Andrey Merzlikin: “In my free time, I serve as an altar boy in the church. Governor Alexander Karlin took part in the World Russian People's Council. God Unites Us

On November 1, 2017, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' spoke at the opening of the 21st World Russian People's Council, dedicated to the theme “Russia in the 21st century: historical experience and development prospects.”

Your Eminences and Graces, venerable participants of the World Russian People's Council, brothers and sisters!

We have gathered at a historical moment when we have the opportunity to summarize the experience of an entire era, full of events significant for our country’s destiny, and talk about the future. It seems as if today the words with which the prophet Jeremiah exhorted people in ancient times were spoken: “Thus says the Lord: Stand still in your ways and consider, and ask about the ancient ways, where is the good way, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” "(Jer. 6:16).

Over the past century, our society has acquired a certain maturity and reached that historical distance in relation to the events of 1917, which allows us to talk about them in a balanced and substantive manner - without avoiding assessments and without getting carried away by excessive politicization.

It is difficult to deny that the revolution was a tragedy. A fratricidal civil war, the death and expulsion of millions of people, huge losses in the spiritual and economic spheres. The worst thing is that during the revolutionary struggle, the seeds of hatred and evil were sown in the souls of people. And today we can observe with pain how the same hatred is being revived in different parts of the modern world: both in distant countries and among nearby peoples, among our brothers.

But this hatred today wears different ideological clothes and is associated with the drawing of new and deepening old dividing lines on the planet, with the growth of global inequality and its ideological justification, with the cultivation of artificial differences in society. These processes are no longer connected with the ideas of the previous revolution; they have different ideological foundations.

Despite the fact that the number of conflicts, wars and revolutions in the world is growing rapidly, Russia nevertheless has the strength to remain an island of stability in this dangerous flow, to follow its own historical path.

Today our society is consolidated, it does not have that tragic civil split that divided the people in half. On the contrary, today we are learning again to rejoice in national unification and reconciliation. This unification and reconciliation gives us confidence that the country and society will not stumble and fall into a historical abyss, as happened in early 1917. The history of Russia does not go in circles. We learn from our own mistakes. We have acquired immunity to all types of political radicalism; consensus is more important than ever for us, common values ​​are important. What matters is what unites, not what divides. By continuing to cultivate and increase peace at home, Russia can be an example and moral support for everyone who wants to survive the current crisis.

The world community today has come close to a historical point beyond which a new era begins - an era when a lot will change in the lives of peoples, mainly their worldview. A new era is inevitably coming due to the fact that the limits of globalization have been reached and a crisis of its unifying criteria has begun. This does not mean that the values ​​of democracy, humanism, and human rights will completely disappear from our lives. But they will no longer depend on certain abstract, global standards. Each cultural and historical subject will be forced to look in its own tradition for the support necessary for development and movement forward, to look for its own model of modernization, the origins of its own system of social institutions.

Both in the life of an individual and in the life of a people, faith in social institutions and legal mechanisms is dead without moral action, without the ability to act according to conscience. In this case, it only leads to a mad pursuit of chimeras, of elusive mirages of happiness and freedom. And to countless human casualties.

We know eloquent examples of faith without works and works without faith - both in the history of Europe and in our Russian history. These are world wars and revolutions unleashed by the powers that be. Starting with the French Revolution, which cemented new values ​​in the minds of European peoples, and ending with a series of revolutions of the 20th century. This topic is all the more important because revolutions today are on stream. The so-called “color revolutions” have become a technological concept that denotes a forceful change of power and justifies the violation of the constitution and international law.

However, despite the fact that the revolution has become an everyday technology, its ideologists still rely on quasi-religious rhetoric and try to justify the revolution as a spiritually sublime, morally justified act. At the same time, modern revolutionaries, like their predecessors, by the very logic of the revolutionary process always sacrifice part of their own people for the sake of achieving abstract benefits.

The selective approach of such revolutionaries and their curators to international norms indicates that behind the beautiful façade of legal formulations, double political standards are increasingly hidden, the desire not to submit to the force of law, but to subjugate others by the right of the strong, to interfere in the internal affairs of sovereign states.

