OUR AMERICAN SCENE: What is in IMMEDIATE survival danger to MANY poor & elderly and disabled or pensioned Americans, because of the Leftist Democrat Party and its administration "headed" by semi-brain dead, Joe Biden & his incompetents
Time: Wed, 24 May 2023
Social Security, Health Care Likely Default Casualties
ROCOR Priest Fr. Anatoly Shchabelsky blessed to administer to Western Europe
Time: Mon, 22 May 2023
ROCOR: Decree to Priest Anatoly Shchabelsky
Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Publication date:May 22, 2023. Category: ROCOR
Tags: rpcz , western european diocese
5/18/2023: Sharing For Truth's Sake: HONEST/ACCURATE Jake Broe-"Has Russia really lost 200,000 soldiers?" JAKE BROE-about THE BEST & MOST FACTUAL war reporter on this terrible war, on the entire internet. He reports the truth, about ALL SIDES.
Time: Fri, 19 May 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veFkvRSqRiY
ALL OF JAKE BROE’S War REPORTS… clearly THE most truthful/accurate reports on the Ukraine/Russian war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veFkvRSqRiY&list=UULFYHosdETLPp6dpJEsgIUTmw
Limited Sharing: "Was Hitler part Jewish?"-just for historical interest
Time: Fri, 19 May 2023
Obscure historical subject: “Was Hitler Part Jewish?”…very interesting indepth study of his very complicated family-heritage-its history carefully researched & retraced
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpJushCGvuQ
St. Philaret of New York, Pray to God for us!
Time: Thu, 18 May 2023
“THE MEMORY OF THE RIGHTEOUS IS CELEBRATED WITH HYMNS OF PRAISE!”
5/16/2023: TWO VIDEO Reports: Sharing for truth's sake: "Putin stabbed in the back: Russian soldiers join the Ukrainian army with their commanders" And: "The Russians speaking up against Putin"
Time: Wed, 17 May 2023
Putin stabbed in the back…..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPPVFN0KJSE
And: BBC Report: The Russians speaking up against Putin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CopUYaRzZo
Sharing: 2 Articles: English/Russian:
1) "Bishops of the UOC-MP (Ukrainian Orthodox Church of The Moscow Patriarchate) are Communists", and
2) Forced government-removal of word "Russian" from front NAME-SIGN on one of our ROCOR parish churches in Ukraine
Time: Wed, 17 May 2023
Bishops of the UOC-MP are communists
Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Publication date:May 17, 2023. Category: Moscow Patriarchate .
The Odessa Metropolitan of the UOC-MP Agafangel Savvin did not even hide before that he was a communist in his convictions. When the oppression of communist ideology began in Ukraine, being a delegate of the 1st convocation of the Verkhovna Rada (1990-1994), he chanted the slogan "Glory to the CPSU" on television cameras, along with other communist deputies, and when the call was made from the rostrum: "communists, stand up", of all the communists, he jumped the very first. Other non-communist deputies, who were witnesses, told about this with a laugh. At the intra-church "events" organized by the MP, years later, he raised a toast "to the communists - who are not, but who are," to which there are also witnesses. And about seven years ago, in more than two decades of Ukrainian independence, one priest who spoke out against Putin,
Perhaps he is not the only one there, perhaps this general directive in the MP is to support the Communist Party in the past and the globalist Kremlin until today. Now, of course, there is no desire to investigate this topic.
The other day, here, they remembered that in the past, the now popular Metropolitan of the UOC-MP Pavel Lebed in 2008 was even nominated to the Kiev City Council from the Communist Party (for some reason, he passed as a deputy from the Party of Regions).
The Moscow Patriarchate, as it was originally a product of Stalin (see here ), remains to this day the latent bearer of the communist ideology - it has not renounced its Soviet past and serving the atheists. And she did not repent of it. Unfortunately. Just as the aforementioned metropolitans of the UOC-MP did not repent of this, remaining, obviously (due to the lack of repentance), convinced communists.
+ M.A.
Ukrainian Church nightmare: Metropolitan Pavel (Lebed) -is a communist and vicegerent of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
“I am convinced that the inclusion of Vladyka Pavel in
electoral list of the Communist Party in the elections in
Kyiv City Council is participation in our struggle for
so that Kyiv regains its right to be the second Jerusalem.
Communist Party leader Pyotr Simonenko
"Working newspaper" No. 65 of April 8, 2008:
“... On the agenda was the approval of the program and the list of the Communist Party for early elections to the Kiev City Council, as well as the development of tactics and strategies of the Communists during this election campaign.
... But number 3 on the list is a real sensation. In this place is Pavel Lebed, whose last name will practically say nothing to an ordinary citizen. But that is his secular name. He is better known as Archbishop Pavel, vicar of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra.
