Orthodox nations unity foundation opens program in Berlin

The ceremony of opening a cultural-charity program of the Unity of Orthodox Nations International Foundation called "Voices of Orthodox Russia in Germany" will open tonight in Berlin in the Russian House of Science and Culture, to last until May 17.

RIA Novosti was told about this by the House Director, Anatoly Bogushevsky, who noted that the program will also cover Dresden, Leipzig, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt am Main and Munich.

"His Beatitude Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow and All Russia blessed this program, and we hope it will become a bright spiritual and cultural event in Russo-German relations," Archbishop Feofan of Berlin and Germany told RIA Novosti.

Archbishop Feofan stressed that "as it was in recent years in Bulgaria, Great Britain and Cyprus, the best Russian choirs have come to Germany who sing spiritual songs and classic pieces by Russian and foreign composers." In particular, the choir of the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary, the chamber choir of the Gnesins State Music Academy, the Klassika chamber choir of the Unity of Orthodox Nations International Foundation, the choir of the St Nicholas museum church in Tolmachi under the State Tretyakov Gallery and others will perform, said the source.

For example, the choir of the Moscow Theological Academy and Seminary located in the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra in Sergiyev Posad near Moscow continues the tradition of the Orthodox singing art. It is made up of students - future pastors of the Russian Orthodox Church. The choir's repertoire includes one-voice singings of 14th-16th centuries and pieces by well-known Russian church composers, including modern, as well as songs of different Russian Orthodox Church cloisters.

The program is held under the patronage of the Moscow Patriarchate's Berlin Orthodox Province, the office of the Moscow Patriarchate in Germany (Dusseldorf), the German Association of Russian Compatriots, representatives of Russian and German business, Evangelic, Catholic and public circles of the FRG.