Russian Church believes discussion on Russia's development will lack Solzhenitsyn's word

04 August 2008, 13:47

Moscow, August 4, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church believes that Alexander Solzhenitsyn, who died late Sunday, is a model of inner freedom and human dignity and urges to share his heritage with contemporaries and descendants.

"Alexander Isayevich will remain a model of inner freedom and human dignity for his contemporaries and descendants. He dared to speak with authorities of his country and of the west and with people, fearlessly pointed out to lie and paid no regard for fashion or public opinion," deputy chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin told Interfax-Religion on Monday.

The interviewee of the agency further said that Solzhenitsyn not only criticized, but suggested practical ways to develop Russia and its relations with other countries.

"The country will lack his words and his participation in public discussion," the priest said.

However, according to the Church representative, "rich heritage of this writer and thinker will remain with us, and we have to make this heritage well-known and close to people primarily through school."

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