There are times in life when you can not immediately realize how to properly respond to the next information. The name of Metropolitan Pavel (Lebed) is known to many. In Russia, he is extolled as almost a confessor and defender of the Church. In Ukraine, he became famous for many scandalous antics and performances. When I happened to see another piece of news about Vladyka, they were immediately shocked and did not know how to react to the fact that in 2008 he was an ornament of the Communist Party of Ukraine. Either rejoice that the Communists came to believe and even went to monasteries, or resent why the UOC-MP hierarchs are openly communists, or weep with emotion that Vladyka became a communist for the good of the Church…… And how many other communists are there in the UOC-MP?
The leader of the Communist Party of Ukraine Petro Symonenko: "So the inclusion of Vladyka Pavel, one of the hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, in the electoral list of the Communist Party of Ukraine in the elections in Kiev looks not only justified, but also necessary."
And if we remember that now Russian propagandists, lamenting the arrest of Vladyka Pavel, are openly calling for the Ukrainian people to be burned with lethal rocket launchers "Solntsepyok" for this, one can understand that Vladyka Pavel was needed not only by the Communist Party, but also by the rulers of the Kremlin. His personality always provides effective assistance to the enemies of the Ukrainian people, those whose pagan idol lies in the mausoleum on Red Square in Moscow.
Tags: Moscow Patriarchate
===================================================================
Russian language original text:
РПЦЗ: МВД Украины уклоняется от ответа
Автор: Митрополит Агафангел. Дата публикации: 17 мая 2023. Категория: РПЦЗ.
В связи с тем, что 8 апреля к настоятелю храма преподобного Серафима Саровского игумену Алексию обратился участковый инспектор с требованием снять табличку с храма, на которой упоминается принадлежность прихода к Русской Православной Церкви Заграницей, из-за слова "Русская". При этом участковый угрожал, что если о. Алексий откажется снять табличку, то через несколько часов сюда придёт "возмущённая общественность" и устроит погром. Участковый заявил, что существует распоряжение убирать с улиц всё, что напоминает о русских.
О. Алексий под давлением прямых угроз со стороны участкового, посоветовавшись с правящим архиереем, и по его благословению, чтобы избежать скандала, снял табличку. Об этом мы писали в материале В Украине запрещено слово "русский"
На письмо Правящего архиерея в УВД Украины пришёл ответ от 8 мая №1391, в котором прямые угрозы со стороны участкового названы невинной
"профилактическо-разъяснительной беседой с настоятелем храма Александром Петренко, в результате которой, последний добровольно, по собственной инициативе демонтировал со здания храма табличку с названием. В связи с чем, принято решение в соответствии с Законом Украины "Об обращении граждан", поскольку оснований для внесения сведений в Единый реестр досудебных расследований не выявлено. Учитывая вышесказанное нарушений действующего законодательства в действиях полицейских не установлено.
Кроме того, Главным управлением полиции в Одесской области предпринимаются все необходимые меры, направленные на недопущение осуществления противоправных действий на религиозной почве".
Вот так. Никаких угроз не было, и настоятель табличку с названием мог бы не снимать, если бы сам не захотел этого сделать.
Печально читать со стороны Министерства внутренних дел откровенную ложь.
+ Митрополит Агафангел
Метки: рпцз, одесская епархия
Article about the Government FORCED removal of the word “Russian” from front of one of our ROCOR parish churches in Ukraine:
ROCOR: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine declines to answer
Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Publication date:May 17, 2023. Category: ROCOR .
Due to the fact that on April 8, the local inspector turned to the rector of the church of St. Seraphim of Sarov, hegumen Alexy, with a demand to remove the plate from the church, which mentions the belonging of the parish to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, because of the word "Russian". At the same time, the district police officer threatened that if Fr. Alexy refuses to remove the sign, then in a few hours the "outraged public" will come here and arrange a pogrom. The district police officer said that there was an order to remove from the streets everything that reminds of Russians.
Father Alexy, under pressure from direct threats from the district police officer, after consulting with the ruling bishop, and with his blessing, in order to avoid a scandal, removed the tablet. We wrote about this in the material In Ukraine, the word "Russian" is prohibited.
The letter of the Ruling Bishop to the Department of Internal Affairs of Ukraine received a response dated May 8, No. 1391, in which direct threats from the district police officer were called innocent
"a preventive and explanatory conversation with the rector of the temple Oleksandr Petrenko, as a result of which, the latter voluntarily, on his own initiative, dismantled the plaque with the name from the temple building. In this connection, a decision was made in accordance with the Law of Ukraine "On the Appeal of Citizens", since the grounds for No information was entered into the Unified Register of Pre-trial Investigations Considering the above, there were no violations of the current legislation in the actions of the police officers.
