The message reads, in part:
“This year, this well-attended forum is dedicated to such vital and relevant topics as the enhancement of Russian education and awareness activities and raising the new generation with a commitment to traditional morality and ethics.
“I believe the leaders of the Moscow Patriarchate and other autonomous Orthodox churches, government executives, teachers, and scholars will find the Christmas Readings an excellent platform to discuss in detail all ways in which to develop beneficial cooperation between the church, society’s institutions and the state, based on their extensive professional and personal experiences. And, undoubtedly, they will be a great source of expert advice and recommendations.”