Церковные ВѢХИ

Extra Ecclesiam nulla salus. Outside the Church there is no salvation, because salvation is the Church. For salvation is the revelation of the way for everyone who believes in Christ's name. This revelation is to be found only in the Church. In the Church, as in the Body of Christ, in its theanthropic organism, the mystery of incarnation, the mystery of the "two natures," indissolubly united, is continually accomplished. -Fr. Georges Florovsky

ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑ Ή ΘΑΝΑΤΟΣ!

ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΙΑ Ή ΘΑΝΑΤΟΣ!
§ 20. For our faith, brethren, is not of men nor by man, but by revelation of Jesus Christ, which the divine Apostles preached, the holy Ecumenical Councils confirmed, the greatest and wisest teachers of the world handed down in succession, and the shed blood of the holy martyrs ratified. Let us hold fast to the confession which we have received unadulterated from such men, turning away from every novelty as a suggestion of the devil. He that accepts a novelty reproaches with deficiency the preached Orthodox Faith. But that Faith has long ago been sealed in completeness, not to admit of diminution or increase, or any change whatever; and he who dares to do, or advise, or think of such a thing has already denied the faith of Christ, has already of his own accord been struck with an eternal anathema, for blaspheming the Holy Ghost as not having spoken fully in the Scriptures and through the Ecumenical Councils. This fearful anathema, brethren and sons beloved in Christ, we do not pronounce today, but our Savior first pronounced it (Matt. xii. 32): Whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. St. Paul pronounced the same anathema (Gal. i. 6): I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ, unto another Gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. This same anathema the Seven Ecumenical Councils and the whole choir of God-serving fathers pronounced. All, therefore, innovating, either by heresy or schism, have voluntarily clothed themselves, according to the Psalm (cix. 18), ("with a curse as with a garment,") whether they be Popes, or Patriarchs, or Clergy, or Laity; nay, if any one, though an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Thus our wise fathers, obedient to the soul-saving words of St. Paul, were established firm and steadfast in the faith handed down unbrokenly to them, and preserved it unchanged and uncontaminate in the midst of so many heresies, and have delivered it to us pure and undefiled, as it came pure from the mouth of the first servants of the Word. Let us, too, thus wise, transmit it, pure as we have received it, to coming generations, altering nothing, that they may be, as we are, full of confidence, and with nothing to be ashamed of when speaking of the faith of their forefathers. - Encyclical of the Holy Eastern Patriarchs of 1848

За ВѢру Царя И Отечество

За ВѢру Царя И Отечество
«Кто еси мимо грядый о нас невѣдущиiй, Елицы здѣ естесмо положены сущи, Понеже нам страсть и смерть повѣлѣ молчати, Сей камень возопiетъ о насъ ти вѣщати, И за правду и вѣрность къ Монарсѣ нашу Страданiя и смерти испiймо чашу, Злуданьем Мазепы, всевѣчно правы, Посѣченны зоставше топоромъ во главы; Почиваемъ въ семъ мѣстѣ Матери Владычнѣ, Подающiя всѣмъ своимъ рабомъ животь вѣчный. Року 1708, мѣсяца iюля 15 дня, посѣчены средь Обозу войсковаго, за Бѣлою Церковiю на Борщаговцѣ и Ковшевомъ, благородный Василiй Кочубей, судiя генеральный; Iоаннъ Искра, полковникъ полтавскiй. Привезены же тѣла ихъ iюля 17 въ Кiевъ и того жъ дня въ обители святой Печерской на семъ мѣстѣ погребены».
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Relations between the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

OCA Holy Synod of Bishops blesses Joint Statement of OCA, ROCOR Commissions
Posted 12/14

SYOSSET, NY [OCA] -- At their fall session held at the Chancery of the Orthodox Church in America here November 16-18, 2010, the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops gave their blessing to the Joint Statement of the Commissions of the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, titled "Relations Between the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

The Joint Statement was drafted by members of the OCA and ROCOR Commissions at a their meeting in Sea Cliff, NY October 5-6, 2010. [See http://www.oca.org/news/2289 and http://www.oca.org/news/2285 for background information.] The text was submitted to, and received the blessing of, the OCA and ROCOR hierarchs.

The text of the Joint Statement reads as follows.



