Moscow June 6, 2011
The 5th International Russian-Georgian Poetry Festival is held from June 6-15, 2011, in the Georgian cities of Batumi, Poti, Kutaisi and Tbilisi. About 100 authors from over 30 countries attend.
His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia has sent following message of greetings to the organizers, participants and guests of the festival:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I cordially greet the poets, people of letters and all the guests of the 5th International Russian-Georgian Poetry Festival.
Holy Fathers of the Church would present the most sublime theology in the form of verses and the greatest of poets would praise the Creator in their works, admiring His creation. The human soul has always sought to embody things good, beautiful and eternal in the word, and poetry as the art that gives the fullest expression to the potential of language offers a master a multitude of resources for expressing the subtlest tinges of emotions.
Sharing their permanent love of the human word and devout desire to serve the Word of God, the great Russian and Georgian cultures have given the world literature a whole pleiad of remarkable poets and artists of the thought. Now you as posterity of Pushkin and Rustaveli, Lermontov and Baratashvili, are to continue these glorious traditions in a worthy way. United by the faith of Christ, our peoples are tied by the bonds of spiritual brotherhood which cannot be broken by any hardships, troubles or trials, for there is no more solid foundation for friendship than common prayer and love of the truly beautiful. It is my conviction that in this unity of the spirit lies out authentic history and our future.
Invoking God’s blessing on you all, I wish the participants and guests of the festival fortitude and further successful creative achievements.
+ Kirill
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia