Orthodox,Catholics and Muslims pray for rain in blazing Moscow
(Aug.11,2010) Catholic and Orthodox Churches in Russia are now united in prayer for
victims of fires that have brought the country to its knees and in the hope that rain
will soon arrive. "We have been praying for rain for weeks and for families, who have
lost their homes in the disaster this summer," Fr Kirll Gorbunov head of Communications
for the Diocese of the Mother of God in Moscow told AsiaNews. In early August,
the Archbishop Paolo Pezzi of the Mother of God Church, sent a letter to all parishes
asking for prayers. For weeks, even the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill
has asked for prayers for rain. Collections for all kinds of aid are taking place
in Orthodox parishes. People bring clothes, food, dishes and even samovars to be sent
to affected areas. The Patriarchate has also opened a bank account to send donations.
In Moscow’s Epiphany Cathedral a special liturgy is celebrated each morning for
the victims of the fire, while some believers have written to the Patriarch inviting
him to hold a period of fasting for an improvement to the situation. With the same
intentions Muslims are also praying, as reported by the press officer of the Council
of muftis of Russia Gulnur Gaziyeva. Fires continue in the capital and the smog
alert is still at the highest levels. In the capital, the morgues are full, hospitals
complete, pharmacies have run out of gas masks and the mortality rate has doubled.
The authorities in the capital were forced to open 123 "anti-smog" centres.