On January 21, the Cultural Center “Pokrovsky Gates” hosted an evening in memory of Pope Benedict XV, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the death of the pontiff of the First World War, peacemaker and savior of millions of prisoners.
Aimone di Savoia Aosta, representative of the Sovereign Order of Malta in the Russian Federation, delivered a welcoming speech, noting the need to “take an example from the great pontiff and pray for peace in today’s difficult times” and read out a letter from Alexey Paramonov, Director of the First European Department of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which says: “Today, the personality of Benedict XV, his constant efforts aimed at ending hostilities, his diplomatic skills are of particular importance against the backdrop of growing threats and challenges to international security.”
Alexander Avdeev, Representative of the Russian Federation to the Sovereign Order of Malta, sent a congratulatory video message, paying particular attention to the comprehensive support of Pope Benedict XV of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 20th century, His charitable activities, cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the preservation of cultural monuments and shrines of Christianity. Mr. Avdeev stressed that “it is important to remember the common (note of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vatican) history and the efforts of all those who saved the Russian Orthodox Church from destruction and destruction.”
Apostolic Nuncio in the Russian Federation, H.E. Giovanni D’Aniello, concluded: “The memory of this great leader of world history is a reminder that each of us has a duty and a mission that we cannot refuse to be the creators of peace, engineers of bridges of reconciliation and unity for mutual respect and acceptance.”
The event was organized jointly with the Representative Office of the Order of Malta in Russia. The event was attended by the Deputy Ambassador of Poland to the Russian Federation, Mr. Jacek Sladewski and Professor Adriano Dell’Asta. The basis of the meeting was the materials of the book by the historian Natalia Zazulina “Through the Lens of Time: The Pontifex – Apostle of the World”, published in 2017, and new historical data.