Revolutions, as a rule, are carried out from above, by the elite, which captivates the people with the energy of destruction. This is either our own elite, divorced from tradition, or an alien elite, preoccupied with colonial interests. The common people are not organically inclined towards revolution; on the contrary, they are the custodians of tradition. Which does not prevent him from wanting social justice.

Both catastrophes that befell our country at the beginning and end of the 20th century were caused by the fact that the national elite was unable to adequately respond to the challenges of the time. The separation from the people and the fascination with ideas that have no roots in Russian reality made themselves felt.

Here the problem of the quality of the elite arises, which must be loyal to the people and be replenished with talented people from below, and not be bound by the interests of external, global players.

Today in Russia they are looking for an image of the future. I think the image of the future is the image of the people and the image of the elite who have achieved complementarity. The elite are not those people who have risen “above the people.” The real elite are those who have accepted responsibility for the fate of the country, who identify personal interests with national, state interests. The elites and the people must be an inseparable, single whole.

Therefore, it is impossible to “appoint” elites artificially: we need a base from which today’s elite can be drawn. To educate the elite, you need to educate the people, educate society, and invest resources in it.

If we do not educate our own people, others will educate them. Therefore, in such an important area as education, it is important to restore and develop our own scientific and pedagogical schools and promote our methodological developments. This will cause resistance from supporters of global education standards, but there is no need to be afraid of this, because at the same time, it will attract keen international interest. Russian education may well become a model, the same as Russian science and Russian literature. Relying on your own cultural developments and your own way of thinking while taking into account global trends and achievements in science and technology will allow you to maintain sovereignty in the 21st century.

Social solidarity and the inseparability of the interests of the elite and the people will ensure the structuring of society according to the model of a large family. It is unlikely that the popular belief that society consists of individuals or so-called “small groups” (that is, neighbors, colleagues at work, hobby friends) is true. No. Society is based not on small groups, but on the family.

The family is a structural unit of a stable, healthy society, the main element of a solidary society. The preservation of the people, culture, language, state - all this is carried out through the family, since the mechanism of transferring experience along the chain of generations is connected with the family. If you look at this process from the outside, you can give it an accurate name: tradition. Not any specific one, but tradition as a method of connecting generations in a mode of common activity.

The family is a mechanism for transmitting tradition. How does this happen? Parents invest in their children: they finance their education, pass on family traditions, photographs, heirlooms, rules of behavior and good manners, and the skills of their favorite profession. Then dynasties of teachers, military men, doctors, athletes, builders, and priests arise. But the same applies to the entire people, to all of Russia: we preserve and pass on history, language, culture, religion, professional and everyday experience to future generations. We convey - understanding, feeling that “family” is not only us and our children, but also future generations who will not see us, but will certainly know about us.

Family is also important from a spiritual and religious point of view. Family is the first experience of love in a person’s life. That is why John Chrysostom said about the family that it is a small church. In the family, a person learns love, and through the love that is God, a person is saved. Family is a school of love, and therefore a school of salvation.

Without the desire for love as the highest value, neither family nor society will be able to exist in history. If tradition is the path along which society goes, then love is the ultimate goal of this path. It gives strength and desire to live, fills life with meaning at every moment of history.

That is why, speaking about society, we can say: society is also a big family, a “family of families.” Therefore, society is threatened by the same thing that threatens the family: the extremes of juvenile justice, same-sex marriage, the establishment of transhumanism, any attempt to give a distorted definition of the concept of “person.” A person needs care, self-improvement, spiritual development, but not for his nature to be changed. Since this nature is created in the image and likeness of the Divine, changing it in any other direction means changing God himself.

Today, the struggle for the future is a struggle for anthropology. It is a struggle to define what a “person” is. This includes questions about biotechnology, the progress of human nature, artificial immortality.

The rapid development of medical and genetic technologies appears to be a serious challenge. Futurologists are already predicting the imminent division of humanity into two races. Some predict the greatness of superhumans, others predict the fate of their subordinates. Representatives of the global elite dream of using expensive technologies to transform their bodies so that death for them will be postponed for many decades. And for the vast majority of people this will be impossible.

Such a terrible prospect also contradicts the Christian view of man. To avoid bringing dystopia to life, you need to abandon selfishness and indifference to the misfortune of others. We need to ensure that advanced biotechnologies primarily serve not those who are willing to pay the most, but those who risk leaving the world too soon.

