Interview of the Head of the Russian Imperial House with the News Agency «Interfax-Religion» in Connection with the 100-th Day of the Patriarchate of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia

Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna Romanoff, the Head of the Russian Imperial House:

I hold His Holiness, Patriarch Kirill, in great esteem and love. When he was still a metropolitan, he was present at the return of the Russian Imperial House to Russia. Of course, we know that all the candidates for the patriarchate were worthy; but out of all of them, the Orthodox people and clergy have surely selected the best candidate. And Patriarch Kirill has already demonstrated in the brief period he has been at the helm of the Church that this was the correct and inspired choice, and one that will determine the future of the Church.

We respect and support Patriarch Kirill as a spiritual authority not only for the Orthodox, but for the faithful of other religions and confessions as well.

Right now, the most important thing in the life of the Church is preaching and mission work among those who were forcibly torn away from the foundations of Orthodoxy and are sincerely drawn to it and are interested, but do not always know how to find their way back to God. When the present patriarch was metropolitan and had a television show called «Sermons of the Shepherd,» we know from the many letters we received at that time that many people who saw that show and had once doubted and were searching, were lead back to the faith by him. When we heard his sermons, which he delivered with exceptional oratory skill and spirituality, when we saw how he supported the development of religious education, preaching, and mission work—in particular among the youth—we felt a certain new wind blowing. Of course, these things were also taking hold during the reign of Patriarch Aleksei II, whose memory we piously hold dear. But we believe that during the reign of Kirill I, this work, which was started by Patriarch Aleksei II, will embark upon a new and even higher level. Patriarch Aleksei II laid the foundation for the rebirth of our spiritual life, but the building itself has been left to Patriarch Kirill I to construct.

We have no doubt that the ship that is the Church is in good hands, and we hope for many years to see him at the helm, that he will steer this ship throw the complex circumstances of our times and will be able to deliver the Russian Church safely to the next generation stronger and even more firmly affixed to the spiritual life of our Russian society.

(Part of this statement in English and Russian is reproduced at http://www.interfax-religion.ru)