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YAKOV KROTOV
June 28, 2001, 8.15 AM, Moscow
Pope's visit to Ukraine: results
Actually, I don't think that it is reasonable to ask about "results."
To suppose that visit of Pope can influence the life of the Church
and even more -- the life of people -- isn't this medieval faith in
symbols? As concerns Russian Orthodox-Roman Catholic relations they
are so bad that nothing can spoil them. Modern leadership of Russian
Orhotodox Church is quite Bolshevistic, and Bolshevism means "black
hole", absolute indifference to outer impulses. Can anyone state
that this or that politics of Western powers "influenced"
Stalin? Certainly, Patriarch Alexy will continue his anti-Catholic
rethoric, and certainly he will continue taking money from Roman Catholic.
Voila!
proselytophobia
Maxim Schevchenko in "NG" (26.6.2001)
criticized Roman Catholics for using Pope's visit for making converts.
As a proof of proselytising Schevchenko pointed at the postcards printed
by Roman Catholics for free distribution where face of Pope is depicted
against the background image of Eastern Orthodox churches like Pecherskaya
monastery in Kiiv. Schevchenko haven't found anyone who was really
converted to Catholicism due to such combination of symbols.s
Who is NOT canonized
Maxim Shevchenko (NG, 23.6.2001) ppoints out that Pope refused to
canonize Metr. Andrey Sheptitskiy, famous leader of Greek-Catholics
in the first half of XX c. Only his brother will be beatified. Andrey
Sheptitskiy and his Church suffered numerous oppressive device from
the Roman Catholic government of independent Poland.
Russian governmental propaganda
Governmental TV-channel RTR broadcast anti-Catholic
documentary "Territory of Schism" (23.35, 22.6.2001),
expressing official position of the Moscow Patriarchat. Just on
the eve of the visit!
Yelena Ermicheva in governmental "Rossiysjaya
Gazeta" (23.6.2001) accused Greek-Catholic for "wiping
out thee Russian Orthodox parishes in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and
Ternopol recently." She repeated statement of Patriarch Alexy
who mentioned these parishes in the documentary--but the Patriarch
stated that parishes have been destroyed ten years ago, and
Yermicheva inserted the word "recently."
Certainly, it is useful to remember that Moscow Patriachy
with the help of militia literally wiped out nearly all parishes
of the Free Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. Everyone sees his own
sin on others!
The "Rossiysjaya Gazeta" (21.6.2001) in
the article of Ivanna Gorina from Lviv accused Greek Catholic inhabitants
of the village Pidzamochok, stating that they've thrown away from
the parish house the belongings of the Russian Orthodox priest Nickolay,
then they have thrown out "cradle with his child 9 month old."
She accuses Greek Catholic priest Michaylo who lives now in this
house that he doesn't know why the glass in the windows was broken
and explains: it is because Greek Catholics have thrown from the
window Russian Orthodox priest. The wanted to crucify him but "he
was Jesus-like" that they've didn't dare." Now Fr. Nickolay
comes to his congregation from Sambor and serves in usual house,
because Greek Catholic do not return to him one of three churches,
as the court ruled out. Can anyone from Lviv tell what is true in
this story?
"Noviye Izvestiya" (23.6.2001): foundation
"Obschestvennoye mneniye" made a poll in Russia. 35% of
Russian looks positive on the Pope's visit, 50% are indifferent,
8% looks with enmity.
Russian become more tolerant. In 2000 41% of population
approved the idea of Pope's visit to Russia, now--48%. (Indifferent:
43 and 41%, negative position: 5% and 6%.)
Attitude personally to John Paul II: positively 25%
in 2000, 37% in 2001; indifference: 52% and 50%; enmity: 5% and
3%.
Politics of resentment
Patriarch Alexy was invited by Ukrainian President to visit Ukraine,
but refused. Now he is going to Belorussiya as if mirroring Pope's
visit. He stated that he cannot fo to Ukraine if his rights as the
only head of Eastern Orthodox Christians there are not observed
(the visit of Pope is looked upon as violation of his will.)
I think this behaviour is a nice example of resentment, one of
the most typical features of "Soviet" psychology. What
is important: polls show that most believers are not against Pope's
visit, either favorable to it or indifferent. Look: Noviye Izvestiya,
June 21, 2001, p.2, polls among Ukrainians, Ferbruary, 2001:
23% absolutely positivy to Pope's visit; 21% mostly positive; 14%
without opinion and 16% don't know about the visit, 23% know and
are neutral; negative position - 4%.
Pope as a new Hitler
Russian Orthodox Priest Konstantin Kobyakov pointed out that Pope's
visit coincides with the day of the Hitler's attack on Russia. Moreover,
Hitler's attack began in Ukraine: plane's bombed Kiiv early in the
morning of June 22, 1941. Tis brave priest meant that Pope is a
new Hitler and Catolicism as the new Nazism.
Soviet propaganda stressed that Western people, American especially,
don't know that Russia was the decisive force in victory over nazi.
Actually, it is just the opposite: Russian still don't understand
that their country was engaged in the Second World War. This term
is not used in any official documents or text-books when Russia
is concerned. Russia participated in the "Great Patriotic War."
(There is also the term "The Patriotic War" designating
war with Napoleon in 1812.)
This is the part of Bolshevistic isolationism which is still very
alive. Moreover, official propaganda (and Russian media are practically
all now included in the system of this propaganda) speaks about
the "Great Patriotic War" increasingly often. Old movies
-- not only made under Brezhnev, but even those done in the Stalin's
epoch -- are shown on the TV. The memory about this war is called
"sacred." This is one of the most effective weapons of
anti-Westernism.
web-sources
http://www.papalvisit.org.ua/eng - official page of Greek-Catholic
Church in Ukraine dedicated to the visit. There is also a nice list
of English-speaking experts and frequently asked question. I was
also glad to found very informative site: http://www.risu.org.ua/
- Religious Information Service of Ukraine.
http://www.lta.lviv.ua/ - Lviv Theological Academy.
