church life, 2001

I've recieved the open letter of Larry Uzzel, director of Keston Institute, with a call for the support and desperate words about the danger to religious freedom in Russia. I also think that it is proper to help to Keston Institute which now works very professionaly and do a great job in monitoring violations of religios freedom in Russia and more Eastern countries.

Still, I feel a sort of sinful gloating delight, because 4 years ago I've said that Keston Institute is too optimistic. Now Larry Uzzel writes: "Russia's 1997 law on religion is an anti-foreign document both in letter and in spirit - manifestly intended to make life more difficult for foreign missionaries than for indigenous religious minorities. In practice, however, Keston found just the opposite during the first few years after the law was enacted. More important than the text of the law was the age-old Russian habit of welcoming foreigners
while trampling on the country's own citizens."

The reason why in 1997-2000 foreign missionaries were not persecuted very forcefully lies not in "the age-old Russian habit of welcoming foreigners." This habit died in 1917. Tiny provincial clercs just don't want to do anything, they even don't want to wage their time for persecution. But now religion became "political question" and Big Brother in Moscow urged to return into Soviet times, when there was only one ideology.

The only difference is that now the role of ideological monopolist is given to the Moscow Patriarchy. This is a tragedy to me and, I hope, to many other members of this confession.

Certainly, I am indignant at the recent expulsion of American Protestant Craig Rucin from Udmurtia (Ussel writes about this: "Rucin was summoned by Russian officials and abruptly informed that he was about to be deported as 'a danger to the Russian Federation.' No specific evidence was provided for this accusation in that it was allegedly a matter of 'national security'. In interviews with the Keston News Service, Rucin and local Protestant leader Galina Aminova cited articles in the Udmurt press which they said were inspired by the FSB (the successor to the old Soviet KGB), and which called Rucin's work a front for the US government."

From the very beginning of Putin's reign I've wrote that KGB spirit is back and Christian must oppose it. But Protestant, both Russian and American, decided to be politically neutral. They've never defended Christians of other denominations when they were persecuted.

New victory of Patriarch Alexy, new defeat of the Church. Moscow defendents of animals asked the Patriarch to support their protest aganst Portuguese corrida, which was planned in Moscow. "Portuguese" means corrida without the death of the animal. Patriarch issued open letter to Moscow's mayor Luzhkov, and Luzhkov prohibitted corrida.

Most Moscow newspapers are afraid of Luzhkov and simply supported him, but those who still dare to argue expressed very anti-clerical feelings. As Alexander Bogomolov put it in "Noviye Izvestiya" (28 and 29 of August, 2001), this a share hypocrisy: to defend animals from "cruel and inhuman treatment" and at the same time to wage anti-human anti-Chechen propaganda, to violate rights of migrantes and refugees. Voices about the improper influence of the Patriarch has been heard.

International tobacco company from Japan JT International donated 500.000.00$ for restoration of the Marfo-Mariinskaya nunnery in Moscow (Onschaya gazeta, 2 August, 2001).

Vladimir Putin made a trip to Solovetsky monastery on August 20, 2001. He met there with Patriarch Alexy. Patriarch said: "At the present time everybody are obliged to help to president in his great service to the people." Quoted in: Trud, 8.23.2001.

Putin was accompanied by special Kremlin press-service, and all media have shown or cited President's words about importance of Russian Orthodoxy for the rebirth of Russia.

To my taste it was very like Brezhnev speaking about Marxism-Leninism. I am afraid that my taste in this case is very like the taste of the silent majority.

October 23, 2001, 9.35 AM, Moscow

Bishop of Ekaterinburg (Ural, Yeltsin came from here) Vikentiy issued a decree, binding the priests not to own expensive cars (he mentions "cars and min-vans of foreign production.") The decree even urges those priests who have already such cars to "replace" them with Russian models, which are much cheaper. Bishop quotes the words of Paul (1 Cor 8,9) to stress that the luxurios life of clergy can be temptation to pariosheners. In modern Russia the well-being of priests (certainly, not all priests are wealthy!) is based not on regular donations of pariosheners but mostly on generous help of State or state-capitalists or simply bandits.

October 12, 2001, 7.39 AM, Moscow

Moscow Patriarchy approves abortions?

