Russian National Prayer Breakfast – 2017

Moscow - 14th of March 2017. The 17th Annual Russian National Prayer Breakfast took place in the Red Hall of the President Hotel. The theme of the Breakfast was “Reformation and lessons of history”. Sergey Rihovsky, who is a member of Council for Coordination with Religious Organizations under the President of Russian Federation, member of Peoples Chamber of Russian Federation, Principal Bishop of centralized religious organization of the Russian Union of Christians of the Evangelical Faith (Pentecostal), was the master of ceremony for the event. He introduced the distinguished guests among whom were:

  • his Excellency, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Philippines to the Russian Federation Mr. Carlos Sorreta;
  •  his Excellency, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Albania to the Russian Federation Mr. Arben Gazioni;
  •  his Excellency, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Greece to the Russian Federation Mr. Andreas Fryganas;
  • Ambassador-Councellor of Lithuanian Embassy in Russian Federation, Mr. Giedrius Galkauskas
  • Interim proctor of the embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Russian Federation, Abdullah Al-Akva
  • Minister Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of South Africa to the Russian Federation Mr. Henry William Short;
  •  charge d’affaires and Ambassador of Austrian Embassy in the Russian Federation Mr. Stephan Weidinger
  •  Deputy Chief of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in the Russian Federation Lasro Simbolon
  • diplomats from the Embassies of French Republic, Canada, United States of America, and India

Among representatives of the Russian Federation were:

  • members of Presidential Administration
  • deputies of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly;
  • members of the Civic Chamber;
  • representatives of the Moscow City Government and Moscow State Duma;
  • representatives of the Central Bank;
  • representatives of national communities;
  • representatives of security agencies;
  • representatives of the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the
  • business representatives, and
  • representatives of major religions and confessions.

 

Following the introduction, Sergey Rihovsky welcomed the Chairman of the Foundation “National Morning Prayer” Dr. Peter Sautov to deliver a word of welcome. Dr. Sautov remarked on the particularly warm atmosphere of the event and stated that this has become a distinguishing factor and a good tradition of the Russian National Prayer Breakfast. He then said that he was convinced that the goals and objectives which stand before the Prayer Breakfast are the same goals and objectives that all honorable people around the world place before themselves. He reminded listeners of the Biblical teaching of the power of prayer, and that true might is not in people but in God. “For where two or three gather in the name of Christ, like we have gathered today, there is Christ among them. When we pray we believe that God is with us and He hears our prayers. He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?”

 

A blessing over the congregation as well as a call to participation in Our Lord’s prayer was issued by pastor Oleg Yurievich Goncharov. Oleg Goncharov is  the first deputy chairman of Eurasian section of General Conference of Church of Seventh Day Adventists concerning questions of state cooperation, social and religious organizations. He is also a member of Presidential Council for Coordination with Religions Organizations. 

 

The event proceeded further with the reading of an ode by Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin called “God”. The declamation came from Nikholai Karlovich Svanidze. Nikholai Svanidze is a TV journalist, historian, professor, head of Journalism at Russian State university for the Humanities, and a host of a variety of television programs.

Nikholai Svanidze also gave a short yet profound and wholesome historical overview, where he mentioned that the main lesson of the events of the year 1917 was the slowing down of the passage of reforms and reformations; such slowing down tends to have an amplifying effect on the dangers of revolutions.

Musical portion of the event was headed by Busha Homan who performed a song of blessing for Russia by the name of Ederlezi. Busha Homan is a singer, musician, winner of a variety of international vocal prizes, Voice Season 3 finalist, and a soloist in theater “Gradsky Hall”. He is also a pastor and a father.

The Prayer Breakfast then proceeded with its first thematic report delivered by Archbishop of Lutheran-Evangelical Church of Russia Dietrich Borisovich Brauer. Dietrich Brauer reminded the listeners of the essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and about a special role in the history of our country and in the foundation of its values carried by protestantism.

The event continued with a word of greeting from Anatoly Genadievich Aksakov. Anatoly Aksakov is a member of Federal Council of Russian Duma belonging to the Russian Federation, chairman of Financial Markets committee, and a president of Russian Association of Regional Banks. He spoke about the importance of substantive reforms to the stability of continuous movement forward in our country, and called those in attendance to have faith in Russia.

The second thematic report was delivered by the secretary in charge of inter-christian relations within the foreign church relations office of Moscow Patriacrchy of the Russian Orthodox Church hier-monk Stefan Igumnov. He reminded the listeners of the importance of inter-confessional cooperation as an example of deep unity within our country. He also spoke about the importance of viewing the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a foundation of spiritual and ethical values.

The third thematic report was given by Yaroslav Evgenievich Nilov. Yaroslav Nilov is deputy head of a fraction of Liberal democratic Party of Russia, chairman of State Duma Committee of labor, social politics and veteran affairs. He appealed to listeners to search for and uproot wickedness, to honor our common history and to acknowledge the mistakes of the past. He spoke about an appeal to forgiveness before God, about a return to the basics of our spiritual and ethical values which are so important for our country’s flourishing.

The fourth thematic report was given by State secretary and deputy chair of Russian National Bank Alexander Porfirievich Torshin. He reminded the audience of the importance of unifying our efforts and of the importance of uninterrupted new reforms. He spoke about the value of striving towards goodwill and unifying prayer, as directed by our God.

The event continued with the second appearance of Busha Homan who performed a song called “The Lord has Blessed”.

A concluding prayer for an outpouring of blessing on Russia and Russian people was said by the mayor of Tolyatti city region Sergey Igorievich Andreev.

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