Patriarch Kirill has urged the descendants of first-wave Russian immigrants living in Paraguay to learn Russian, as most of them no longer speak the language,
TASS reports. “When you live among foreigners, you start to forget the language your ancestors spoke, naturally,” he said.
Patriarch promised to bring a priest to the Orthodox cathedral in Asuncion. It was the only request he received from the Russian compatriots living in Paraguay. He gave an order to find a priest right away and send him to Asuncion, since “it is extremely difficult to arrange the church life” without a spiritual guide.
“And without a religion you have no national culture,” he added.
Paraguay and Russia have a common history: Russian officers who left Russia after the October revolution fought in the Chaco War with Bolivia and helped Paraguay win.
“That contribution could and should facilitate cooperation between our countries,” the patriarch said.
As
reported by the Information Service of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, many Russians fled to Paraguay during the civil war. Russian immigrants worked as teachers and researchers and made a big contribution to the field in the first half of the 20th century. They also organized a number of scientific expeditions to the country’s remote areas.
Patriarch Kirill is currently on a
ministerial visit to Latin America. He met with Pope Francis in Havana earlier.