Something most unsual. Metr. Kyrill Gundyaev organized the conference in Kalinigrad. Usual hypocrtical chat (Metr. Kyrill declared that U.S. has the right for blow in responce but this blow must touch only terrorists, not peaceful people; he never was so scrupulous with Russian generals.)

One of the panelists, Fr. Antoniy Ilyin spoke about "Church view" in bioethics, mostly criticizing abortions. But he also stressed that the Church makes an exeption for women who has children already and to whose health delivery may be a threat.

I've never heard or read anything like this. Such reservation creates a wide way to moral laxity, and it is most unusual for Russian Orthodox priest to speak in such tone. May be this is an attempt to adjust Church position to the position of the state (Russian legislation concerning abortions is most permissive.)

Xenia Dennen (Keston Institute): A Moscow district court ruled on 12 September that the branch
of the Salvation Army in the Russian capital is to be liquidated. Vladimir Zhbankov, represantative of Moscow city government, said: " 'They employed unscrupulous lawyers [nechistoplotnye yuristy]. There is no ideological element to the case against the Salvation Army. There were contradictions in their statutes: in one place they called themselves a charitable organisation, in another a religious organisation. I didn't state that they were a military organisation, I simply asked them to explain why they had military ranks and they didn't answer the question. In Stalinist times you would have been arrested for wearing a uniform. Find yourselves respectable lawyers [prilichnye yuristy], I told them.'.

On September 14 Russian TV (3rd channel of Moscow city government) have shown a film about Fr. Dmitry Smirnov, dean of one of the Moscow Russian Orthodox churches. Journalist stressed with proud that Smirnov keeps strict dicsipline in his parish and is called "general," some of his pariosheners are called "colonels" and some "soldiers." Russian newspapers now often publish photoes of Russian Orthodox priests in military uniforms, helping army to conquer Chechnya.

According to Soviet standarts the speach of Zhbankov about "unscrupulous lawyers" must be understood as: Army of Salvation refused to give a bribe to Moscow city officials through hiring lawyers which they've been told.

August 24, 2001, 9.05 AM, Moscow

Russian Orthodox Priest - Nazi

Pavel Nikitin in "Ogonyok" (http://www.ropnet.ru/ogonyok/win/200128/28-10-12.html) describes Russian Orthodox priest Sergiy from village Vedenko, north from Moscow, near Yaroslavl. Born 1965, baptized 1977. He was member of ultra-nationalist group "Pamyat" of Dmitry Vasilyev.

Now Fr. Sergiy demonstates Nazi views: Jews are the only reason of Russian troubles, Hitler was a good man, but made mystakes. Portrait of Eva Brown on the wall. Wealhy (according to Russian standarts): he recieves money from some sympathyzers. Friend of Alexander Barkazhov, leader of Russian Nazi.

Bishop Mihey of Yaroslavl' didn't urged fr. Sergiy to get the swastika down uder the pretext that it is "too expensive." He only asked to put the balls on the cross in order to make the impression that it is not a strict swastika. Fr. Sergiy points out that his swastika is a "gamma-cross," turn left, not right. But at the same time he smiles and says that if you look it from another side of the church it is usual swastika.

This information puzzled one of my American friends to the extent that he didn't understand it (in Russian). Absolute evil is absolutely uncomprehensible. But Russian Orthodox Nazism and tolerance towards it can be explained very simply: Russia is the only European country where totalitarianism was not defeated but simply reformed into something still unnamed.

July 27, 2001, 7.38 AM, Moscow

Evgeniy Komarov (Noviye Izvestiya, 25.7.2001) comments the scandal around gay bishops in Moscow Patroarchy. two of them have been fired by the Synod on July 17, 2001. One is the vicar of the Patriarch, bishop Savva of Krasnogorsk, who organized in Moscow an orphanage for boys. Another one is bishop Arkadiy Afonin of Sakhalin (island near Japan). Komarov also describes the fifnancial sins of Afonin. This bishop had the protection ofMetropolitan of Nizhny Novgorod Nickolay Kutepov, but Kutepov died in June, and Afonin was doomed.

