Caring For Needy As Russian Orthodox Church's Major New Year's Resolution

The Russian Orthodox Christian Church pledges to take particular care of the least advantaged population groups in the year 2002. Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow and All Russia said so at a Christmas party arranged for children at the Kremlin Palace Wednesday. "We must help restore not only cathedrals, but souls, too," Alexis II emphasized. He said he planned a visit to a children's rehabilitation center on January 16. "Wherever I travel, I always try to visit Sunday church schools," he said. "As I am certain that what gets into a young person's heart will remain there throughout that person's lifetime." The Patriarch announced his intention to make a traditional tour of the Russian regions later this year, with stopovers in St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Kostroma, Ryazan, and other cities.