Rest in peace, Boris Nikolayevich.

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Moscow, April 24, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church will be praying that the Lord may rest the soul of the first president of Russia, Boris Yeltsin.

�His presidency was a time when new opportunities became open. Once confiscated churches and monasteries returned to the believers; new opportunities to use media for Christian witness appeared; religion became a frequent issue on TV. We cannot be unthankful to our first president for this chance alone, the chance to witness Christian truth before the secular world,� Fr. Mikhail Dudko, the secretary of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, told Interfax.

�I am sure that he as well as many other political leaders, including some Soviet ones, will be in our prayers,� he added.

He said it was symbolic that Russia�s first president three weeks ago visited the site of our Lord�s baptism on the River Jordan, which was so dear to every Christian heart.

�In our lives things seldom happen by chance... Neither it is by chance that God chooses particular people to lead nations through various historical periods,� the priest said.

�He committed sins as we all do. But I don�t thinks that now is the best time to recall them. Now is the time to pray that God may have mercy and salvation for his soul. We believe that the Almighty God can do that,� Fr. Mikhail added.
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Amen, Fr. Mikhail.

Vichnaya Pamyat.