In addition, the Main Police Department in the Odessa region is taking all the necessary measures aimed at preventing the implementation of illegal actions on religious grounds.
Like this. There were no threats, and the abbot could not remove the nameplate if he himself did not want to do this.
It is sad to read outright lies from the side of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
+ Metropolitan Agafangel
Tags: rpcz , diocese of odessa
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Note from Joanna: Both RemnantROCOR and ROCORRefugees have been removed from Blogger. No warning and no explanation. For now, I plan on doing nothing about it. This is why back in 2015 I started my Shared Library (with a private service), — everything important is there, and eventually I will upload the archives of the deleted blogs. Although, I have not saved any recent posts, I have all the years saved from before middle of 2021. Some of the more recent posts might be preserved in the WayBack Machine. link to my Shared Library https://app.box.com/s/fidluwvb48ffrhzly22uq2zvvzb56byl This link displays the most recent upload on top. The listing is by date. You have to click on "NAME" to see the list in alphabetical order. This is where I have collected old ROCOR materials which are all that is needed for acquiring the mindset to interpret current events for the salvation of your soul. More uploads still being added, the rest of the OL magazines are promised, and a recent 1970-1980 home library of pamphlets is being scanned (all in English), and is soon to be added, in the near future look for and expect to see "David's Folder." Joanna ______ Sticky Today May17 ADF in court case against Biden/FDA abortion drugs |
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CAUTION: VIDEO SOURCE IS CNN (advisory provided by Joanna) |
SHORT VIDEO: A reliable person who personally KNOWS of what he is here stating: testifying to the developing facts-THAT: Putin will be removed & from within Russia, & this war stopped, by mainly Russians, for the good of Russia and Ukraine and the world
Time: Sat, 13 May 2023
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6A8x5eZW6Y
A Very Sad RE-Sharing: ROCOR/MP VASHON ISLAND, Monastery(Western US Diocese visit), AND! - moving DRONE-camera views OVER San Francisco ROCOR/MP Cathedral -built by St. John Maximovitch, but now sadly owned by ROCOR/MP
Time: Wed, 10 May 2023
*FROM THE WEEKLY BULLITIN OF THE ROCOR/MP San Francisco CATHEDRAL-Shared with me by a confidant.
LINK to drone-moving over-head camera views of the Cathedral & parts of San Francisco, etc,
https://orthodox360.com/tours/holyvirgincathedral-sf/
Subject: RE: Monastery visit..and moving/roving DRONE camera views in San Francisco
Very interesting!..but also very sad for me to view..as this cathedral- BUILT BY ST. JOHN and where his relics rest, BUT NOW the property of the ROCOR/MP, plus Tryphon’s monastery are both tentacles of Moscow, and “His Most Holy Patriarch Kyrill”,..YUK!
Reader Daniel in Oregon
From: Cathedral Starosta
Sent: Monday, May 8, 2023 3:21
Subject: Monastery visit
Holy Virgin Cathedral Parish Newsletter; Sent to parish members and donors; Questions, comments or to unsubscribe: SFStarosta@outlook.com
May 8, 2023
5/9/2023: Sharing in English/Russian: Metropolitan Agafangel: The Forbidden Word-"GOD"
Time: Tue, 9 May 2023
Metropolitan Agafangel: The Forbidden Word "God"
Author: Metropolitan Agafangel. Publication date:09 May 2023. Category: Author's column .
If the Lord does not build the house, those who build it work in vain (Ps 126 )
Information appeared on the Internet ( here and here ) that in the United States on some television channels it is forbidden to pronounce the word "God" and talk about religion.
* * *
At one time, when trends of decline were revealed in the United States, President Ronald Reagan, to raise the spirit of the nation, declared 1983 the "Year of the Bible." That same year, Reagan condemned abortion.At the beginning of 1984, the President gave an explanation to "particularly progressive" officials that voluntary school prayer does not contradict the US Constitution - in those years, in public schools, every school day began with the Lord's Prayer. Ronald Reagan also sent greetings to the Councils of our ROCOR held in New York and generally did a lot to revive the religious spirit in the USA. These actions were of great benefit and, in particular, they made American society healthier, for which a grateful America honors Ronald Reagan as one of its greatest Presidents.
* * *
On February 21, 2023, US President Joe Biden ended his speech in Warsaw with the words: "May God bless us, bless the Ukrainian soldiers and all those who defend freedom around the world." In Ukraine itself, he did not remember God. It turns out that in Poland it is possible to pronounce the word "God", but in Ukraine it is impossible? Why?
