The conversation of the President with the Archbishop of Tiraspol-Dubossary eparchy took place in the working office of the President. Vadim Krasnoselsky asked whether the idea of reviving the diocesan newspaper found response among the parishioners. The publication “Orthodox Pridnestrovie” was first published in 1998. Over the years, the newspaper told readers about the most notable and significant events in the life of the diocese and the Russian Orthodox Church, Orthodox holidays, traditions and events, achievements and problems of concern to clergy, Orthodox Christians and society as a whole. Communication with church people through public information materials faded away in 2013. This year, the conversation with the reader resumed. The Archbishop Sawa thanked the President for this initiative and support in its implementation. The third issue is being prepared for printing. Interest in publication is great. A lot of materials. The Archbishop said that creators of the newspaper seek to diversify the content of the articles, expanding the readership. Blocks for children are prepared. There are also informative and entertaining moments, for example, Orthodox crossword puzzles. In this regard, there is a need to increase print space. Perhaps in the future, there will be more pages. The option of printing thematic supplementary sheet is considered. The President noted that he would support any initiative aimed at enlightening and introducing people to the Orthodox culture. Vadim Krasnoselsky emphasized that a potential reader of this newspaper is not necessarily a parishioner of the Tiraspol-Dubossary eparchy and not only an Orthodox Christian. We are talking about all citizens who are educated and striving for self-development, regardless of age or religion.
Another issue, raised by Vadim Krasnoselsky, is activity of Sunday schools. The Archbishop Sawa reported that about five hundred children visit in the republic as a whole. The situation in the parishes varies - somewhere attendance of young visitors is growing, somewhere is noticeably decreasing. The archbishop stated that interest in classes in Sunday schools declined in Pridnestrovie in general. The President supposes that the human factor is of tremendous importance in this area - a lot depends on the identity of the clergyman who communicates with children and their parents. The President, noting the positive migration dynamics emphasized that it is necessary to change the approaches to familiarizing young people with Orthodox culture (up to 1,300 children more than in 2017 went the republic’s schools in 2018). Children do not need a course of lectures on the basics of Orthodoxy. Vadim Krasnoselsky says that we must move away from cliches and find new ways and forms of communication. In his opinion, it is necessary first of all for the representatives of the church, who are faced with socially significant tasks to work on themselves. Pedagogy and psychology are integral parts of educational work, the President emphasized that in this area constant self-improvement is necessary. He considers it expedient to conduct specialized courses, lectures and seminars. At the request of Vadim Krasnoselsky, the diocese will prepare a package of proposals, the implementation of which will allow attracting more children to Sunday schools in the republic.
Popularizing the Orthodox Christianity and uniting people around Christian traditions is the main goal of the upcoming event, which was discussed today by the President and the Archbishop. We are talking about Easter festivities, scheduled for April 29 - the second day of Easter. Vadim Krasnoselsky considers that church holidays, widely celebrated by Pridnestrovians, should not remain outside the plan of cultural events. The President proposed to organize a large-scale Orthodox festival in the Bendery Park of Alexander Nevsky, as well as Easter celebrations at other venues in cities and regions of the republic. The President turned to Archbishop Sawa for diocesan assistance, noting that the preparation should take into account all church canons and traditions. The Archbishop took the initiative with interest. The scenario plan will be developed by the organizers in close cooperation with the clergy and the administration of the Tiraspol-Dubossary diocese.
