Protopriest Serafim Gan:
“If People Try to Fulfill the Gospel’s Commandments, the Nation
Will Be Drawn to Unity and the Resolution of Many Problems.”

On Wednesday, November 9, 2016, Protopriest Serafim Gan, Chancellor of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, responded to a question posed by RIA-Novosti on the American elections.

“In recent years, a special petition is being made during augmented litanies in all the churches of the Russian Church Abroad for peace in Ukraine, for the persecuted and those suffering for their faith in Christ in the Middle East. Of course, I cannot speak for the whole Church, but I think that our common hope is that the Lord will help the new President-elect of the United States to enable peace and good relations between the USA and other nations, to work towards the triumph of peace in the hearts of people and the cessation of the brutal persecution of Christians.

“Judging by the results of the elections, there is division within the nation which must be overcome through dialog, mutual understanding, and active outreach to the people and the successful resolution of problems and needs. If people try to the best of their ability to manifest the commandments of the Gospel in their lives, if government officials try to selflessly serve their people, this will bring the nation towards unity and the overcoming of many problems. Still, we as Christians must always remember that it is impossible to achieve full and ideal peace and well-being in this fallen world, for we can only find them in the next world, the Kingdom of Heaven,” said Fr Serafim.