“Dobro Pozhalovat” – Welcome to Moscow

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