Archbishop Elpidophoros: We awarded the "Athenagoras" award to Yulia Navalnaya

The Lords of the Ecumenical Patriarchate chose to give the award to Yulia Navalnaya, as they say, she is a freedom fighter, human rights activist and the wife of Alexei Navalny, who promoted the cause of democracy in Russia, fighting even after her husband's death her. She herself, as the statement of reasons for the decision states, is the president of the Human Rights Foundation and the president of the Human Rights Foundation and the president of the advisory board of the Anti-Corruption Foundation, and she has shown resilience and dedication, elements that have made her a symbol of courage and strength for many Russians.

What Archbishop Elpidophoros and Navalnaya said

“In the midst of the pain and loss of your martyred husband, you found a way to keep his memory alive for all of us who looked to Alexei as the last best hope for a Russia finally free from tyranny. Free from a tyranny that weaves countless lies to deceive and trap the Russian people in a total nightmare from which they cannot wake up. Free from a tyranny that uses violence and war as a tool for personal self-promotion. Free from a tyranny that threatens the world, while destroying the Russian nation from within," Archbishop Elpidophoros emphasized.

For her part, Yulia Navalnaya stated that she remains committed to the values ​​for which her husband fought and died. “How can we ensure that religion in Russia plays the same role it does in Western countries? Not as a tool of state propaganda, but as a vital social institution that strengthens community bonds, teaches kindness and helps people... How can the Orthodox Church regain people's trust and find a place in their hearts?.. "It is up to us to find the answer to these questions," he said, among other things.

"To give up fantasies"

In the past, the Archbishop of America had referred to the issue of the Church of Ukraine, an issue that caused the crisis between the Russian Church and the Ecumenical Throne. At the time, he had said that, among other things, although the Fanari had tried to resolve the issue in cooperation with the Moscow Patriarchate, the latter was led to seclusion.

"The Moscow Church must abandon its fantasies and respect and align itself with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the rest of the Orthodox Churches," he had said in the past.