And here, in the development of solidarity medicine of the future, the experience of our country is valuable, since it was Russia that was the pioneer in creating a system of free public healthcare.

Global challenges - be it the problem of extra people in the age of robotization or the division of humanity with the help of biotechnology - can only be overcome in one case: by relying on the solidarity of people.

And today society must strive for that solidarity ideal, an ideal very close and understandable for Christians, where unity and brotherhood reign, where people consider each other brothers and sisters. In its most perfect and sublime form, this ideal was realized in the community of the first Christians, about which St. The apostle and evangelist Luke says this: “The multitude of those who believed were one heart and one soul” (Acts 4:32).

It seems that the pursuit of such an ideal should not be controversial. But the 21st century threatens to question even those values ​​that have seemed unshakable for centuries.

“What is man, that You are mindful of him, and the son of man, that You visit him?” - asked the holy king-psalmist David. Today, three thousand years after these words were spoken, we have to answer this question again.

After all, voices are already being heard that modern technologies are capable of creating artificial intelligence and artificial organs. That soon it will be possible to modernize our mind and our body in such a way, to change relations in society so much that new beings will arise that are superior to people. It is no coincidence that the ideology of this process is called transhumanism - that is, existence on the other side of man, beyond the limits of humanity.

Faith in technology is today what faith in progress was. This is also a kind of quasi-religion. This is a person’s belief that with the help of science and technology one can achieve perfection and immortality, complete power over one’s body, over nature, over life. But this is impossible. Because the source of improvement is within a person, not outside. All this leads away from the main Christian path. Ultimately - towards dehumanization, hypertrophied individualization, and therefore the destruction of society and the end of history.

For us, Orthodox Christians - and at the same time for the entire Russian society - recognition of the differences between people is balanced by the awareness of their similarities. The similarity, I repeat, is no less important than the difference.

This is one of the reasons for the most important role that we assign to public dialogue, for the sake of which we have gathered today at our Council.

For a quarter of a century, the World Russian People's Council has been conducting a serious dialogue with representatives of various political parties, including those present in this hall. With representatives of different national and religious communities, representatives of science and culture. Dialogue with young people and the older generation is especially important. In other words, a dialogue that unites all parts of our society with one solidary desire - love for our Motherland.

Revolutions always claim to create a new man, they strive to break the traditional, Christian in him - to “reforge” man. Hence the struggle of revolutionaries with tradition, religion, culture. But this is a dead-end path; it leads to denial and fragmentation. Revolutions are made on denial, on destruction, and the desire for eternal life does not deny anything, but permeates everything. This is the desire for love and for God.

If we want to be a prosperous country in the 21st century; a country that is respected by other countries; a country that has a future, if we want to avoid revolutionary disasters and civil confrontation, we must not forget our historical experience, abandon our historical destiny. If we are all guided by a common goal, then any, even the most difficult challenges will be overcome, and our descendants will be able to speak with gratitude about the achievements of our people in the coming century and live in peace with each other.

Press service of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'

On the eve of National Unity Day, the World Russian People's Council is traditionally held. Council members talk about what unites us and what divides us today and how to neutralize the energy of destruction released during this process, which 100 years ago already turned into a revolution.

What unites us all?

Pluralism of views is inherent in human society - every nation, including Russians. The main question is what unites us all. When I listened to the speeches at the Council, I realized that despite all the differences in points of view, we are all like-minded. Because we start from a single system of values ​​- moral. If, God forbid, we lose it, then the people will lose unity and the country will no longer be held back by any laws or force.

The significance of the Council is that, with all the diversity of approaches, we can feel for ourselves and testify to people: in the deepest foundations of our existence, our people are united. If someone does not realize this integrity and opposes it, then it is obvious that these very minor disagreements cannot destroy the foundation of our national life that has been taking shape over centuries.

By joint efforts, we can now and henceforth establish the spiritual and moral life of our multinational society so that souls are saved and the Russian state is strengthened.

The people in Russia today are being fragmented by egoism, which has been taking root in consciousness for the last 30 years. Everyone became their own unquestioned authority. The lack of authority is the main problem today. For some reason, the words of the Patriarch or the President suddenly began to seem unnecessary, not to mention the instructions of other elders. What divides, first of all, is everyone’s selfless love for themselves.

