Patriarch thanks mayor for ban on gay parade

MOSCOW, March 16 (Itar-Tass) -- Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II thanked Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov for his decision to ban a parade of the sexual minorities in the Russian capital.

Being aware of your position of principle to the initiative of a group of people with the untraditional sexual orientation to hold a march in Moscow this spring, I would like to support you and thank for the decision you have taken not to allow the public propaganda of immorality, the patriarch said in an open letter.

Alexy II noted that the church counteracts decisively the attempts to present the sinful tendency as normal and an example for imitation. According to the patriarch, in view of the demographic crisis in Russia the society should care for the upbringing of the growing generation in the spirit of traditional spiritual and moral values.