Komarov also mentiones that Moscow priests Lazar' Solnyshko and Serafim Shlykov have been killed in 1990 because of their homosexual connections. These priests were killed soon after the murder of Fr. Alexander Menn, and I am afraid that their murders were organized by KGB in order "to prove" that Fr. Menn also was a homosexual killed by a lover (I was asked by the state detective have I ever heard about such "fact".)

July 7, 2001, 8.33 AM, Moscow

Irina Obraztsova (Argumenty i facty, #24, p.1) in a large article about problems of Moscow City council and explains why its members are not afraid to rise taxes, payments and fees: "On the eve of elections wise deputy will prefer to lose the benevolence of the voters, than favor of the mayor."

I think that nowhere and nowhen in Russian media there was such a straight acknowledgment of corruption in the electoral system. On the eve of elections the main person is the major, because he gives the orders: which candidates suits him, to whose benefit moscow electoral comissions must commit falsification.

May 23, 2001, 23.25 PM, Moscow

Evgeniy Komarov in "Noviye Izvestiya" (5/23/2001) tells about some nice priest from Altay. One of the settlers praised him saying that "this priest gave me his last ten roubles for me in order to freshen the nip."

May 16

Alexander, bishop of Kostroma, criticizes foreign missions (he called them all "cults") and said: "The total budget of foreign cults in Russia is 150 millions of dollars, and the budget of the Russian Church is several times as much" (KP, 15/05/2001.)

April 20, 2001

Statistics: the night Easter service in 211 Russian Orthodox church of Moscow were attended by 120 thousand people, informed Moscow militia. 3500 militiamen guarded the churches. 240 thousand people came during the Great Saturday to sanctify Easter eggs and "kulichi" (Easter pies.) (Moskovskiy komsomoletz, 10.4.2001.)

Not very much, indeed -- less than one thousand people in every church. Certainly, many people come only to the morning service, still I wish the figures to be higher. The problem is that in many churches there are four to ten priests, who don't give Communion to any of the parishioners, and in the church where I've gone with my wife this year, there is only one priest--fr. Vladimir Lapshin--who gave Communion to nearly 2000 people during one hour and twenty minutes. The result of careful politics towards "liberal spirit."

April 17, 2001, 23.25 PM, Moscow

Very sad Easter in Moscow. Many intellectuals stress that Poutine ordered to close TV, magazine and newspaper of Gusinsky on Good Friday. Poutine crucified freedom of word like Romans crucified Lord Jesus.

At the same time it is for the first time when Poutine participated openly in the Easter liturgy in the cathedra of Christ the Savior. Vechernyaya Moskva (16.4.2001) publishes on the front page large picture of Puotines making the sign of cross. Previously many propagandists of Puotine's regime stressed that he doesn't make his faith a public event. Now this argument is dead.

Vasiliy Nissen (b. 1966) in internet published a desperate letter about his visit to the Easter service in the cathedral of Christ the Savior. He is a parishioner of Tikhon Shevkunov's community, very reactionary. Nissen received a special invitation ticket to the liturgy. He was outraged because Patriarch Alexy gave the Communion only to several "VIP", from Puotine to Zhirinovsky, but then went to the altar without giving the Holy Communion to "simple people." Nissen was so indignant that he torn his invitation and throw it on the floor of the church and wrote about the incident in the internet.

April 4, 2001, 23.50 AM, Moscow

What a wonderful year this one is - with common Easter. And common Palm Sunday. Just on the eve of Palm Sunday "Izvestiya" (7.4.2001) published an article by Dmitry Mitrich about the meeting of Church authorities of Yaroslavl' (north from Moscow) with tax-inspection. Tax-collectors explained that the church trade (books, icons, candles) is tax-free only if it is going in the church building. Funny: Jesus expelled tradespeople from the Temple, and Russian authorities drive the trade into the temples - with best intentions, and the Church doesn't protest.

Bible unread

In the newsletter published by our parish - very liberal, very intelligent etc. - Mariya Smirnova ardently explains why all Russian Orthodox women must tie the kerchief (scarf) round one's head. She doesn't quote Paul (1 Cor. 11: 13), she quotes Exodus, 3: 5 - the commandment to take the shoes off because the place of the Lord is sacred.

What a funny world is ours! Protestants, however fundamentalist, doesn't follow Scriptures when scarfs are concerned; and Russian Orthodox women quotes the commandment for a man to take the shoes off and conclude about the necessity to put the kerchief on! God knows how much of His Revelation we understand in the same way.

