Link in left side bar.
Also the English section of portal-credo.ru
Link in left side bar.
Excerpt from April 30 report by Paul Goble:
Aleksandr Khramov, a religious affairs writer, in a commentary published yesterday on Portal-credo, says that
... the entire process of going after independent believers “suddenly accelerated after Kirill became the patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate,” an indication of his influence with the government generally and President and Mrs. Medvedev in particular.
Thus what is happening in Suzdal sets a precedent that is likely to be used elsewhere in the Russian Federation soon: The Moscow Patriarchate will enlist the power of the state to go after its enemies and even after those believers who seek only the right to worship in their own way independently of Kirill and his “power vertical” inside the church.
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4 comments:
We're next. I remember Patriarch Kirill just after his election (or enthronement) saying that he was going to target the Ukraine.
I wonder if any of the "world" Orthodox jurisdictions (MP-ROCOR, OCA, Greek, Antiochian, etc.) or their hierarchs have commented publicly upon the recent conduct of Mr. Putin and the Russian Federation in Suzdal. If not, why have they not publicly denounced the arrests of the ROAC clergy, or the confiscation of the ROAC churches by the neo-Soviet state? By their very silence, these "world" Orthodox hierarchs-- who are in communion with the MP-- appear to be complicit, do they not?
I looked but did not find any official statement from the OCA. Unofficially, (and I was denied permission to quote), the OCA is rather unfamiliar with the situation and rather removed from the issue. But, they maintain support of their Sister Church (MP).
Next I looked for something from ROCOR(MP) and found no mention of it on their site. But we know they say that poor Mother is having trouble with the schismatic extremists squatting on her property.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom released its annual report on May 3, 2009, but perhaps the Suzdal incidents were too late to be included. However, it does recommend listing Russia as one of the countries which should be put on the Religion Watch list, along with Belarus and others. The report says it's because of the new anti-"cult" committee set up this Feb. with a St Vladimir's Seminary alumnus as the head. The fear seems to be aimed at repression of Protestant groups rather than Orthodox protesters of the official MP line.
Of course the pro-union MP-Rocor [which is really what it should be called truly - I notice that that term was used by Unprofitable Servant - good! I think we should all switch over] clergy & rank and file are scoffing away in defense of the Commission set up to repress other Orthodox as well as many groups. Who are they loyal to?
As for the OCA, what else can be expected of them when Patriarch Kirill just announced to the visiting OCA leader Met Jonah, in an unnerving echo of Patriarch Sergius: "The joys as well as the sorrows of the OCA are the joys and concerns of the MP".
I read that as a reinforcement to the OCA to toe Kirill's line 100% - no deviations permitted!
Especially not on the sensitive subject of Suzdal...
Unprofitable S. was asking a rhetorical question - with no expectation of more than a squeak of private sympathy from almost any world Orthodox figure--- let alone an UNofficial statement FAVORABLE to ROAC.
I don't believe it's ROCA next but rather MP-rocor whose properties will feel the grinding heel of the MP boot. Hence there will never be any mention on any official MP-rocor site. Its spokesmen and staff are hiding in the sand, pretending not to notice the events taking place which would alarm them if they opened their eyes to peek out!
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