His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill answered this question when he was Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad: “I really like animals, especially dogs. I have three dogs in Moscow and two in Smolensk. The Church never considered dogs unclean animals, never forbade them to enter the room. Very many are opposed to letting the dog enter a church, not for theological reasons, but for reasons of traditional, historical nature, rooted, as it seems to me, in hygiene issues. Speaking of dogs, I would like to say that the ban on dogs entering a church is not fixed in canon law. This is just part of the tradition, and the same tradition probably applies to horses, piglets, chickens, geese and other animals. But does not apply to cats. Why? Because they always caught mice. And cats were sent in a church for this very purpose. Moreover, a cat is a very clean, almost sterile creature, it is domestic in the full sense of the word. It does not create hygiene problems for the space in which it is. I think that this is the only problem, and there is no mystery related to dogs, and, of course, there is no some kind of “anti-dog” theology. We must love animals, because, showing love for animals, we train our human emotions, become more human. As for the immortal soul, I must say that only man was created in the image and likeness of God. According to Christian teaching, animals do not have an immortal soul, and therefore, when an animal dies, we say goodbye to it forever. “
No one may drive any beast into a church except perchance a traveller, urged thereto by the greatest necessity, in default of a shed or resting-place, may have turned aside into said church. For unless the beast had been taken inside, it would have perished, and he, by the loss of his beast of burden, and thus without means of continuing his journey, would be in peril of death. And we are taught that the Sabbath was made for man: wherefore also the safety and comfort of man are by all means to be placed first. But should anyone be detected without any necessity such as we have just mentioned, leading his beast into a church, if he be a cleric let him be deposed, and if a layman let him be cut off.
(Canon 88, Qunisext Council, 692AD)
(Canon 88, Qunisext Council, 692AD)
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. (I Corinthians 13:1-3)
Green Chile Corn Cheese Dip
2 slabs of cream cheese
8 oz. slab of pepperjack cheese
6 oz. package of cojita Mexican cheese
1 small can roasted green chiles, hot or mild to your taste (or about half a jar of 505 Hatch Green Chile sauce).
1 poblano (also called pasilla) pepper, finely diced
1/2 jalapeno (more or less to your heat tolerance) finely diced
2 ears of corn
1/2 bunch of cilantro finely chopped
1 tablespoon Tajin spice mix
1/4 onion finely diced
Lightly oil, salt and roast the corn at 450 until it looks "roasted" (even better do it on a grill). Put the chopped poblano, jalapeno and onion in a pan and roast it until tender in the same oven (it'll take less time than the corn). If you don't have fresh corn, you can probably use canned or frozen corn, drain the liquid and spread the corn on an oiled baking sheet, salt it and roast it.
Meanwhile, put the cream cheese, pepper jack and cojita in a 9"x9" pan, roughly break it up and spread it around in the bottom, sprinkle it with the Tajin, cilantro and canned chiles.
When the peppers and corn are done, strip the corn off the cob, sprinkle it and the roasted peppers/onions on top of the cheese mix. Cover with foil, bake in a 325 oven for about 45 minutes until the cheese is melted and you can stir it all together.
Serve with tortilla chips.
2 slabs of cream cheese
8 oz. slab of pepperjack cheese
6 oz. package of cojita Mexican cheese
1 small can roasted green chiles, hot or mild to your taste (or about half a jar of 505 Hatch Green Chile sauce).
1 poblano (also called pasilla) pepper, finely diced
1/2 jalapeno (more or less to your heat tolerance) finely diced
2 ears of corn
1/2 bunch of cilantro finely chopped
1 tablespoon Tajin spice mix
1/4 onion finely diced
Lightly oil, salt and roast the corn at 450 until it looks "roasted" (even better do it on a grill). Put the chopped poblano, jalapeno and onion in a pan and roast it until tender in the same oven (it'll take less time than the corn). If you don't have fresh corn, you can probably use canned or frozen corn, drain the liquid and spread the corn on an oiled baking sheet, salt it and roast it.
Meanwhile, put the cream cheese, pepper jack and cojita in a 9"x9" pan, roughly break it up and spread it around in the bottom, sprinkle it with the Tajin, cilantro and canned chiles.
When the peppers and corn are done, strip the corn off the cob, sprinkle it and the roasted peppers/onions on top of the cheese mix. Cover with foil, bake in a 325 oven for about 45 minutes until the cheese is melted and you can stir it all together.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Council of Chalcedon Canon 21: "Clergymen and laymen bringing charges against bishops or clergymen are not to be received loosely and without examination, as accusers, but their own character shall first be investigated."