The Shepherd, November 2008
GLORIFICATION OF NEW MARTYRS & ST PHILARET
IN OUR LAST ISSUE, we mentioned the approaching Glorification of St Philaret of New York by the Synod under the presidency of His Grace Bishop Agathangel. We now hear that the Synod under His Eminence Archbishop Tikhon, which is called the Russian True-Orthodox Church, will be celebrating his Glorification along with that of the New Martyrs and Confessors of the Catacomb Church in Russia, who suffered under the Soviet yoke, on the feast of Saint John of Cronstadt in the Cathedral dedicated to that Saint in Odessa. For many readers it may be confusing that there is a second celebration. This has occurred because of a series of splits among the Russian believers. Historically, through most of the last century, it was normal to consider that the Russian Church was divided into three parts: the Moscow Patriarchate, which was by far the largest but whose administration was considered compromised by the other two jurisdictions, the Church Abroad (variously the Church in Exile, ROCA or ROCOR), and the Catacomb Church in Russia. With the re-adjustment of the regime in Russia, greater freedom was permitted to the Church there, and the Church Abroad established a presence in Russia. Unfortunately, this led to a further fragmentation. When the rapprochement talks between MP and ROCOR began, it became customary for them to talk only of the “two parts” of the Russian Church, ignoring the other groupings. Now, sadly, it would probably be truer to speak of six or seven groups. Bishop Agathangel remained with the ROCA Synod until the eve of the Rapprochement, and therefore his Synod considers itself to be the continuation of the previous ROCA stance. Archbishop Tikhon’s Synod considers itself to be a continuation of the Catacomb presence in Russia. It is hoped that difficulties may be overcome and these two Synods will find the means to amalgamate. This splintering is a great sadness, but in view of the way in which the Rapprochement was engineered, with apparently little attempt to resolve confessional matters or, at least as far as the Church Abroad was concerned, to bring over the hearts and minds of the faithful except by appealing to rather base nationalistic sentiments, it is little surprise that the Russian Church has suffered in this way.
“OFFICIAL” NEW MARTYRS’ LISTING
INTERFAX reported on 6th October that: “The Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, which is now a part of it, will compile a single list of New Martyrs, who suffered for the faith at the hands of the Bolsheviks. With this aim, the Holy Synod at its session on Monday resolved to form a working group to examine the question of venerating the New Martyrs and Confessors of Russia of the 20th century, who were canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia during the period of division. As archpriest George Mitrofanov had previously told a correspondent of “interfax-Religion”, the need for compiling a single Martyrology is explained by the fact that the Russian Church Abroad had canonized all the New Martyrs in general, and often did not have any way of looking into the fate of each specific holy person. Furthermore, ROCOR did not have access to the archive materials that document how each person behaved during interrogation.” The report does not state what will happen to those persons glorified by the Church Abroad, when it held to its traditionalist confession, which may not be acceptable to the new “working group,” nor who will be members of this group.
MOSCOW WITHDRAWS FROM CEC
ARCHPRIEST VSEVOLOD CHAPLIN, the Vice-Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, announced that on 11th October the Conference of European Churches (CEC) committee meeting heard that the Moscow Patriarchate had suspended her membership of the organization. The reason for this withdrawal had nothing to do with any hesitation about ecumenical dialogue, but was triggered by the fact that CEC would not consider an application for membership from the “Estonian Orthodox Church,” which is a self-governing body within the Patriarchate of Moscow. The “Estonian Apostolic Orthodox Church,” which is within the Œcumenical Patriarchate, had earlier received a favourable response to its application for membership.
NEW MOCKERIES?
ACCORDING TO CREDO-RU, “The Union of Orthodox Citizens of Russia suggested to appoint St John of San-Francisco patron of Intelligent Service of Russian Federation. Their official statement was published on September 25 by “Interfax-Religion”, the edition unofficially affiliated with the Department of External Church Relations of Moscow Patriarchate. It sounds like a mockery, considering the attitude of St. John to KGB and his actions to save Russian people in China from the soviets.”
INTERFAX, Moscow (20/10/08), also reported that: “The Russian Orthodox Church has awarded Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Chairman of the Republican State Council and his brother Raul for their contribution in building an Orthodox church in Havana and inter-religious cooperation. Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations handed over the award to Raul Castro at the meeting of Cuban leaders with the Russian church delegation in frames of the Days of Russia in Latin America. The diploma signed by Alexy II says that Castro is awarded with St. Daniel of Moscow order for his help in building the Church of Our Lady of Kazan in Havana. Fidel Castro is also awarded with Glory and Honor order for his contribution in strengthening interreligious cooperation and in connection with consecration of the Church of Our Lady of Kazan.” As the correspondence who sent us this release commented, one could understand the Moscow Patriarchate thanking the Castros, but this is hard to believe, and he supposed that “old habits die hard”! Emphases in both reports ours.
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