Relations between the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia
Joint Statement of the Commissions

of the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia

+

October 5-6, 2010
The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR) share a single origin – the local Church of Russia – and a long history on the North American continent. It was the Russian Church that first sent missionaries to America, established the first parishes, sent the first bishops and established the first dioceses. Prior to the Bolshevik Revolution, the North American Diocese of the Russian Church was the principal canonical ecclesiastical authority here, and although there were clergy and parishes of differing cultures and languages, many were in the archpastoral care of the bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church. Therefore, there is no question that the formation of multiple jurisdictions on this continent was largely due to the ecclesiastical chaos that ensued after the Revolution of 1917.

The life and witness of the Russian Orthodox Church in the 20th century was marked by violent persecution at the hands of the totalitarian atheist Bolshevik regime brought to power by the communist revolutionaries in 1917. The decades of persecution included the martyrdom of bishops, priests, monastics, and lay people in overwhelming numbers and in numerous killing fields and gulags. Thousands of churches and monasteries were desecrated and destroyed. The voice of the church was silenced in the public arena. Charitable and educational ministries were made illegal. In the midst of massive anti-religious campaigns and by means of unjust laws religious believers, both clergy and lay, were deprived of their rights and put on the margins of society as objects of derision and discrimination.

The decades of persecution were a time of human suffering and genocidal cruelty. These years were also a time of witness to Christ and faithfulness unto death. What the Russian Orthodox Church endured during Soviet rule affected Church life outside Russia.

In the Diocese of the Aleutians and North America, the loss of contact with the Church of Russia and the loss of support from Russia created confusion and even chaos in the midst of uncertainty. From this turmoil emerged the Russian Orthodox Greek Catholic Church in America (popularly known as the North American Metropolia), which is today the Orthodox Church in America.

For the millions of refugees fleeing from revolution and civil war in Russia and settling in the Balkans and Western Europe, in Asia and the Americas and Australia, there was need to find comfort and support within Church life under new circumstances.

With regard to the situation of the clergy and parishes of the Russian Church that were found abroad, there were two distinct directions that evolved. The first was the striving for a unified central Church Administration which could oversee the ecclesiastical life abroad until conditions would change in the homeland and the Patriarchate, independent of Soviet control, could be restored. The second was the striving toward the establishment of a completely independent self-administered Orthodox Church in North America.

These two directions are the essence of the conflict between the bishops, clergy and parishes which would become the Orthodox Church in America and the bishops, clergy and parishes which would remain part of a central Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

However, even after the rupture of relations that occurred at the 7th All American Sobor in 1946, there were periods of close collaboration and mutual support between the North American Metropolia and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. Even when the close collaboration faltered, support and welcome to the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia was offered by the American Metropolia in the period when the Synod of ROCOR bishops moved from Europe to the United States.

On December 11, 1950, a joint meeting of the Metropolitans Anastassy and Leonty and bishops of the Metropolia and ROCOR was held in New York. As noted in the official Minutes of ROCOR’s Council of Bishops, the Metropolia and ROCOR hierarchs had during their meeting “unanimously recognized that the sad fact of ecclesiastical separation causes significant damage to the holy cause of Christ’s Church: it weakens the preaching of Orthodoxy, undermining Church discipline and a sense of responsibility among clergy of the Church, is a temptation for the faithful, diminishes the prestige of the Church in the heterodox world and makes more difficult its struggle with militant atheism. It was unanimously determined that the Church's unity is necessary.”

Those Minutes also note that: “after the discussion of practical ways for achieving Church unity the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in conjunction with the bishops of the American Metropolitan See, accordingly recognized that the most appropriate path for that time was the preservation of the existing organizations of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia and the American Metropolia, which will exist in parallel, but will be in close fraternal cooperation between themselves, periodically calling meetings of hierarchs of both Church organizations to resolve common or contentious issues with a firm hope that further ways to more closely achieve canonical unity with God's help will be provided by life itself.”

After the meeting of the two first hierarchs and members of their Synods, the Great Council of Bishops of the North American Metropolia issued an Archpastoral Epistle dated December 2/15, 1950, which included the following statement:

“Let enmity between brothers be abolished and let mutual respect be established on the basis of our mutual acceptance of the co-existence of two paths for the Church in this country, one permanent and one temporary, which are the result of the exceptional sufferings of our time, full of terrible events, and forebodings, imperiously demanding from all the greatest submission to the Lord, the greatest brotherly love and moral support for each other. This does not break, but further strengthens the historical path of our Metropolia.

