but as it is always understood in Christianity - as the sum of unity and love, as a kind of respect and love towards one's neighbor and far.
On November 4, of course, the morning liturgy will be held, according to tradition, in the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.
At 9 o'clock in the morning His Holiness will meet the icon of the Mother of God.
It will be at the Cathedral of the Assumption during the Divine Liturgy, and then, as I said, by the opening of the exhibition will be taken to Manezh.
Then, at the end of the Divine Liturgy, His Holiness will participate in the opening of the Romanovsky obelisk in the Alexander garden.
It was decided, there were public appeals to the current Russian government, and the decision was made, a working group of the Office of the President was created which dealt with the restoration and return of the original form of the Romanovsky obelisk.
This work is now completed, and it is anticipated that on November 4 at 12:30 pm His Holiness will participate in the opening of the renovated obelisk, which, according to the designs available to us, has been restored, as I said, by the working group.
Then, at 13 o'clock, we assume that will open the exhibition. His Holiness will, by tradition, open our exhibition.
As for the program, the exhibition will run this year to November 12. You know, it's not a one day event, it is always a week or so.
It is important to say that the show is not only what takes place in Moscow.
Exhibition-Forum "Orthodox Russia" in one form or another is present in the other cities of our country, and it is also very important for us -
so that people know about it, talk about it, that people have the opportunity to meet each other.