What we are united by is the desire, in the face of looming threats and dangers, to find something in common and to realize that we live in the same country and we have at least one common task here: self-preservation.

We must close the terrible page of our history

We are all united by faith, patriotism, the desire to make our country, our native region, and our family stronger, healthier and more prosperous in every sense.

And the feeling of injustice separates. When people see something that outrages their conscience, protest accumulates in their souls, which, unfortunately, can be used by modern businessmen in information wars to once again turn our history into the mournful bed of rivers of blood.

Over the past 100 years, terrible atrocities have been committed in our country: how many innocent people have been killed! And how many souls and lives have been crippled because for decades faith has been eradicated from the minds and hearts, from the very way of life of the Russian people. We will now have to work off our generational sins for many more generations.

We all need, firstly, to know our history. Secondly, realize what happened, call evil evil and condemn it by the entire morally sane society. Thirdly, to repent if we accepted a lie as the truth, so that what these “good intentions” turned out to never happen again.

This terrible page in the history of the country must be closed by removing Lenin’s corpse from the very center of the main square of the capital of our Motherland. This will symbolize the end of that terrible and bloody lie that was the ideology of the state.

Repentance is not only an internal change, it must also have an active expression. It is important for everyone in their place to do what they should. Participate in the restoration of monasteries and churches, help those in need, adopt orphans, visit abandoned sick and old people. If you can, help with deeds; no - at least you can console me. This is within the power of any person.

If our hearts become more open and we stop being isolated in our stone boxes and consumer interests, the life of our entire society will change. This will be the viable unity of the people.

The prevailing atomicity of existence now is deadening. They become alienated from each other even within families. When your own full belly, comfort and entertainment become priorities, you don’t give a damn about your neighbor. It can even get in the way, especially if it is a baby, a disabled person or an old person who needs care. Abortion is a receipt for the family and society as a whole to renounce the future.

“The state is a family of families,” and it can be strengthened by establishing and strengthening the family

One of the greats said: “The state is a family of families,” and it can be strengthened by first of all establishing the family.

So you need to start with yourself, with repentance and cleansing of your own soul, with the harmonization of relationships within the family, and then go to the following levels: the work collective, public organizations, interest groups, social strata - everywhere you need to promote creative impulses that, through moral understanding of the current moment turns into specific good deeds in it. Everyone in his place is called to bear the good fruits of his repentance, and not to harm, maim and destroy.

It’s one thing when an entrepreneur conducts business honestly, paying taxes, respecting his employees, producing what people need and realizing what qualitative and necessary changes his activities lead to in his native area, region, state, and the world as a whole. Another is when he engages in fraud, raiding, exploitation and deception of employees.

One baker bakes delicious and healthy bread. And the other, using a crappy recipe, skimping on quality ingredients, throws onto the market something that, with excellent marketing, only poisons people. A doctor can put his whole soul into curing each of his patients, but in his place there may also be an extortionist who, by agreement with pharmacists, will only hook people on expensive procedures and drugs. And deputies are chosen to write useful laws that simplify and make people’s lives easier, but it is possible that someone is lobbying for laws that are simply beneficial to someone.

It is clear that later, and perhaps even during this life, everyone will answer for everything.

God is not in power, but in truth

First of all, you need to tell the truth. No matter how bitter or inconvenient it may be, it is necessary. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness(Matt. 5:6). We must tell the truth about ourselves, about the relationships that arise in our society. The education of the younger generation, and therefore the future of Russia, depends on this openness and directness.

Today, despite the diversity of opinions expressed at the Council, everyone was unanimous regarding the system of moral values. They are based on the commandments of Christ and unite us all, regardless of political views, scientific preferences, etc. Moral values ​​are the cement that holds society together, from which the foundation is cast and keeps the building of our country unshakable.

We need to speak as clearly as possible about what we believe in, and most importantly, live in accordance with our beliefs. If we affirm not only in word, but also in deed, what we preach, then the words of the holy noble prince Alexander Nevsky will be fulfilled: “God is not in power, but in truth.”