“What happened after the close of the Council on December 11, i.e. Metropolitan Anastassy twice visiting our newly elected primate at the Holy Protection Cathedral, and the talk that we bishops had which took place the same evening with the hierarchs of the Russian jurisdiction Outside of Russia who visited us, determines the possibility of peaceful life in parallel, subject to internal mutual respect and clear delineation of our canonical rights and historical foundations. The Russian Church Outside of Russia has its own flock in America as well. She has spread her wanderers’ tent in this country, too. Let the peace of God be with its zealous hierarchs, its kind shepherds and its laity!

“Let brotherly love prevail, and let mutual forgiveness of past wrongs be accomplished. The American Metropolia wishes to live in peace with these brethren as well, based on the temporary presence of their hierarchical administration on the territory of America until the future free All-Russian Local Council.

“No treaties or agreements protect this decision of our Church coexistence. It rests upon the requirements of life itself and the clear precepts of the Savior: "By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if ye have love for one another" (John 13:35).

“The clear and unconditional definition of our own canonical path, made at the 8th All-American Sobor, requires us to have an attitude of brotherly love toward those who, while wishing to preserve their temporarily separate ecclesiastical administrative organization next to ours, are our brothers in Christ.”
Despite these mutual efforts toward establishing brotherly relations, the paths of the Church Outside of Russia and the American Metropolia continued to be separate.

In 1970, by recognizing the self-governing status of the Metropolia with the granting of the Tomos of Autocephaly, eucharistic communion between the Russian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) and the American Metropolia was restored and reconciliation was achieved.

At the beginning of the 21st century, the deep and extensive changes in Russia with the renewal of church life, the restoration of thousands of churches and monasteries, the freedom to bear public witness to the Gospel in Russian society, a process of dialogue between ROCOR and the Moscow Patriarchate led to the restoration of canonical unity through the Act of Canonical Communion in 2007.

It is now time for the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia to declare together in the spirit of mutual repentance and mutual forgiveness that we are committed to living together as brothers in Christ and as sister Churches, and to sharing a common witness to the Gospel of Christ and the Holy Orthodox Faith. This common witness should most clearly and most fully be expressed in eucharistic communion.

In addition, we see the need to work together in harmony on joint projects, such as pastoral education, parish schools, student outreach, translations of services, ministering to the poor and needy, and missionary efforts. To work in harmony we will need to reflect together on theological, pastoral, and liturgical issues which we face in our ministry in North America. We also affirm the need to examine together and develop a common understanding of the historical record concerning our churches. These hopes and endeavors can be encouraged and advanced through periodic meetings of our first hierarchs, bishops, clergy and laity to discuss matters of mutual concern, including those theological, liturgical and pastoral issues.

We are committed to the processes and goals expressed in the Chambesy accords of June 2009, specifically the active participation of both our Churches in the regional Episcopal Assembly as we strive to achieve Orthodox unity on this continent.

The following text from the Epistle of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Ephesians is addressed to us, and therefore to the believers of the Orthodox Church in America and the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia: “I … beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all” (Ephesians 4: 1-6).

We ask for the intercession and blessing of the Holy Hierarch Tikhon, Patriarch and Confessor of Moscow and Enlightener of North America and all the saints who have shone forth on this continent as we labor “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4: 12).

OCA Commission

Bishop TIKHON of Philadelphia
and Eastern Pennsylvania (Chair)

Archpriest Leonid Kishkovsky
Archpriest Alexander Garklavs
Archpriest John Erickson
Igumen Alexander (Pihach)
Alexis Liberovsky (consultant) ROCOR Commission

Bishop GEORGE of Mayfield (Chair)

Archimandrite Luke (Murianka)
Archpriest Alexander Lebedeff
Archpriest David Moser
Priest Peter Jackson
Archpriest Seraphim Gan (consultant)

A Russian translation of the text may be found at http://www.synod.com/synod/2010/12rocorocastatement.html."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



http://www.oca.org/news/2353



Tserkovnye Vekhi Responds:

Christ is Born! Give Ye Him Glory!

