Petrozavodsk diocesetranslated

On November 10, the Head of the Karelian Metropolis, Bishop of Petrozavodsk and Karelian Abel, took part in a meeting of the organizing committee for the celebration of the 800th anniversary of the baptism of Karelians. The meeting was held in Moscow under the chairmanship of Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Government Dmitry Chernyshenko. During the meeting, the head of Karelia, Artur Parfenchikov, reported on the interim results of the republic’s preparations for holding festive events. “Taking into account the historical and geopolitical context, we are approaching the anniversary with an awareness of the importance of our work to strengthen the spiritual and moral shield of our country,” emphasized Artur Parfenchikov. “The Presidential Decree gives the region the opportunity to solve strategic problems to ensure state security, as well as strengthen the role of Orthodoxy in the border areas.”

As the Head of Karelia noted, the plan of main events provides for a number of special events, festivals, exhibitions, publication of books, as well as restoration work on cultural heritage sites and ongoing repairs of cultural institutions. Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Chernyshenko said: “Preparations for the celebration in 2027 of the 800th anniversary of the baptism of Karelians...