Metropolit Vladimir Sabodan, head of the parishes of Moscow Patriarchate
on Ukraine, came out to be the only Christian leader of this country
who refused to meet the Pope and stated that Pope's meetings with
leaders of "independent" Eastern Orthodox communities
of this country will be "rude intervention into our home affairs"
(Noviye Izvestiya, June 21, 2001, p.2).
Papal Visit to Ukraine-Resource List of Experts
All people on the list speak Ukrainian. Other languages are given
in parentheses.
All persons listed are in Ukraine, unless otherwise specified.
Eastern Canon Law and Beatification Process
Rev. Dr. Mykhailo Dymyd (French, Italian, English)
mailto:%20dymyd@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 76-04-98, 76-82-73
Rev. Dr. Michael Kwiatkowski (English, Italian)
mailto:%20mbk@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 76-04-98, 76-82-73
Catholic-Orthodox Relations
Myroslav Marynovych (English)
marynov@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 798596, 765826
Rev. Dr. Mykhailo Dymyd (French, Italian, English)
mailto:%20dymyd@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 76-04-98, 76-82-73
Rev. Dr. Robert Taft, SJ in Italy (English, Italian)
mailto:%20113056.516@compuserve.com tel+39-06-44741-7139
fax +39-06-446-5576
L.Th Yurij Sakvuk (English, Polish)
mailto:%20ysakvuk@yahoo.com (380-322) 63 97-81
mailto:%20jusakvuk@hotmail.com
The Clandestine (Underground) Church in Ukraine: 1946-1989
Rev. Borys Gudziak, Ph.D. (English, Italian, Polish )
mailto:%20gudziak@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 75-85-93
Dr. Oleh Turii (German, Polish)
mailto:%20turii@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 76-27-77
Svitlana Hurkina (English)
mailto:%20hurkina@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 76-27-77
Ukrainian History
Dr. Jaroslav Hrytsak in Ausrtria (English, German, French, Polish)
mailto:%20jaroslaw.hrytsak@univie.ac.at mob.069910960907,
(43-1) 01/427741116 (43-1) 01/42779411
Dr. Liliana Hentosh (English)
mailto:%20liliana@wertep.com (380-322) 794585, 752189
Prof. John-Paul Himka in Canada (English)
mailto:%20john-paul.himka@ualberta.ca
Rev. Andriy Chirovsky in Canada (English, Italian) (613) 236-1393
mailto:%20AChirovsky@ustpaul.uottawa.ca
Prof. Myroslav Labunka in US (English, German, French, Polish)
mailto:%20iko@ucef.org (1-215) 455-9183
Ukrainian Church History
Prof. John-Paul Himka in Canada (English)
mailto:%20john-paul.himka@ualberta.ca
Dr. Ihor Skochylas (Polish, Italian)
mailto:%20sihor@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 966575
Rev. Borys Gudziak, Ph.D. (English, Italian, Polish)
mailto:%20gudziak@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 75-85-93
Dr. Oleh Turii (German)
mailto:%20turii@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 76-27-77
Youth Ministry in the Ukrainian Church
Rev. Josyf Milan
(380-322) 72-26-47, 97-08-17
Sr. Luiza Ciupa SSMR (Italian, Portugal, Spanish)
mailto:%20lc@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 75-58-90
Liturgical Questions
Rev. Mark Morozowich (English, Italian)
mailto:%20ugccpressrome@yahoo.com ITALY 39-06-6900-1402
Ukrainian Art and Culture
Marta Kolomayets (English )
mailto:%20PBNMartak@aol.com tel (044) 4906988, fax (044) 4906989
Prof. John-Paul Himka (English)
mailto:%20john-paul.himka@ualberta.ca
Olena Dzhedzhora (English)
mailto:%20odz@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 75-54-19
Ivan Herasym (English, German, Polish, Italian, Spanish)
mailto:%20herasym@lta.lviv.ua (380-322) 768273
Social - Charitable work of the Church
Fr. Ken Nowakowski (English)
mailto:%20ken@caritas-ukraine.org (380-322) 72-00-07
Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in general
The Sheptytsky Institute www.ustpaul.ca/Sheptytsky
Rev. Andriy Chirovsky in Canada (English, Italian)
mailto:%20AChirovsky@ustpaul.uottawa.ca (613) 236-1393
Rev. Andriy Onuferko (English, Italian) (613) 236-1393
mailto:%20onuferko@lta.lviv.ua
Rev. Peter Galadza in Canada (English)
mailto:%20pgaladza@ustpaul.uottawa.ca (613) 230-0997
Roman Catholic Church in Ukraine
Rev. Witold Jozef Kowalow
mailto:%20kovaliv@ostroh.uar.net (03654) 23038
Political/economical situation in Ukraine
Marta Kolomayets (English )
mailto:%20PBNMartak@aol.com tel (044) 4906988, fax (044) 4906989
Bohdan Havrylyshyn (English)
mailto:%20phoffice@itelecom.net.ua, mailto:%20bohdan@swissonline.ch
(044) 253-88-49
Taras Vozniak (English)
mailto:%20ji@litech.lviv.ua, mailto:%20wozniak@litech.lviv.ua (380-322)
74-58-90
Dr. Jaroslav Hrytsak in Ausrtria (English, German, French, Polish)
mailto:%20jaroslaw.hrytsak@univie.ac.at mob.069910960907,
(43-1) 01/427741116 (43-1) 01/42779411
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