Beloved Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

We should be thankful to the Mother Church for coordinating this new era of pan-Russian Orthodox unity in North America. Such events as the restoration of Communion between Russian Orthodox brothers are blessed occurences, even when the auspices and personages associated with these events are less than ideal. While such an event inspires us to not only support such a step at unity but to broaden its scope to include other jurisdictions functioning in North America. Great opportunities for the Russian Orthodox mission await.

As a rejoinder to the OCA commentary on this joyous occasion, it is necessary to note that, no, the FICTION of an OCA feverishly seeking to derussify itself and create an American fiction out of a Russian (or post Russian) immigrant reality is shockingly appalling to read "as an official history" here YET AGAIN. While it is true that the ultimate goal of the Russian mission was and is A NORTH AMERICAN LOCAL CHURCH (As opposed to an "autocephaly" seemingly annulled with the latest concordats with the Phanariots), it must be reiterated that these things don't artificially transpire or "spontaneously coalesce by a fiat declared in conjuncition with Nikodimites" but are the result of a natural process of RETENTION of the core of believers of ones missions and the broadening of their ranks with native populations (and generations) on the missionary territory on which they function.

Disparaging RUSSIAN HERITAGE MUST STOP IMMEDIATELY IN THE OCA, and this occasion should be taken to not only ratify a better relationship with ROCOR but with the entire RUSSIAN Orthodox (AND "Orthodox Traditionalist" or "Authentic" or "Catacomb" or "Old Rite," etc.) immigrant community, within and without the OCA, to express regrets for the disturbingly unwarranted "Americanizations" which only engendered the most myopic of russophobias and created a climate of alienation which has resulted in the nullification OF THE MISSIONARY ROLE the Mother Church has assigned to its NORTH AMERICAN DAUGHTER. Loss of ones core of believers and 80%+ (and still declining!) of its membership is something for the OCA to lament and overcome. An embarassing era of OCA "nativism" has cost the Orthodox mission in this nation, on this continent, and it must be addressed satisfactorily if the OCA is to survive.

With ROCOR, many historical issues of cessation of intercommunion with the OCA still remain in regularizing the North American mission:

1). Renovationism, liturgical, canonical, theological, Patristic, Scriptual and otherwise. It must be cemented in the minds of all THAT THE SEVENTH ECUMENICAL COUNCIL SPECIFICALLY ANATHEMIZES ALL INNOVATIONS (it also condemns musical instruments in Orthodox worship).
2). Ecumenism and sectarian "dialogues" with the heterodox which have resulted in HERETICAL ecclesiological "concordats," crypto-Uniatism (Something the OCA was initially created to combat), HERETICAL ecclesiologies and endorsements of such SECTARIAN documents as the WCC's BEM, and a general denominationalist approach to Orthodox identity and purpose in North America. It is not without reason that the OCA has blunted its message and become BANAL in proferring a model of an "ACCEPTED POST RUSSIAN AMERICAN (RUSSOPHOBIC) DENOMINATION" "adapting to the American religious mainstream" which SECTARIANs like Fr. Kishkovsky (and Fr. LebedeV) envision as a "fellow denomination."
3). Not only a spiritual immaturity, but a total immaturity in approach to catechizing and churching both "cradle" and "convert" Orthodox Christians. The OCA as it has imploded has disastrously lost what resources and institutions it even had. Moreover, it remains a "post Russian" (not ethnically American!) body primarily as opposed to a LOCAL expression of Orthodoxy. There is no American Orthodoxy even in sight. Sadly, the OCA offers no acceptible paradigms for its advent.
4). New Calendarism. Lack of liturgical unity and rejection of the Holy Canons of Nicea for the ROBBER SYNOD of 1923, which even the Greek churches have in actuality abrogated (viz. RESTORATION OF THE JULIAN PASCHALION, REJECTION OF SECOND MARRIAGES FOR PRIESTS AND DEACONS AND A MARRIED EPISCOPATE, RETENTION OF BEARDS, CASSOCKS, ORTHODOX FASTING, FOREGOING DENIGRATION OF MONASTICISM, etc.) emphasizing that this 1923 Phanariot convention of Greek Renovationists is at best DUBIOUS by the very fact the Greek Robbers have themselves UNILATERALLY "uncanonically" altered and postponed its decisions. If they don't even respect their schismatic and heretical innovations, how can we?! There are no canonical grounds for the IMPOSITION of the Calendar Reform in the OCA while the fact the Mother Church retains the Orthodox Calendar makes this act at very least quasi-schismatic.