Moral values ​​are the cement that holds society together

Today, in times of information wars, they can, of course, based on some individual truthful facts, stir up negativity, but, you know, a bee can fly into a latrine, but it still carries nectar into the hive. Therefore, even when we find ourselves in some difficult situations, we must try to extract from these negative processes, first of all, a lesson that would enlighten us for creation, and not program us for destruction.

We must extinguish the energy of destruction, first of all, within ourselves, by participating in the Sacraments of the Church. There is no other way to take control of your internal nuclear power plant. When a person learns to manage within himself those passions that tear him apart and plunge him into social aggression or, conversely, into apathy, the society around him will change, and in joint collaboration the ideal of creation will become achievable for us.

Let us act in the spirit of love

Faith still unites the people in terms of social structure - the desire for the development of civil society. The Church, consolidating everyone within the framework of the work of the World Russian People's Council, stood at the head of these aspirations of the people.

Today we are reaping the fruits of a terrible tragedy, the purpose of which was to plunge our country into godlessness - the consequences of this experiment on the Russian people are dividing society.

God kisses intentions too. He is powerful to eliminate any lawlessness and heal schisms. The main thing is to act in the spirit of love commanded to us by the Lord (see: John 13: 34).

What kind of society are we building?

The Council that is being held really unites the people. Representatives of different political schools, trends, and parties are gathered here. This is a miracle that we can observe year after year.

Last year I accompanied here the French thinker, a very famous politician (by the way, a friend of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin) Ivan Blot - he couldn’t believe his eyes! In Europe today, nothing like this can be imagined: for the Church to unite all the political forces of the country around itself is simply impossible, it contradicts all the principles of so-called tolerance. But here we perceive this as a normal phenomenon, and no one is even surprised by this. This is the basis of what can be believed as an embodied unity.

When a society is socially stratified and fundamentally unjust, the energy of destruction in it cannot be neutralized. It will only grow. It is stupid to fight the energy of destruction itself. We need to redesign the social construct. It can be done. Everywhere the economy is built on injustice. But in order to prevent this energy from overflowing its banks, demolishing all the dams of public institutions, a progressive taxation system is in place all over the world, when the state gets a real chance to solve its problems not at the expense of the already poor and disadvantaged citizens, but thanks to the rich. They don't like it, but it has to be done. Even in Western countries the oligarchy understands this. We don't have anything like this yet. Although here, at the Council, this was discussed.

The current social model is sustainable, but this sustainability comes at a cost. It’s just that everyone knows that with reforms it will only get worse. Our people have been convinced so many times that any changes lead to a worsening of life that they are afraid of change. But stability is adjusted only for the nearest time horizon. There is already a monstrous risk involved in any long-term future. If you don’t change anything today, then tomorrow it will be too late.

First of all, it is necessary to sort out the social structure of society. Even on this tragic anniversary, we do not say what kind of society we are currently building. After all, it’s a shame to say what kind of building we are building... Oligarchic in its purest form.

First, we need to look at the positive experience of leveling social inequality among our Western partners - learn a little from them, at least a little. But this is the minimum.

We ourselves had enormous experience in building a social state - albeit of a socialist type - where these conflicts were in principle impossible. Much of what we had - the widest range of social guarantees - cannot be discarded! And now all these most valuable developments of our country’s most intense century are being dismantled year after year.

Therefore, I personally believe that the stable peace that has now been achieved is precariously built on a lie. The truth is that we need to think about the future and not remain silent about what kind of society we have now and what it will be like tomorrow.

How to grow into a monarchy

What divides and irritates people the most is social injustice. This is the main cause of unrest and disorder. In order for the country to live more or less normally and the people to be united, it is necessary, first of all, to stop corruption, since it most polarizes society, charges it with inequality, and hence the discontent of the people.

Although, on the other hand, it is beneficial for some to speculate on ideas of inequality - people are simply “turned on” through the media. This is if we talk about society in general.

For Christians, it is obvious that a holy and pious life brings people together, because it gives birth to love, and sin drives them apart, for it is said: Because iniquity multiplies, the love of many will grow cold(Matthew 24:12).

For centuries, Russia has been and continues to be a miracle of a multinational family of peoples who have learned to live in harmony. This is largely the merit of the sovereign Orthodox Russian people. Orthodoxy brings peace. It was in Catholicism that “preaching” with a sword in hand was possible. We confess Christ Crucified(cf. 1 Cor. 1:23).

