Moscow, September 12, 2010 - Interfax
Last Saturday, clerics of the Moscow St. Catherine Church, where the Representation of the Orthodox Church in America is located, conducted a requiem for victims of terrorist attacks in New York on September 11.
"We came here today for the ninth commemoration of the event that marked a beginning of changes in the shape of the modern world, terrific terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, in Pentagon, in Washington," the church rector Archimandrite Zacchaeus (Wood) said after the service.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle believes Russia and the U.S. should come together in combating international terrorism just as the two countries fought against Nazism during WWII.
Speaking at a commemorative service for the victims, Beyrle pointed out that, just as the U.S. and Russia 65 years ago together defeated Nazism, the main source of intolerance in the 20th century, they are allies again now against international terrorism, the main source of evil in the 21st century.
Russian Federation Council Deputy Chairman Alexander Torshin, who also attended the service, thanked the U.S. for officially recognizing North Caucasus warlord Doku Umarov as an international terrorist.
"I thank you for the fact that the U.S. has recognized Doku Umarov as an international terrorist. This news was welcomed in the North Caucasus and caused panic among the thugs. They realized that they can no longer hide in the U.S., and we will nail them here," Torshin said.
In spite of the early hour, over 100 people came to the requiem. They held candles in their hands. The prayers were said in English and Russian.
After the service, to commemorate the victims everyone could ring the memorial bell set in the church yard and decorated with bands colored like Russian and American flags.