Religiosity: unusual parameter

Moscow city administration declared that during Great Lent the consumption of meat in the capital shorted slightly, at 1,5 percents. 1348 tons of meat are selled in the city, now this figure is 1328 (Moskovskiy Komsomolets, 29.3.2001).

Population of Moscow is 8 or 10 millions, so only 150 thousands are fasting. Well, every year about 150 000 people come to the Easter service in Moscow Russian Orthodox churches (about 300 of them.)

It must be remembered that in Russia lent is thought to be strictly obligatory to all "real
Russian Orthodox Christians.

Russian religion: Pantheism

According to the poll of VTsIOM 55% percents of Russians say they are Pantheists as concerns their view on nature, 26% state they are "religious," (obviously, thinking that nature was created by God,) and 11% are materialists. (Andrey Vaganov, Nezavisimaya gazeta, 21.3.2001.) This author criticizes Russian academical nomenclature for pro-religious declarations (very awkward indeed).

Time and Church Unity

Igor Lenskiy in the reactionary Russian Orthodox newspaper "Rus' Derzhavnaya" (Great Russia) (#3/92, 2001) in the reporting about the life of the Valaam monastery (Russian North, not far from Finland) cites the words of anonimous monk about Finnish Orthodox Church: "We don't pray with Finns because they follow the "new style" in calendar matters. They've adopted Western style. This is very serious from the canonical point of view. Ecumenical council stated that those who celebrate Easter with Jews are in grave sin, they are anathamyzed."

This monk is obviously an "old-styler" ("starostilnik"), who aggressively think that anyone approving "new style" is a heretic. There is a lot of Eastern Orthodox old-stylers especially in USA among Greek emigrants (Greek Church adopted new style in 1920-s as many other Eastern Orthodox Churches). Russian Orthodox Church avoided calendar reform because under Bolsheviks she avoided any reforms in order not to lose parishioners and after Bolshevik this plausible excuse is still working. But still the leaders of the Moscow Patriarchy don't think that Eastern Orthodox Churches which use Gregorian calendar are heretical. The speech of a Valaam monk is typical example of the anarchical spirit of religious extreme conservatism.

Freedom of conscience: good and bad

Good news: in St. Petersburg the court on March 13, 2001 after five years of red tape and procrastination discharged moonies. I don't have any sympathies to this movement, but just as Yehova's Witnesses they are guinea-pig on which the strugglers for/against religious freedom practice.

Bad news: in the region of Belgorod the local parliament on March 1, 2001 voted the new local law on religion, discriminating non-Russian Orthodox communities. Actually, the law can be used against Russian Orthodox too, because, for example, it prescribes that any minors can participate in religious life only with the written consent of their parents.

Baptist imprisoned

March 13, 2001, Novocheboksarsk in Chuvachiya (east of Moscow): Evangelical Alexander Volkov, 20 years, sentenced for prison for 6 month because he refused to serve in the army. Volkov appealed to his right on alternative service, but the judge prefered to forget about Constitution. Volkov was defended by Slavic Law Center ( www.rlinfo.ru), specializing on Christian (Protestant) court causes. Previously judges have been more imdulgent.

Fr. Nicholas Balashov, one of the speakers of Metr. Cyrill Gundyaev, accused Patriarch Philaret Denisenko (Ukrainian Orthodox church, group unrecognized by any other Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate) in plagiarism. Several Moscow secular newspapers published these accusations (Izvestiya, 6.3.2001). Ukrainian Church of Denisenko published "Basics of Social Conception of Kiivan Patriarchate." Balashov says that this is only abridged version of the Conception which was adopted by Moscow Patriarchy in August, 2000.

While this accusation seems highly probable, it must be noted that "Moscow" Conception is in its turn not very original document, mechanically merging common places of Christian journalism, both liberal and conservative, sometimes with large plagiarism from Roman Catholic theology. So the attempt to defend copyright in such situation seems at least dubious.