* * *
Historically, Kievan Rus, and then Ukraine, starting from its baptism by the Holy Prince Vladimir, has always been only an Orthodox country.
Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol in his story "Taras Bulba" describes admission to the Sich Cossacks as follows: "I believe!" answered the visitor. "Do you believe in the Holy Trinity?" "I believe!" "And you go to church?" "I go." "Well, cross yourself!" The visitor was baptized. "Well, all right," replied the koshevoi, "go to the one you know the hut." This ended the whole ceremony. Thus, the only requirement for the Ukrainian Cossack was his Orthodox faith - non-Orthodox (not to mention atheists) were not taken to the Zaporozhian Sich.
The constitution of Hetman Philip Orlyk (1710) begins with the words: "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, God in the Holy Trinity is glorified." In its preamble, the Constitution testifies: "Let Ukraine's adherence to the Orthodox faith be for everlasting glory and memory of the Zaporizhzhya Army and all the Little Russian people." Further, in the first paragraph of the Constitution, the Orthodox faith is affirmed as the basis for the existence of the “Cossack”, “Little Russian” people: “Since faith takes precedence among the three theological virtues, then in this first paragraph about the faith of the holy Orthodox of the Eastern confession, business should begin.” The constitution dismisses the very possibility of a "union with the Church of Rome" and warns "that greedy heterodoxy in Little Russia, our homeland, should not be introduced by anyone, and if a heterodoxy appears somewhere, then the Hetman must eradicate it with his power, and not allow the preaching and spread of heterodoxy. Gentiles should not be allowed to coexist in Ukraine, and all efforts should be made for this, so that one faith, the Orthodox Eastern confession, is eternally affirmed. "As they say— "neither more nor less."
Thus, Ukraine has historically always been an exclusively Orthodox country, headed, for some period of its existence, by Orthodox Princes, and later by an elected Orthodox ruler, the Hetman.
After the overthrow of its last Orthodox Hetman Pavlo Skoropatsky in December 1918, Ukraine, unfortunately, was ruled by atheists and theomachists.
* * *
Today in Ukraine, all of a sudden, from some time, in the media (and they are all controlled under war conditions), the word God has disappeared, the name of our Savior has ceased to be mentioned, and the topic of religion is generally carefully avoided (except for criticism). None of the statesmen of Ukraine, from the President to the district leaders, utters this forbidden word. Is it a coincidence? - of course not. It is obvious that a deliberately thought-out plan is being carried out.
It is appropriate to note that there are no non-religious people - absolutely every person, without exception, has his own confession, his own attitude towards God, just as angels and demons have his. If a person openly or only within himself renounces God, then he, voluntarily or involuntarily, becomes the slave of His adversary.
* * *
Of course, the top of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine, without any doubt, serves the Kremlin and the demon nestling in it (who was not even thought to be expelled from there since the "revolution") - this group should be removed from the management of the UOC-MP. But what about ordinary believers? On the contrary, they should be helped in Ukraine - they should be given the opportunity, according to the Canons of the Orthodox Church, to choose from their midst, without the intervention of the FSB, their own, independent of the Kremlin, hierarchy (with the community's full responsibility for the actions of those elected by them), and not to persecute ordinary people and persecute without any fault, as is done now. Moreover, the state can (and should) be an observer of the implementation of the charter of church life in accordance with the general principles of church canons (in particular, to observe the legality of the elections of parish and diocesan governing bodies).
* * *
Looking at the representatives of historical Ukraine - the Grand and Small Dukes, Ukrainian Hetmans and warriors of the Zaporizhian Sich (and along with them the best of the US Presidents), we can come to the only possible conclusion - the dechurching of the people is an action deliberately aimed at the degradation of the country AND its transformation people into the slaves of a global non-religious and non-national government. A believing person completely submits only to God, and this is categorically not suitable for modern globalists.
* * *
It should be noted that in Ukraine today there is a departure from its historical values and the very historical foundation of our state, by artificially planting an atheistic and anti-religious worldview from above - as in the early years of Soviet power and, later, in the USSR. What it eventually led to - we all know well. We know, but we do not draw conclusions from our own history. Much to our regret.
+ Metropolitan Agafangel
May 9, 2023
Tags: ROCZ , Metropolitan Agafangel
===================================================================
Russian language original text:
Митрополит Агафангел: Запретное слово "Бог"
Автор: Митрополит Агафангел. Дата публикации: 09 мая 2023. Категория: Авторская колонка.
Если Господь не созиждет дома, напрасно трудятся строящие его (Пс 126)
В интернете появилась информация (здесь и здесь) что в США на некоторых телевизионных каналах запрещено произносить слово "Бог" и рассуждать на тему религии.
