Nearly five hundred Christians have sent an open letter to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia regarding the ban on candlelight services. Alexey Uminsky, whom they identify as their spiritual mentor, reports the information resource BFM.ru. In the letter they write that Fr. Alexey is among the few priests dedicated to the difficult ministry of families with terminally ill children. Now the hospices he cares for are left without their spiritual father. Christians are asking Patriarch Cyril to reverse his decision, “… in order to preserve the mental balance of the faithful.” The letter says:
“Your Holiness, the news is a candle. Alexey Uminsky being banned from ministry caused us great pain. We would like to draw your attention to the role that Father Alexei Uminsky plays in the life of the modern Russian Orthodox Church and its members. Since 1990, Father Alexey has converted a large number of people to the faith. He has created a large, living and active community in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Khokhlovskaya Pereulok in Moscow.
Father Alexey Uminsky participates in the real life of society and speaks to people on current topics. His sermons, books, articles and public speaking have given strength and support to countless believers by answering the questions that really concern people today. His words reconciled many different people and united them around faith in God.
Father Alexey Uminsky and his community work a lot in the social sphere: they take care of seriously ill people in hospices for adults and children, they help the homeless and prisoners. Father Alexey personally travels around Moscow and the Moscow region to give communion in the homes of dying children in the children’s hospice “The House with the Lighthouse”, visits terminally ill children and adults in hospitals. Supports parents whose children have died in hospice. He is a member of the boards of trustees of the Faith Foundation and the Children’s Hospice “House with the Lighthouse”. Fr. Alexey Uminsky does a lot to help the homeless as well: he collects money for medical care, food and social rehabilitation. Father Alexey also provides spiritual support to prisoners in places of detention.
The decree banning the ministry of priest Alexey Uminsky will deprive thousands of people of spiritual support. This is a great tragedy for many believers, for the patients of the children’s hospice, for hundreds of prisoners and thousands of homeless people. In our difficult time, it is important to preserve for people the possibility of spiritual support from their beloved and important priest.
We hope that this decision will be reconsidered for the sake of the peace of mind of the faithful.”
The number of Christian signatories to the appeal is steadily increasing, even though the signatories know that publicly declaring support for their disgraced spiritual leader will come at a high cost to them and their families.
Illustration: Icon of the Virgin Mary “Indestructible Wall”.
