Patriarch Kirill sees no tragedy in current economic crisis

(Interfax – January 7, 2016)

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia has called on people not to despair over the economic problems in Russia.

“Problems are now generally relative: people earn a little more or a little less (only God forbid that the economic situation should worsen), but generally there is currently no tragedy in the country,” the patriarch said in an interview that will air on Rossiya 1 television (VGTRK) on Thursday.For this reason, he believes that “people who get disappointed are weak and futile.”

“If you measure your wellbeing only in money, if your wellbeing is measured by the quality of your vacation, your living standards, then the slightest reduction of consumption may seem like a horrible tragedy. And what does that mean? That means that the person is not very viable,” the patriarch said.

He believes that there is currently “a synthesis of people’s material, scientific, technical nature, people’s aspiration to a good life with the increase of their spiritual needs” going on in Russia.

“I cannot say we have achieved a lot. We may be at the very beginning of this path, but it’s a very correct path,” the patriarch said.

[featured image is file photo]