* * *
В своё время, когда в США обнаружились тенденции упадка, Президент Рональд Рейган, для поднятия духа нации, объявил 1983 год "Годом Библии". В этот же год Рейган осудил аборты. В начале 1984 года Президентом были даны разъяснение "особо прогрессивным" чиновникам, что добровольная школьная молитва не противоречит Конституции США — в те годы в государственных школах каждый учебный день начинался с молитвы "Отче наш". Также Рональд Рейган посылал приветствия проходившим в Нью-Йорке Соборам нашей РПЦЗ и вообще много делал для возрождения в США религиозного духа. Эти действия возымели огромную пользу и они, в частности, оздоровили американское общество, за что благодарная Америка почитает Рональда Рейгана одним из величайших своих Президентов.
* * *
21 февраля 2023 года Президент США Джо Байден закончил свою речь в Варшаве словами: "Пусть Бог благословит нас, благословит украинских воинов и всех, кто защищает свободу во всём мире". В самой Украине он о Боге не вспоминал. Выходит, что в Польше можно произносить слово "Бог", а в Украине нельзя? Почему?
* * *
Исторически Киевская Русь, а потом Украина, начиная от своего крещения святым Князем Владимиром, всегда была только православной страной.
Николай Васильевич Гоголь в своей повести "Тарас Бульба" так описывает приём в сечевые казаки: «Пришедший являлся только к кошевому, который обыкновенно говорил: "Здравствуй! что, во Христа веруешь?" "Верую!", отвечал приходивший. "И в Троицу святую веруешь?" "Верую!" "И в церковь ходишь?" "Хожу". "А ну перекрестись!" Пришедший крестился. "Ну, хорошо", отвечал кошевой: "ступай же в который сам знаешь курень". Этим оканчивалась вся церемония». Таким образом, единственное требование к украинскому казаку было его православное вероисповедание — неправославных (не говоря об атеистах), в Запорожскую Сечь не брали.
Конституция Гетмана Филиппа Орлика (1710), начинается словами: "Во имя Отца и Сына и Святого Духа, Бога во Троицы Святой славимого". В своей преамбуле Конституция свидетельствует: "Пусть будет на вечную славу и памятку Войска Запорожского и всего народа малороссийского приверженность Украины православной вере". Далее, в первом пункте Конституции, утверждается православная вера, как основание существования народа "казацкого", "малороссийского": "Поскольку между тремя добродетелями богословскими вера первенствует, то в этом первом пункте о вере святой православной восточного исповедания следует начинать дело". Конституция отметает саму возможность "унии с костёлом Римским" и предостерегает "чтобы жадное иноверие в Малую Россию, отчизну нашу, никем не было внедрено, и если иноверие где-то покажется, тогда Гетман своей властью должен его искоренить, и проповедь, и распространение иноверия, не допускать. Иноверцам сожития на Украине не позволять и на это все старания прилагать, чтобы одна вера православная восточного исповедания вечно утверждена была". Как говорится — "ни много ни мало".
Таким образом, Украина исторически всегда была исключительно православной страной, возглавляемой, какой-то период своего существования православными Князьями, а позже — выборным православным правителем — Гетманом.
После свержения своего последнего православного Гетмана Павла Скоропатского в декабре 1918 года, Украина, к сожалению, управлялась безбожниками и богоборцами.
* * *
Сегодня в Украине, вдруг, с какого-то времени, в средствах информации (а они в условиях войны все подконтрольны), исчезло слово Бог, перестало упоминается имя нашего Спасителя и вообще тщательно обходится тема религии (кроме критики). Никто из государственных деятелей Украины, начиная от Президента и кончая районными предводителями, этого запретного слова не произносит. Случайность ли это? — конечно же, нет. Очевидно, что осуществляется сознательно продуманный план.
Уместно заметить, что безрелигиозных людей не бывает — абсолютно каждый человек, без исключения, имеет своё исповедование, своё отношение к Богу, как имеют его ангелы и бесы. Если человек открыто или только внутри себя отрекается от Бога, то он, вольно или невольно, становится рабом Его противника.
* * *
Конечно, верхушка Московской патриархии в Украине без всяких сомнений служит Кремлю и гнездящемуся в нём демону (которого и не думали изгонять оттуда со времён "революции") — эта группа должна быть отстранена от управления УПЦ МП. Но причём тут простые верующие люди? Им в Украине, напротив, следовало бы помочь — предоставить возможность, согласно Канонам Православной Церкви, выбрать из своей среды, без вмешательства ФСБ, своё, независимое от Кремля, священноначалие (с полной ответственностью общины за действия избранных ими), а не гнать простых людей и преследовать без всякой вины, как делается сейчас. Причём, государство может (и должно) быть наблюдателем за исполнением устава церковной жизни в соответствии с общими принципами церковных канонов (в частности, наблюдать за законностью выборов приходских и епархиальных органов управления). Иначе в отобранных сегодня храмах некому будет молиться.
