"An enormous historical responsibility" is weighing on the 650 Anglican bishops meeting at the Lambeth Conference in these days, because they will have to "decide" between a "traditional biblical interpretation of Christian morals" and a more liberal and "permissive" vision of the "expressions of love and tolerance". Those words were written by the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Alexius II, in a message addressed to the Lambeth Conference and made known today by the Patriarchate of Moscow. In the note, it is written that the ecumenical "observers" of various Churches and ecclesial communities took also part in the opening of the Conference: for the Russian Orthodox Church, Bishop Hilarion of Vienna and Austria is participating. Therefore, the Patriarchate of Moscow is following the Lambeth works with great attention, because it is written in the note – the decisions which will be taken there "will be extremely important for the whole Christian world; the future of the relationships of many Christian Churches and Communities with the Anglican Communion mostly depends on them". Patriarch Alexius recalls that the results of the Lambeth Conference are "also particularly important for the Russian Orthodox Church, because the history of our contacts with the Anglicans dates back to the XVI century, and contacts were warm-hearted and full of mutual understanding". His Holiness the Patriarch then expressed his hope for "preserving opportunities for such relationships".
