![At the heart of Orthodoxy in Moscow]()
May 17, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Crossing the threshold of the church of “Mary, Joy of the Infirm” is to enter directly into the heart of the Orthodox faith. The praise expressed by the hymns and prayers, from inside the doors of the temple continued for two hours, and created among the faithful a climate of deep prayer. The liturgy was solemn; the vestments were splendid and rich, all of them red because of Easter. Maria Voce, wore a veil over her head, like the one all the Russian women wore who were attending the liturgy together with the Orthodox members of the Focolare Movement. It was a time of fellowship and respect for the different churches in attendance. At the conclusion, everyone exchanged three kisses to seal a pact of mutual love, as a witness to a bond of unity that recalls the words of Saint Paul: “there is neither Jew nor Greek” which, now, in front of iconostasis could be translated: “there is no Orthodox nor Catholic, but we are all one in Christ.” The celebration was followed by a greeting to Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev, who presides over the external relations department of the Patriarchate of Moscow. He was visibly pleased to see the president of the Movement and her Catholic delegation together with the Orthodox who accompanied her. Father Dimitri Sizonenko, acting head of the Secretariat for inter-Christian relations, was particularly overjoyed by the testimony of unity given by the Movement and called for a wider spreading of this spirit. T
wo more meetings remained for the afternoon of May 15, with the families and with the young people. “How are we to convey the spirit of the Movement to our children? How can we help other families to appreciate the faith? What should we do when we feel overcome by our weakness?” These were some of the questions posed by the thirty persons – most of them young couples. Some were married in the Church after having encountered the charism of Chiara Lubich, while others came to appreciate the importance of fedelity in marriage after having had quite another kind of experience. Years of atheism have left their mark on the family institution. Marriages are often unstable and the decision to get married is often more a matter of tradition than of personal conviction. There are many divorces, unmarried couples living together, and alcoholism. “The messages is given by the testimony that you offer as a family,» Maria Voce responded, “by your capacity to say you’re sorry, to go back and look at the other with love after a moment of difficuulty. This is worth more than many words,” Giancarlo Faletti continued: “No one likes to suffer. But God meets us in our suffering and he allows himself to be met so that he can tell us something and give us something, to help us go on loving.” The meeting with youths began with an informal gesture. Neckties were removed, guitars began to play, and photographs were taken. There was open discussion about the challenges of Russian society, including corruption, excessive freedom, and the difficulty of finding a place for the upcoming Genfest (Budapest, September 2012). One young man would leave his job after he had unwittingly endorsed a fraud. “You need to take a decisive step give witness. In these places you can change if there are people like you,” is the encouragement of Maria Voce “You’re in an environment that needs to be Christianised,” Giancarlo Faletti affirms, “and Jesus is using you to convey a message. Inside a ruthless economist, there is always a man with a soul. We cannot give up, we must bear witness.” “Free choice is an opportunity that God gives us to exercise our freedom,” the president replied to Liza who could not find a sense of direction for his life. Considering your actions with your brothers can help to amplify what God is asking you and help you to give a firm response.” There was seriousness and fresh commitment during the two hours of discussions, concluding with Maria Voce’s words of trust: “I leave you to do, I trust in Jesus in you and among you. The Genfest will be a surprise and will be most beautiful because you will do it.” By our correspondent Maddalena Maltese [nggallery id=40]
![At the heart of Orthodoxy in Moscow]()
May 16, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
The trip will take place over three stages:
- 13th -19th May: Russia (Moscow)
- 19th – 25th May: Czech Republic (Prague)
- 25th – 31st May: Hungary (Budapest)
Maria Voce will visit the Focolare Communities in each country. In Moscow she will hold meetings of particular significance with the bishop Mons. Paolo Pezzi as well as with the Apostolic Nuncio Mons. Ivan Jurkovic. In Prague the Focolare President will meet Archbishop Mons. Dominik Duka. On May 21st there will be an event to commemorate 10 years since Chiara Lubich’s visit and the foundation of Operation “Golden Prague”: a project launched by Chiara in view of the ‘new evangelization’. The Focolare Movement has been present in the ex-communist bloc since 1961. In July 1960 the Bishop of Lipsia Mons. Otto Spulbek offered Chiara Lubich the possibility to send focolarini men and women who work as doctors to the hospitals in his diocese as a response to the lack of medical professionals in the region. Exactly 50 years ago on 13th May 1961 the first focolarini arrived in Lipsia. From Eastern Germany, thanks to personal contacts, the Movement spread immediately to Czechoslovakia, Russia, Lithuania and other countries of the communist bloc. Currently, the Focolare Movement is present in all the countries of the region.
