The annual meeting of the spiritual leaders of the Mari traditional religion was held on the 21st of March, 2008.The meeting was opened by the Main Kart [kart] (Hierophant) Alexander Ivanovich Tanygin. The results for 2007 were summed up and a plan of work in 2008 was selected.
It was emphasized that the Mari traditional religion (Marij Yumynjula) - is a religion of ancestors, and it doesn't contradict itself to other confessions.
The deputy minister in re of culture, press and nationalities of Mari republic G.S.Shiryaeva informed those present people about the co-operative arrangements, done by the ministry and MTR last year, and about the coming cooperative work in this year.
The being present Karts [karts]. (Hierophants) asked the representative of executive power to help them to solve a question about the office for the centralized religious organization of the Mari Traditional Religion of Mari El republic. At the moment the centralized religious organization of the Mari Traditional Religion of Mari El republic does not have its office in Yoshkar-Ola city.
On the present day MTR includes 4 officially registered religious communities:
1) Local religious organization of the Mari Traditional Religion "Community of the Mari Traditional Religion “Marij kumaltysh”" in the village Bolshoe Tanakovo of the Novotoryalskij region of Mari El republic;
2) Local religious organization of Mari Traditional Religion "Community of the Mari Traditional Religion “Marij kumaltysh”" in a suburb named Sernur of Mari El republic;
3) Local religious organization of the Mari Traditional Religion "Community of the Mari Traditional Religion “Marij kumaltysh”" in a big villageShorun'zha of the Morki region of Mari El republic;
4). Local religious organization of the Mari Traditional Religion "Community of the Mari Traditional Religion “Marij kumaltysh”" in a suburb Sovetskij of the Sovietskij region of Mari El republic.
At the proposal of the Kart [kart] (Hierophant) of the Kuzhenerskij region A.I.Rukavishnikov it is decided to achieve the activity of religious communities in the remaining regions of Mari El republic according to the article 7 FZ-125 dated on September 26, 1997 “About the freedom of conscience and about the religious organizations”, that is without the registration of a legal person.
A question about status of the Sacred Groves was examined. There are 520 Sacred Groves in the republic and it is necessary to describe and to give their passports to the Government for accepting the legislative act, which ensures the proper protection of the Sacred Groves from the side of a state. A scandalous act of vandalism happened in the Sovietskij region of Mari republic in the end of February 2008. Criminals cut down 5 log transporters from the Sacred Grove!
Spiritual leaders required from the organization committee VIII Congress of Mari people to include into the list one more working section, dedicated to the Religion of Ancestors.
During the discussion about the graveyards of the Mari saints (Shnuj) was up the question about Chotkar. There are no authentic dates of the existance of that saint; therefore it was refused to give an acknowledgement to the status of the probable place of Chotkar's burial.
A question about the holiness of the graveyard of Akpatyr and Chumbylat had no any doubt of those present people. But here unpleasant news from the graveyard of Chumbylat had been waiting for the adherents of the Religion of Ancestors.
At the holy place, which is deified by many generations of Maris, they want to build a factory for the produce the cement! The cement factory must start to work in a limited scope already in summer of this year. Karts [karts] (Hierophants) expressed their worry at that question because precisely here in the praying grove on Chumbylat must be held prayings on July 4, 2008. The Council of Elders accepted the solution about the production and the setting of the special Mari sign "Tamga" on the grave of Chumbylat.
For the exception of the incorrect interpretation of positions of MTR by the Mass Media it is decided to create the official site of the Mari Traditional Religion with the address in the Internet: http://mtr.mari-el.name.
There were discussed many other questions too. The Next Meeting of the spiritual leaders of MTR is decided to be held in the period from April 16 to 19, 2008 in Yoshkar-Ola city of Mari El republic during the conducting of the VIII Congress of Mari people.