We need to church the people. Everyone - from the president to the driver... It is especially important to convey the truths of faith to teachers

Everything will return to normal. Russia was and remains an empire - even after the revolution, the Anointed of God was simply replaced by dictators one after another. Any power to one degree or another is negative. The world is heading downhill towards the Antichrist. Everything that the Holy Scripture says will come true. Power, itself an instrument of violence, must restrain evil.

It is known that when the Jews wanted a king for themselves, the Lord told them: they rejected Me so that I would not reign over them(1 Samuel 8:7). But for Russia it is impossible to think of anything better than a tsar at the head of the people. Our country lived freely only under Yeltsin, but there was probably no worse time in its history: with such connivance, anarchy and complete theft immediately begin.

Today, from childhood, children are raised primarily in an atheistic environment. We need to church the people. Everyone - from the president to the driver, from the minister to the miner... It is especially important to convey the truths of faith to teachers.

The people must grow up to the monarchy - first accept God, understand that life was given by Him and there will be Judgment on everyone for how we disposed of this gift to the extent of the responsibility given to each, and eternity is inevitable. If people realize this again A ut, they, of course, will live differently.

You can only resist evil with love

They are united by faith and those moral values ​​that have been instilled in the Russian people for many generations. Under the godless Soviet regime, they tried to knock these values ​​out of people. But, thank God, it didn’t work! Our task now is to strengthen and multiply them.

Only love can resist evil; it can even turn the energy of destruction into doing good. The Church is now actively involved in the life of society, turning people to fulfill the will of God, so that we can all live in peace morally, spiritually and piously.

Consolidated response

As at all times, our people are united by the Orthodox faith, which was brought to Rus' ten centuries ago, as we say, by the “first Old Believer” Prince Vladimir. We, Old Believers, honor him. Faith has always been the guarantee of unity here on earth and salvation in eternity for the Russian people. We are all also united by love for our common Fatherland, the prayer of our heavenly patrons - the saints. Their lives are a great example for us.

And if we talk about disunity, then this is the work of the devil, who acts according to his tactics: “divide and conquer.” It is he who causes splits, discord, discord, fueling mutual hatred and malice. We must not succumb to these demonic machinations, but try to cover everything with peace and love, forgive each other’s weaknesses and mistakes.

This year marks the centenary of tragic events in our country. As Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin said the other day at the opening of the “Wall of Sorrow” memorial to victims of political repression, it is important to “know, remember, condemn; and only then - forgive.” Evil must be condemned, and those blinded by it must be forgiven. Even the Lord, Crucified on the Cross, when they hammered nails into His hands, prayed: Father! forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing(Luke 23:34).

Evil must be condemned, and those blinded by it must be forgiven

The energy of destruction operates in humanity after the Fall. How to extinguish it? Love, prayer, doing good deeds. This is something that can unite us all and is simply necessary for our people now. Only through the example of virtues is it possible to educate the next generations.

And, of course, you need to know your history. Young people, unfortunately, now know very little about the 20-30s of the last century. The same as about earlier history, say the 17th century, when the split occurred. Alexander Isaevich Solzhenitsyn wrote that without the schism of the 17th century there would have been no revolution of 1917. This is how history comes back to haunt us. So we also need to know and remember what happened in the past so that it does not happen again.

Pride, ignorance of one’s own history, deviation from true Orthodoxy are at the root of many troubles.

The schism of the 17th century has now largely been healed, and further steps in this direction of bringing the parties closer together are being taken. It is impossible to say that it has been completely overcome. Because we don't take communion together. But we meet at meetings such as the current Council, we discuss our common problems, aspirations, and concerns. We can give a consolidated response to many of the challenges of our time.

The country is now united

The Russian people are united by love, confidence in the future, great history, the Russian language, deep culture and - most importantly - Orthodoxy.

And they are separated by temptations that a person cannot resist: to snatch a better place in the sun, more money, a higher position...

Still, of course, those forces are not asleep that set themselves the goal of dividing the Russian people. They are afraid of our open spaces and the breadth of the Russian soul. As Tsar Alexander III said, Russia has only two allies: its army and navy.

Unfortunately, today, in the scientific community, some are seduced by grants and structure their research in a way that benefits those who are trying to split our society. But I think that such Judases are still a minority.