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Взирая на представителей исторической Украины — Великих и малых Князей, украинских Гетманов и воинов Запорожской Сечи (а заодно с ними и лучших из числа Президентов США), можно прийти к единственно возможному выводу — расцерковление народа является действием, СОЗНАТЕЛЬНО направленным на деградацию страны и превращением её народа в среду рабов глобального безрелигиозного и безнационального правительства. Верующий человек полностью покоряется только Богу, а это современным глобалистам категорически не подходит.
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Следует констатировать, что в Украине сегодня происходит отход от её исторических ценностей и самой исторической основы нашего государства, путём искусственного насаждения сверху атеистического и антирелигиозного мировоззрения — как в первые годы Советской власти и, позже, в СССР. К чему это в итоге привело — мы все хорошо знаем. Знаем, но выводов из собственной истории не делаем. К большому сожалению.
+ Митрополит Агафангел
9 мая 2023 года
Метки: рпцз, митрополит агафангел
"Why Vladimir Putin is a Psychopath" one of best/accurate analysis of the depths of his evil cold non-caring attitude about any human suffering, his totally self-centered personality: studied here -by one of his chief enemies-whom he wants dead.
Time: Sat, 6 May 2023
5/1/2023: SHORT VIDEO: VERY WORTH VIEWING!: "The Real Situation of The Russian Army Surprises People" -a visual documentation...narrated in good clear English...unlike many other current babbled video reports about Putin's Ukraine war.
Time: Mon, 1 May 2023
This is simply the plain hard, if shocking factual truth, no matter who wants to see it, or not, and not any “Western or NATO, pro-Ukrainian propaganda”.
Reader Daniel in Oregon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2PgxWgd3rs
X1: My Sharing for Study: "OPEN LETTER: Why Have You Forgotten The Truth Of God?"-(addressed to [contemporary] bishops of [today's MP, which is the contination of] the 1943 uncanonically-founded-Joseph Stalin's, "The Moscow Patriarchate"), by Sergei Chapnin: -can be read in English, Greek, or Russian.
Time: Mon, 1 May 2023
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Note: This very interesting open letter, A VALUABLE STATEMENT & PROTEST: was shared with me today, so I share it now. Reader Daniel in Oregon LINK TO ARTICLE: https://publicorthodoxy.org/2023/02/06/open-letter-russian-bishops/ |
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Why Have You Forgotten the Truth of God?
An open letter to the bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church
by Sergei Chapnin
Published on: February 6, 2023
Your Eminences!
My letter is addressed to the Orthodox bishops in Russia. I have intentionally not collected signatures or involved any Church structures or public organizations, because I am addressing not the episcopal body, not the leaders of the Moscow Patriarchy, but each of you personally. My letter’s addressee is an Orthodox Christian who took holy baptismal and monastic vows, was elevated to the dignity of bishop, and who in his heart recognizes that it is impossible to govern the Church without striving to love Christ, seeking His truth, and serving Him and not Caesar.
Under the circumstances I feel forced to violate Church etiquette by not asking your blessing. This would sound a false note at the very beginning of our conversation. My words may provoke antagonism, vexation, and even wrath on your part. Being conscious of it, I can scarcely hope that you would sincerely bless such conversation, and a ritual blessing just to demonstrate episcopal power means little. If you agree that this conversation is meaningful, simply pray for me and write at least a few lines in response. I pray for you, too, though today this is hard and painful.
But I deeply believe that there is a blessing from above upon such a conversation, that we are called upon to talk about the one thing needful (Lk.10,42, KJV), about our faith, about the love of Christ which is unthinkable without keeping His commandments: If a man love me, he will keep my words (John 14:23, KJV)
It is no secret that your episcopal office is temporary. Love of Christ, striving to follow His Word, to be faithful and grateful to Him in joy as in sorrow—this is what belongs to the eternal. You can put brocade vestments and a costly panagia into a coffin, but you cannot take along a rank and a title. Still less is it possible to defend yourself with rank and title at the Last Judgement.
I am addressing you, as I feel exhausted by the tormentingly long expectation of a sincere pastoral word from you, exhausted by your never-ending silence about what is most important. And I beg you to treat what I am going to say as words uttered from a position of weakness and infirmity, not of strength and self-assurance.
I understand very well that the episcopate of the Russian Orthodox Church is a large and complex body. I know many of you personally, we have prayed together, worked together. There was a time when we were able to speak with mutual trust. There was a time when we heard and understood one another. Or was that an illusion?