Christianity as Trademark

Patriarch Alexy declared that it is unlawful to use Christian terms in the titles of wine, sweets etc. He mentioned the wine "Supper in the Monastery," "Our Lady with the Child", "The Tear of a Nun" as blasphemous for believers. The head of the governmental agency which register trademarks and titles Alexander Korchagin said he agree with the Patriarch. His agency has already prohibited several brands as non-suitable to the Moscow Patriarchy (Segodnya, 27.2.2001)/ Also Izvestiya, 1.3.2001, Igor Ivanov cites Pavel Shaprin, the chairman of the National Liquor Association, who says that not only religious feelings worth to be defended, but also secular, because many people are indignant at the title "The Milk of the Beloved Woman." Shaplin obvoiusly doesn't know that this title is quite religious and that "Beloved Woman" ("Liebfrauh") is Our Lady.

Tolstoy Today

From the article of Sarah Karush from AP: on Monday, February 26, "one hundred years after the Russian Orthodox Church excommunicated Leo Tolstoy, the writer's great-great-grandson has asked it to bring him back into the fold - much to the horror of some scholars, who say Tolstoy would never have asked forgiveness from the church he scorned. ... But Vladimir Tolstoy said Monday that his great-great-grandfather should be forgiven in the name of national reconciliation. Vladimir Tolstoy said he wrote to Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexy II last week requesting that the church reconsider its Feb. 24, 1901, excommunication decision. ``Russian people are forced to choose between a national genius and the national religion,'' he said. ``This is a very complex contradiction in society and within every person.''

Vladimir Il'ich Tolstoy now is the director of a museum at Yasnaya Polyana, Leo Tolstoy's estate south of Moscow. Museum belongs to the State.

What AP omitted: Tolstoy also wrote to President Putin, stressing that Tolstoy was an army officer and participated in the conquering of Chechnya, so he can help in reconciling Russians and Chechens. This idea is not more absurd than present condition of Russian state regalia: anthem of Stalin's era and two-head eagle of Romanovs.

Vladimir Tolstoy now is in conflict with the Russian Minister of Culture, who wanted to fire him. May be these appeals are an attempt to attract public opinion to Tolstoy and his family. Still, this attempt shows the result of incorporating culture and Church into the sphere of State.

Great Lent or Great folly

26th is the first day of Russian Orthodox Great Lent, and most newspapers published materials on what to eat or not. For example, "Komsomolskaya pravda" (26.2.2001, p.7), anonymous explanation: you can only drink water, eat bread, and "dry" vegetables, fruits ("suhoyadeniye"). On Tuesdays and Thursdays you can eat boiled vegetables and fruits without oil. You can use oil only on Saturdays and Sundays.

Actually, this is the order of ancient East monasteries, and I am not sure that there are many monasteries which live now this way. Before the Revolution and I guess in most Eastern Orthodox countries now the order was very simple: no milk, fish, meat. But "hot" vegetables and soup -- every day. Certainly, such zeal can be qualified as a syndrome of neophyte. The problem is that when the state is among neophytes consequences can be very predictable but unpleasant.

Court Won't Ban Jehovah's Witnesses

JIM HEINTZ, Associated Press Writer: "A Moscow court on Friday threw out a prosecutor's case to ban the Jehovah's Witnesses in Moscow. ``We won the case,'' exulted defense lawyer Galina Krylova after the ruling was announced. The case that had been pending for more than two years. The Moscow city prosecutor had been trying to outlaw the Moscow branch of the U.S.-based church, using a provision in the Russian law on religion that allows courts to ban religious groups found guilty of inciting hatred or intolerant behavior. The trial began in September 1998 but was recessed six months later to give an expert panel a chance to study the group's publications. ... Had the prosecution won, the capital's estimated 10,000 Jehovah's Witnesses would no longer have had the right to hold public services, rent property or distribute literature in Moscow."

Charity for Army

Moscow, February, 21. Kremlin organized the meeting of governmental "capitalists", whom he ordered to organize the charitable Public Army Foundation. He urged from those whom Kremlin gave opportunity to lead busyness to collect 60 millions dollars to help those Russian soldiers who've been wounded during the war in Chechnya. Now "capitalists" reported that they've collected 10 million dollars already. Patriarch Alexy (on February 23 - his birthday, 72 years) was done the head of the Foundation. Certainly, no one is going to help those Russians of Chechens who've suffered from the hands and arms of Russian troops on Chechnya without any guilt. So this is what for Patriarch (and the Church) are useful to post-Communist: to make their conscience quiet.