The Russian people overcame both the Tatar-Mongol yoke and the Time of Troubles - so they will survive the current one. Look, the country is now united, helping its oppressed brothers in Serbia, Syria, and Ukraine. I am optimistic about the future.

Let's remember the victories!

We must return again to enlightenment in culture, education and science. Ignorance and lies divide. So far, except for the drama of destruction, I, unfortunately, do not see anything of any scale in the field of our modern culture.

In this matter of education, special attention must be paid, of course, to understanding one’s history, especially recent history. It's time to open all the archives. The people must know the truth. Artists, on the basis of historical authenticity, and not its deliberate distortions, are called upon to create works of art, and not paid ephemera. A joint creative search for truth between creators and their viewers and readers is important.

The Russian people are the sovereign nation of our multinational country, we must take on culture-creating responsibility. We need to remove this vague, non-binding word from the lexicon: Russian - and call ourselves Russians again. Let us remember the behests of our ancestors: “We are Russians! God is with us!" As Nikita Sergeevich Mikhalkov recently said, we are stuck in the struggle, we constantly talk about it, but we need to remember the victories!

Let the achievements of everyone in their field be heard again. Let's inspire each other to achieve great things! What feats are performed in the service of riot police, military personnel, law enforcement officers - the people need heroes! If we shift the focus of public attention from failures and problems to the good and right that our honest and hard-working people do every day, then we will open up a completely different country for our children and youth, where they can build, create, create, and invent. And most importantly - where, without inventing anything, you just need to give birth to children. Otherwise, in decades, everything created and won with sweat and blood will be of no use to anyone.

The Singing Nation is invincible

, prose writer, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Chairman of the Union of Writers of Russia:

I have just finished a large work on Russian historical folk spiritual song. I think that the song greatly unites the Russian people. We must finally get down to our songs. Otherwise, from morning to night, Hollywood “masterpieces” are heard from all speakers and from all screens throughout the country - they are precisely dividing the nation, they are simply aimed at this. These show personalities talk about all sorts of things, not realizing that the main values ​​are concentrated in our own culture. All the strength of the spirit of the people is in the Russian song. Where is it, a modern Russian song?! It is she who is capable of consolidating the people! In it our whole soul pours out and plays with power. Let's sing! The singing nation is invincible.

God unites us

Now, like 100 years ago, like millennia before, humanity is being separated by sin, which is rooted in everyone. And what unites us all, regardless of nationality and other differences, is God, to whom everyone opens the entrance to his heart through repentance. In Christ we are all relatives to each other.

Recorded by Olga Orlova

Since the beginning of the epidemiological season, 3,675 people have been registered in Barnaul, including 654 children. All eligible children were given immunoglobulin and medical observation was established.

The diagnosis of “tick-borne encephalitis” was confirmed by the commission in 23 residents of the region, including 5 children under the age of 14 years.

When examining ticks removed from persons affected by their suction, specialists from the virology laboratory of the Federal Budgetary Institution of Health "Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Altai Territory" detected the presence of tick-borne encephalitis virus in 2.8%.

From the third ten days of August, as in previous years, ticks of the genus Dermacentor, which are carriers of the pathogens of Siberian tick-borne typhus, became more active.

High activity of Dermacentor mites is expected until the end of September. Single active ticks are also possible in October, provided there is a warm, dry autumn.

To date, 394 people have been registered as having suffered from Siberian tick-borne typhus in 2019, including 76 children.

Most often, infection with Siberian tick-borne typhus occurs when residents of the region visit the outskirts of rural settlements, forest belts, forest edges, etc. Most ticks are found along forest paths, in lowlands (mushroom areas), and old clearings.

Despite the fact that the period of tick activity in autumn is shorter than in spring, and the number of ticks in autumn is significantly lower than in spring, the likelihood of suffering from tick bites remains.

In this regard, specialists from the Rospotrebnadzor Office for the Altai Territory remind us of the need to wear protective clothing when going out into nature, regularly conducting self- and mutual examinations, and using repellents.

If a tick is sucked on, it is necessary to promptly seek medical help at emergency centers of medical organizations at the place of residence to decide on the need to administer immunoglobulin.

