His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus Writes a Letter to the Editors of the Orthodox Socio-Political Youth Journal of Russia and the Russian Diaspora My v Rossii i Zarubezhie ["We in Russia and Abroad"]

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

We were very gladdened by the appearance of a journal in Russia that has such profound roots in the history of our Russian emigration. The young people who began publishing a journal under the difficult circumstances of the Russian diaspora could hardly have imagined that in the early 21st century, the journal My would once again be published—but not in the emigration, but in the homeland, in Russia. The very fact of its appearance in our time attests to the fact that the hopes of those who in 1938 sowed this good seed were not for naught.

You now live in an historical era when the division within the Russian people in the homeland and abroad is beginning to gradually disappear. Today, before our very eyes, many events are taking place which are signs of the healing of old conflicts. Soon we will be witnesses to one of these: the remains of two eminent activists of the Russian emigration, General Denikin and the religious philosopher and thinker IA Ilyin, will be brought to Russia and reburied in the cemetery of Donskoy Monastery. But more important is the guiding hand of God, which is leading the Russian people on the path of overcoming historical divisions, manifested in the possibility of brotherly contact and joint discussion of the differences which once led to the division of the Russian Church. We desire that these divisions, with God's help, will be overcome, and the reunification of the two parts of the Russian Church would be the guarantee of the reestablishment of the unity of the entire Russian people, which was lost in the last century.

The publication you have reestablished was begun by people burning with love for their homeland, their Fatherland. This love never disappeared in the emigration, and continued to warm the souls of Russian exiles over the course of many years, and of their descendants scattered throughout the world.

"Devoted to God, loyal to the Homeland," was the wonderful slogan of the journal My connects you to a great deal, so we earnestly hope that you prove worthy of your predecessors, those who stood at the foundation of this journal. In our days, teaching young people such concepts as devotion to God and loyalty to their Homeland is more important than ever, so we are confident that your efforts will without a doubt serve towards the good of our Fatherland.

May the Lord God and His Most-Pure Mother bless and preserve you!

+Metropolitan Laurus
Metropolitan of Eastern America and New York

8/21 September 2005
The Nativity of the Most-Holy Mother of God