DEAD BLESSING

Hieromonk Nafanail Sudnikov from Barnaul bitterly criticized Moscow Patriarchy from inside for formalism, commercialism, ecumenism (his article: in Russian : http://www.rus-sky.com/horugvenosec/word/nafanail.htm.) He calls not to break Eastern Orthodox canons and rules (which is practically impossible in modern conditions.)

Two original points. First, Sudnikov also criticize those monarchists and anti-ecumenists who lack real piety and sometimes are alcoholics. Second, he calls priests and laypeople to be more independent in their behavior and gives interesting thesis: "Blessing or the refusal in blessing given by a priest or bishop are valid only when they are in accordance with the Christian faith, not with someone's personal opinion."

"Blessing" in modern Russian Orthodox terminology means "permission to do something" or even the order (if it is bishop's blessing.) It is interesting to see how epistemological naivety of Russian Orthodox "conservatives," quite similar to the position of those Christians who are sure that it is possible without any disputes to know whether this or that opinion is in accordance with the Bible, Revelation, Rome's position etc.

Christianity as luxury

Well, when I read such news from USA I feel that as if I am reading Russian media. Let me quote AP, February 16, 2001:

" The Secret Service has been accused of trampling on the free speech rights of a college student who wrote a satirical editorial asking Jesus to ``smite'' President Bush. The letter was published last week in the Stony Brook Press at the State University of New York campus in Stony Brook. It was written by Glenn Given, 22 the paper's managing editor. ... It also asked Jesus to strike down Bush, his cabinet and MTV personality Carson Daly. ... Given said two Secret Service agents and a campus police officer showed up Wednesday to interrogate him. They had him sign waivers authorizing them to check his medical records, threatened to charge him with a crime and searched his apartment, according to a letter of protest sent to the Secret Service by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. ``The editorial was clearly a form of satire and political hyperbole'' in response to Bush's well-publicized devotion to Christianity, the letter said. ...' A Secret Service spokesman in Washington, Tony Ball, said ... ``We take all threats seriously ... We don't have the luxury to do otherwise.''

CHURCHGOERS AND JESUSGOERS

Metropolitan Anthony Blum, head of Russian Orthodox parish in London warned recently "that all the churches were mistaken in trying to make people churchgoers. What was important was to meet God in a personal way." ("Cathedral newsletter, December 2000.)

FINANCIAL FUNDAMENTALISM

Fr. Vsevolod Chaplin, press-secretary of Metropolit Cyrill Gundyaev, gave interview to Argumenty i facty (14.2.2001? #7). He was asked to answer the accusations made in "Times" -- whether Russian Orthodo Church is financially corrupted. Chaplin said: "Some oil companies collaborate with the Church and give to her some persentage of profit. But we must have some financial fundament!"

In Russian Fr. Chaplin's words sounds cynical and/or naive. He seems to feel free not to explain, why the "financial fundament" of Russian Church must be in the pockets of tax-payers.

PUTIN'S CHURCH

Dwellers of Krasniy Sad (near Rostov, Southern Russia) declared that they are going to built church. commemorating Vladimir Putin's presidential elections. The Church will be dedicated to the newly canonized Tzar Nickolay II (Vechernyaya Moskva, 8.2.2001.) They've asked Putin to give his consent.

Later "Izvestiya" (12.2.2001, Mariya Beloklokova) gave more information: initiative came from Fr. Vladimir Pankovets. Before ordination he was police detective. He prepares his dissertation in Minsk Theological Academy: "Media about canonization of Nicholas II and his family." He states: "Election of Putin I think to be as important event in Russian history as the canonization of saint martyrs." He hopes that Putin will give miney on restoration of the church. Many dwellers of Krasniy Sud say that formerly their collective farm was properous and has 20 millions roubles of debt. Continue...

SMELLS FISH

Evgeniy Komarov, Noviye Izvestiya, 10.2.2001, criticizes two Moscow priests and Patriarch Alexy II for making business on fish and crabs. The dean of the church in Moscow Leonid Kuzminov organized the company "Alexandria" (registered on the address of the church.) The company received from the Federal Service of Frontier Guards privilege of reselling catches which are regularly confiscated near Kamchatka, mostly from Japanese fisherman who have no licensees and quotas. The maximum estimation of these catches is about 2,5 millions dollars, so "Alexandria" could receive several hundreds thousands dollars per year or more.