![At the heart of Orthodoxy in Moscow]()
May 16, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti are given the official welcome
Regina Betz (right) was a pioneer of the Focolare Movement in Russia
The president of the Focolare Movement then confided, “When I arrived in Russia I found myself immerged in a deeper union with God and I remembered the expression ‘Holy Russia’- that I perhaps heard when studying Russian literature. I felt carried along by this life of holiness that is in the air here in Russia as well as in its history of Christianity. And I understood that Russia’s gift to me and to the whole of humanity can be this holiness- thanks also to its martyrs of all denominations”. Giancarlo Faletti, using the image of the golden domes in many of the Russian Orthodox churches, underlined, “God is the gold of our cities, He is the gold of the Russian Orthodox and Catholic Churches and He guarantees the journey of communion that this country witnesses in many important ways”. Many participants were openly moved, experiencing the possibility to give new meaning to those dark years and at the same time they felt the challenge to give witness to the ever old and ever new Gospel “revolution”. Eduardo Guedes – a Portuguese focolarino who passed away last January- was remembered by many as a companion in this journey; someone who, without sermon, gave humble witness to a God who does not forsake, who does not forget, but who always knows how to welcome both the disadvantaged and the powerful and to expand the desire for a more modern sainthood, open to everyone in this “Holy Russia”. by our correspondent Maddalena Maltese [nggallery id=39]
May 15, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
![At the heart of Orthodoxy in Moscow]()
May 15, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
13 May is a day of celebration for the Catholic world, the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima. And 13 May is also a symbolic date for the Movement, recalling the night of the “stars and tears” when, because of the bombing of Trent, Chiara Lubich had to evacuate her home and take refuge in Goccia d’oro forest. As she wept for hours, she observed the movement of the constellations and she realized that only love could overcome such a horrible tragedy. On this 13 May 2011 Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti landed in Moscow for a visit to the Focolare communities in Russia. This is a trip that Chiara Lubich was looking forward to since the 1960’s, as she mentions in a speech from those years. In fact, she was never able to accomplish her desire, although many of her first companions did spread the spirituality of unity in this land up until the 1970’s. 
Landing at the Sheremet’evo airport, there was a tiny ray of sunshine trying to challenge the uncertain sky, which became rainy at times. The airport, modern and bright, easily be mistaken for a western city: the brands that fill shops and restaurants are the same. After passing through the regular checkpoints, which were bit tighter following the latest attacks, they were able to exclaim that they were in Moscow. A small group of focolarini with flowers and smiles stepped forward to welcome the visitors with a three-fold embrace. On the highway going to Moscow there were large construction projects, a sign of a growing city in both commerce and residents More and more Russians are moving there, and the population already stands at 15 million. “On this special day, we entrust to Mary our visit to Moscow, all the people we meet, and all those who are praying for this event.” This was the prayer chorally expressed by Maria Voce and Giancarlo Faletti before an icon of Our Lady, during a Mass dedicated to the Mother of God. There was much expectation for the meeting of 14 May with Focolare members from all over Russia. It is the first time since the beginning of the movement in these lands that Catholics and Orthodox Christians from Chelyabinsk, Novosibirsk, Krasnoyarsk, and St. Petersburg will gather to witness their living, cheerful, and active presence that has been able to win over mistrust, diversity and the long distances that challenge the eight time zones of the country. But some wanted to anticipate the first “face-to-face” meeting with the president. The little children, painted like colorful Matryoshka dolls, made the welcome festive and traditional, a reflection of the many souls of the people who live in the city, a mixture of modernity and history of national pride and unavoidable globality. From our correspondent Maddalena Maltese
May 13, 2011 | Focolare Worldwide
“Lighthouse” is the prophetic name of the Croatian Little Town, a formation center for people of different countries, churches, religions, and for men of goodwill. This is how Chiara Lubich, founder of the Focolare Movement, envisioned it, when in the ’80s, a few-hectare piece of land with some buildings no longer in use was put at disposal of the Movement in Križevci, about 60 km far from Zagreb. Nowadays Lighthouse is known as a privileged meeting place for persons coming from all over the Balkans, in particular after the reconciliation effort among all the ethnic groups during the ’90s war. In this Little Town, in April a formation school organized by the New Humanity Movement took place, addressed to participants coming from 12 different counties of Eastern Europe. Some of these countries were at war with one another in a recent past, others were characterized by enormous economical problems and a difficult transition to democracy. These are delicate situations, not always easy to reconcile, and this is why from April 15 to April 17 the focus was on the knowledge of all the values that characterize the commitment of New Humanity, the social branch of the Focolare Movement. The aim was to provide a concrete expertise, in order to apply these values in the different challenges, which professionals have to face in all the social fields: from medical doctors, to youth workers, politicians, economists, judges. Everybody has his own specific job, but all together they are fraternity witnesses. Indeed this is mainly what came out of the intense dialogue among participants and members of the central New Humanity Secretariat, arrived from Rome and other regions of Italy. Delia from Split writes: “I think that for each of us this school was a new opportunity to feel like being a protagonist in living for fraternity in his or her environment, and to roll up one’s sleeves in order to improve the place where he or she lives. Indeed nothing of what we do for love is too small”. Sanja Jurić echoes her; she tells us: “Coming home, I told everybody what I had experienced: in my family, with my colleagues at work, and I started to live more intensely, trying to do as best as I can my share where I am“. These are just few validations to the message which Maria Voce, President of the Focolare Movement, had sent the first day of the meeting: “I wish you can draw on the strong and enlightnening presence of Jesus in your midst. His way of thinking and acting for the common good, knowing that – as Chiara has often reminded us : “The world belongs to all those who love it most, and can best prove it“.