Now, during the military attack of Russia on Ukraine, I have totally ceased to understand you. I hear you uttering nothing but state propaganda clichés, disguised as pious words of Church message, and dubious theological formulas which lead you and your flock away from the Gospel and towards an imperial pagan cult centered on power, wealth, and violence.
I think you share the blame for it. I see that for many of you it is a conscious choice.
Maybe you are driven by fear of the patriarch, whose dream has been to become Putin’s ecclesiastical double, the sole ruler of the ROC, and who has succeeded in attaining this goal. Heartlessness, cunning, cruelty—I suppose you have witnessed Patriarch Kirill manifest these qualities to the utmost degree more than once.
Maybe you are driven by fear of the security services. You are familiar with the system of power in Russia and how dangerous it is to oppose the security services. I am sure that its officers visit you regularly, talk to you, and instruct you.
In short, you understand very well that in Russia any dissent is punishable, and, most likely, many of you have punished more than once the members of the clergy who allowed themselves to disagree with the officially prescribed picture of the world, to think independently, to object and not to keep silence. The Moscow Patriarchy has long demanded from its clergy a total and unconditional loyalty. This stifling atmosphere has become a hallmark of the Russian Orthodox Church. The rare exceptions only confirm the rule.
This state of things could last for decades longer, were it not for the war. Now, a year after the beginning of Russian aggression, I must say directly: Patriarch Kirill is the first among those who justify war crimes. In his sermons he proclaims “war theology,” using arguments that flagrantly contradict the Gospel and the teaching of the Church. I will not speak about them in detail. You certainly know them all and probably repeat them regularly.
But let us pluck up our courage and look into the future. The years of Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev’s rule are dark pages in the Church’s history. The Church’s renaissance broke down, and now it is not sinners being saved by divine grace who are its members, but embittered castle-builders swilling the cocktail of imperial myth, resentment, and unbelievably primitive eschatology.
All of that is quite enough to recoil from, and yet in a great many photos you are there, next to the patriarch, smiling, receiving his blessing, offering him flowers and expensive gifts.
Once again: you stand by a man who justifies war crimes and has betrayed the Church. You repeat his words, retell his criminal arguments.
And even if you say nothing—can your silence make us doubt that you are on his side? Can this silence of yours be recognized as an attempt at resistance? The bloody war does not offer you this chance.
But we remember the words of St. John the Theologian: perfect love casteth out fear (1 John 4:18, KJV). You still have a chance to be witnesses and disciples of Christ, who was guiltlessly condemned, suffered, and was crucified. I pray that at least some of you use this chance and return to the vows you gave in holy baptism and monastic tonsuring.
I remember in a comparatively recent time, at the end of the 1980s, how dangerous it was to speak about the new martyrs, and only the most bold and fearless preachers dared to mention them from the ambo. But by the early 90s this ideological taboo was lifted. I am sure that you, too, preached about the new martyrs, holding up their feat of faith as an example, drawing inspiration from them. Now tell me: were those merely words unrelated to your deeds? If so, your preaching was hypocritical and false. How I wish I were mistaken!
I am perfectly aware that I myself am in a weak and vulnerable position. The reproach that may be thrown at me is obvious: “You left Russia, you are now safe, do you have a moral right to utter these reproaches?”
I have found more than once that this argument is used with the sole intention of silencing the accuser. Nevertheless I will attempt to respond.
First, during my last ten years in Russia I spoke about the same things. I spoke and I will speak, because for me the words about those who hunger and thirst after righteousness are not an empty phrase. The quest for truth is necessary; the wish to shield yourselves from the truth by propaganda or pious babble is pernicious. Our means of mass communication allow us to see the world more clearly and to speak the word of truth more loudly than ever before. This resource can never be taken away.
Second, who prevents you from leaving, too? If you disagree, if you see the risks and threats connected with the free manifestation of your position, leave, just as hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens have left. Many of them are Orthodox; they need priests and bishops. They wait for free preaching, for spiritual support. Remember that after the October revolution dozens of bishops left Russia and established Russian churches outside Russia, and now not a single one of you has done the same. This, too, says a great deal about the state of the present-day Russian church. Yes, it is always a great risk to leave your country, but it is unimaginable that local churches will turn you away, though by no means all of them will treat your decision with respect and attention. It is painful to admit, but some of the Orthodox Churches express solidarity with Patriarch Kirill’s aggressive anti-West rhetoric and second it.
Finally, third, I do hope to return. I hope that Orthodox Christians in Russia will have the chance to build a free Church in a free Russia. The big question is what role the present-day episcopate will be called upon to play in it. Right now it is not merely losing authority and trust. You must agree that quite possibly the new and free church will simply have no need for such an episcopate.