The information was received by Komarov because there is a struggle between army frontier guards and civil sea inspection. Frontier guards recently have been part of KGB (and their headquarters are still in the same building.) Now they help to the Moscow Patriarchy.

I think that Church must have some sort of fishing monopoly -- see Gospel according to St. Matthew, chapter 4, verse 19.

Oil non olet

One of the former minister of economics (his named is omitted in publication of "Obschaya gazeta," 8.2.2001, Maksim Glikin, but can easily be deciphered) gave information about connection of Moscow patriarchy with Borodin's case. Pavel Borodin, helper of Yeltsin, now imprisoned in New York on request from Switzerland. He is accused of laundering money - 25 millions dollars.

Borodin came to the minister and asked him for 2 billions dollars for restoration of Kremlin Great Palace. Minister answered that all investments planned in the budget are only 1 billion dollars. Borodin then asked for 5 millions tons of oil -- and received (he received even more, 8 million tons.) Oil was exported through MES ((Mezhdunarodnoye Ekonomicheskoye Sotrudnichestvo, International Economic Collaboration), the firm, where Moscow Patriarchy was given some part.

Actually, MES was mentioned quite often in the end of 1990-s as the source of income for the Patriarchy. Now we know that the firm was only a mediator through Kremlin and Patriarchy.

Relics from police

Saturday, February, 3, 2001. Minister of Home Affairs in the most pompous way during the service in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior gave to Patriarch Alexy relics of St. Andrew Apostle. This mediaeval holyware (can I invent such a word?) was presented to Moscow Patriarchy by Roman Catholics monks from Austria in 1988. One of the Russian Orthodox bishops kept it in his church, then he died, his nephew took the relics and now tried to sell them.

Police stated that it saved relics of apostle who brought Christianity to Russia (medieval legend.) I hope that poor chap wouldn't be imprisoned for long and I strongly suspect that relics were not officially included in the list of property of Moscow Patriarchy. Relics lie in a very smart golden (?) reliquary.

Anatoly Kurchatkin, and old author, reminds that under Bolsheviks "Communist bosses went to the Christian church as they went to the party meeting ... although they have no faith ...They prayed for sins remain unnoticed by those who controlled them" (Literaturnaya gazeta, 31.1.2001).

Kurchatkin is quite reliable, he was included in the circle of Party nomenclature. Certainly, Bolsheviks of Brezhnev's epoch were not deep believers and they tried to hide their visits to church. It is important to remember that the turn to religion began not under Gorbachev and was not very sudden. This explains both triumphs and shortcomings of Russian Orthodoxy in Russia of 1990-s.

Ministry of Education defends Moscow Patriarchy

Vice-minister of the Russian Ministry of Education Chepurnych issued an instructive letter to all Russian schools. She ordered directors of schools "to plan measures to prevent the preaching of non-traditional religious organizations in Russian educational units." She also attached information, prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs, stating that "cults" (in Russian newspeak -- all religious communities, even Russian Orthodox, which don't subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchy) are dangerous to pupils.

Alexander Dvorkin who writes about this in "Radonezh" (2000, December, #19-20, p. 7) and stress that Western missionaries are "gathering military information" is himself an American citizen. He emigrated to U.S. in mid-1970-s, but failed to make any career in 1991 returned to Moscow. He specializes in waging anti-Russian Orthodox propaganda. Sometimes he is (was?) supported by Western anti-cultist activists: common war against moonies, scientologies etc. Furiously attacked Fr. Gleb Yakunin and Mrs. Eileen Barker (specialist in new religious movements) from London University.

Good news: this letter will not influence the situation with freedom of religion in Russia. What really matters is the position of the teachers of Russia, and they are mostly anticlerically minded women with the income lower than average (and much lower than priest's) - in Moscow about 50.00$. Most of them will not let even Russian Orthodox priest come to school. People with such salary are unlikely to fulfill any orders which they don't approve.

RELIGIOUS LIFE IN RUSSIA: 2001

October, 2001

DARK FUTURE OF RELIGOUS FREEDOM IN RUSSIA