Immunoglobulin should be administered within 96 hours from the moment of tick bite and if it has been established that the tick is infected with the tick-borne encephalitis virus.

To examine a tick for the presence of tick-borne encephalitis virus, it must be placed in a container covered with a thick cloth and brought alive to the virology laboratory of the Federal Budgetary Institution of Health "Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Altai Territory" at the address: Barnaul, st. M. Gorky, 28, phone 8 (3852) 50–40–34. The study is carried out within 1 day.

It is also possible to test tick fragments for the causative agent of tick-borne borreliosis.

If a tick-borne encephalitis antigen is detected in the tick being tested, the victim should contact a seroprophylaxis center for the administration of immunoglobulin. As in previous years, anti-tick immunoglobulin is administered to children under 14 years of age free of charge in the city of Barnaul at the emergency room of children's clinic No. 9, and in the regions of the region - in children's clinics at their place of residence. Adults are served through insurance companies: insured persons - under insurance policies, uninsured persons - for personal funds at seroprophylaxis points in medical organizations at the place of residence.

If you receive a positive result from a laboratory test of a tick for infection with Borrelia, you must consult a doctor at your place of residence to decide on nonspecific prophylaxis.

If it is impossible to deliver the removed ticks for examination, burn them. Ticks should not be crushed with your hands, as the causative agent of the disease can enter the human body through microtrauma.

When removing a tick yourself, you must follow the following recommendations:

– grab the tick with tweezers or fingers wrapped in clean gauze as close to its oral apparatus as possible and holding it strictly perpendicular to the surface of the bite, rotate the tick’s body around its axis, remove it from the skin;

– disinfect the bite site with any means suitable for these purposes (70% alcohol, 5% iodine, cologne);

– after removing the tick, you must wash your hands thoroughly with soap.

The epidemiological situation regarding diseases transmitted by tick bites and monitoring of ixodid ticks is under constant control of the Rospotrebnadzor Office for the Altai Territory.

Actor Andrey Merzlikin sent a letter to the Governor of the Altai Territory, Alexander Karlin, with words of gratitude for supporting his speech at the World Russian People's Council «».

“Dear residents of the Altai Territory! Dear Alexander Bogdanovich! I would like to express my gratitude for the kind words addressed to me that I received in support of my speech at the World Russian People's Council, the topic of which this time was the issue of preserving Russian culture. The high appreciation of the fact that in my speech I used the creative heritage of Vasily Makarovich Shukshin, quotes from his life, reflections on the Motherland, the peasantry, is dear to me, since I consider them the highest degree of manifestation of love for Russia. I personally thank you, Alexander Bogdanovich, for that experience of communication and the opportunity to implement our project “Shukshin. Man of the Earth". With your support, we have found a new volume in the collection of stories, this time the written legacy of the great writer, letters to his mother, friends, reflections on the profession, cinema, art... and discovered a new Shukshin. Poignant, sincere and nostalgic for his small homeland. The experience of working on the play became my personal life experience. The writer’s worldview influenced me and in many ways now helps me to be guided in life by the criteria by which Vasily Makarovich himself lived. I am sure that we will have the opportunity more than once to combine our efforts to preserve the memory of the writer and, in his person, to preserve one of the pillars of Russian culture,” emphasized Andrei Merzlikin.

Let us remind you: World Russian People's Council took place on November 1 in the Hall of Church Councils of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. XXI World Russian People's Council « Russia in the 21st century: historical experience and development prospects» spent His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill. Its plenary part was attended by representatives of all branches of government, leaders of parties, public associations, the highest clergy of traditional religions, figures of science, education and culture, delegates of Russian communities from near and far abroad. One of the most striking and meaningful speeches, according to Governor Alexander Karlin, was the speech of actor Andrei Merzlikin.

Latest news from the Altai Territory on the topic:
Actor Andrei Merzlikin thanked the Governor of the Altai Territory for supporting his speech at the World Russian People's Council

Actor Andrei Merzlikin thanked the Governor of the Altai Territory for supporting his speech at the World Russian People's Council- Barnaul

Actor Andrei Merzlikin sent a letter to the Governor of the Altai Territory, Alexander Karlin, with words of gratitude for supporting his speech at the World Russian People's Council “Russia in the 21st century:
09:28 07.11.2017