The words of St Sophronius of Essex, words of great hope, did not come true. He said that “the Russian Church experienced an extraordinary spending of itself in suffering for the name of Christ” and therefore “a question of perfection stands before the Russian Church, which proceeds from the eternal spiritual law: the fullness of spending itself foreshadows the fullness of perfection ».
Alas, after the spending of itself what came was not an era of perfection, but an era of satiety, material well-being and riches, an era of heartlessness, hypocrisy, and lust for power. Today the Russian Church is further from Christ than anyone could have imagined.
Your Eminences! The disgraceful, catastrophic silence of the majority of you in the course of Russia’s war against Ukraine puts an indelible stain upon the entire Russian Orthodox Church.
Can your attitude towards the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Metropolitan Onuphrius personally be called anything but treachery? You betrayed, you handed over to destruction a considerable part of your own Church. You did not trust Onuphry and mistook the patriarch’s lie for the truth.
When the Russian authorities began to use the Church’s arguments for their propaganda, the cost for the Ukrainian Church was very high: the pressure on the Ukrainian state and a major part of Ukrainian society was the natural result of the aggression.
The responsibility for that will be shared—perhaps not equally—not only by those who publicly supported this aggression, but also by those who were silent.
The present-day Russian state wants the economics, education, and culture of the country to be re-oriented along a military line. But not only that. The Church which in recent years has been fawning at the feet of the state authorities, now also has to serve this terrible war.
I beseech you to actively oppose lies and falsehood.
To stop supporting and justifying the war.
To stop blessing the soldiers and the weapons.
To make it clear that those guilty of military crimes cannot cross the threshold of the church without repentance, still less take part in the Holy Mysteries.
To call everyone to a just peace.
The Russian Church will have to re-learn speaking about truth, about compassion, about genuine peace-making, about a just peace. The Russian Church will have to see the sufferings of the peaceful people of Ukraine and the crimes that the Russian army has committed on the occupied territories. Not only to see, but to recognize them, to comprehend them, and to bring itself to offer repentance for having taken part in them. Without that it will have no future.
To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice (Proverbs 21,3).
Think: your sacrifices of today may not be pleasing to God.
Think: in your prayers of today there is no truth.
And in the end: who you are serving?
And who needs you such as you are?
Sergei Chapnin
January 23/February 5, 2023
Synaxis of New Martyrs and Confessors of the Twentieth Century
about Sergei Chapnin
Director of Communications at the Orthodox Christian Studies Center of Fordham University and chief editor of The Gifts (Дары), an almanac on contemporary Christian culture
Sergei Chapnin is a former Moscow Patriarchate employee with over 15 years’ experience. He has deep knowledge of Russian Orthodox traditions, Church administration and Church-state relations in modern Russia.
Born in 1968, he graduated from Moscow State University, Journalism faculty, in 1992. In 1990s he worked for the leading independent newspapers in Moscow – Kommersant and Nezavisimaya Gazeta. He became one of the first journalists in Russia to cover religious issues professionally.
In 2001 at the invitation of Patriarch Alexey II Chapnin was appointed Executive editor of the Church Herald newspaper. Later he was the Executive editor of the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate and deputy Chief editor of the Moscow Patriarchate Publishing House (2009-2015). In 2010-2013 he was also a Secretary of Church, State and Society Commission of the Inter-Conciliar Board of the Russian Orthodox Church and senior lecturer at Saint-Tikhon Orthodox Humanitarian University, faculty of Theology.
To describe the religiosity of contemporary Russian society, he introduced the concept of post-Soviet civil religion. In December 2015 after his lecture at Carnegie Center in Moscow (where he made a prognosis that a war in Ukraine will be given a religious justification) he was fired from all his positions personally by Patriarch Kirill.
Recently he worked as vice-rector at State University of Film and Television in Saint-Petersburg. He is also a member of the «Theology after GULAG» Research Group (VU, Amsterdam) and contributed to Post-Secular Conflicts Research Project (University of Innsbruck, Austria) as a research associate (2016-2021).
Since 2022 he is a Director of Communications at the Orthodox Christian Studies Center of Fordham University and Chief editor of «Дары» (The Gifts), an almanac of contemporary Christian culture, and a curator of exhibitions on contemporary Christian art.
Mr. Chapnin is the author of numerous articles and commentary in national and international media, including Bloomberg, WSJ, NYT, CBS, NPR, The First Things (USA); BBC, The Economist (UK), Le Monde (France); Wiez, KAI (Poland) and many others.
He is the author of the books “The Church in Post-Soviet Russia. Revival, ‘Quality of Faith’, and Dialog with the Society” (2013) and “The Church Revival. A Summary” (2018) both in Russian.