Yes, it is true that St. Tikhon felt it both possible and even necessary to implement a "new calendar" for Western missions, but when he learned the auspices of the way the current GREEK calendar reform was implemented, he ANNULLED the adoption of it by the Russian church and condemned it as "uncanonical" and an "INNOVATION WHICH PRECIPITATES SCHISM." The witness of such luminaries as St. Alexis Mechev is clear in relating the Russian church's reasons for non-adoption and condemnation of the GREEK calendar reform. The theological writing and acumen of St. Seraphim of Bulgaria cements it.

Likewise, the OCA with its first hierarchs from Metropolitan Platon to Metropolitan Leonty to even Metropolitan Ireney were at best "UNCOMFORTABLE" with the prospect of a calendar reform and generally patently opposed to it as something which "promoted unnecessary disharmony and divisions" (ie schism). It must be noted that when it was propagandized in the OCA in the late 1970s and early 1980s, that noteable hierarchs like the Bishops of S. Canaan and of Alaska openly called it "UNWARRANTED" and "SCHISM."

Thus its implementation has proven UNCANONICAL, SCHISMATIC, ruinous and unscrupulous in the OCA. It has failed in its stated goal of "Americanization." While honouring the American federal holiday of Christmas in nowise means that a given community becomes illegitimate in observing the Orthodox celebration of this Feast on the Orthodox Calendar. Such an observance does not necessarily embody a celebration of "two Christmases," but merely a broadening of what in the West is usually understood as a festive season of "Christmastime." Moreover, simply instructing parishes to be sensitive to Orthodox observance of the Nativity by OFFERING Christmas services on the 7, January AS WELL (at a minimum) in no wise causes acrimony with a Western religious custom which observes Christmas until the 6, January traditionally. One more day only preserves the joy and sacredness of Christmas in the West. If anything, with the rise of a new militant secularism in North America, it acts as a statement for Christ and Christmas and aids in reaffirming the sacredness of the Christmas season FOR ALL AMERICANs. Just as a variant Paschalion for Orthodox Christians exists without any great stress on the missionary witness of Orthodoxy, so too Orthodox observance of Christmas can only make it holier FOR ALL!

It must also be remembered that the US federal holiday DOES NOT RECOGNIZE THE DIVINITY OF CHRIST but merely honours Him (and Christmas) as a profound moral teacher with universal secular significance. That is all. Thus, the christological implications for associating Orthodox worship with artificial standards of such "patriotism" become shockingly evident. Arius would cringe.

It is understood that in all cases restoring the Orthodox Calendar (at least summarily) could indeed cause unnecessary upheavals in a thoroughly failed OCA. But gradual restoration (at least for the OCA "post Russian" dioceses) by episcopal observances and monastic mandates could provide a better approach to settling this unnecessary division. Dioceses and parishes should be generally allowed to return to the Orthodox Calendar while statements should be issued that 1). The Mother Church views the calendar innovation as too controversial to implement & 2). The Mother Church awaits resolution of this issue when a future Synod of Ecumenical Character can address it. THUS 3). Prudence is dictated in both having the OCA favour the Orthodox Calendar, its restoration, BUT as an act of pastoral economy, retention of the GREEK calendar reform can be observed by ECONOMY by communities who otherwise would become divided by its abolition. BUT the issue is not settled and awaits an Orthodox consensus.

5). Freemasonry in North America, although condemned by both the OCA and ROCOR (and the Russian church as a whole), should be better addressed and further rejected, especially when there are even hierarchical temptations and scandals which have arisen in regard to its evil influences and doctrine.

6). Both the OCA and ROCOR (and the Patriarchal /MP/ Administration) should use this occasion to restore a COMMON organism of North American Orthodox unity. While a Russian emphasis may indeed be at best only marginal in necessity today, a need for a Traditional Orthodox mission remains and needs to be reinvigorated in ONE institution. This institution must act and act quickly to normalize its missionary work, its work in catechesis and churching of American Orthodox.

The Russian mission in North America needs to, yes, appreciate the historical identity of Russian Orthodoxy not as an "Eastern Slavic Orthodoxy" or phyletism, but a church at its outset which united Scandinavians (who ruled Rus'), Slavs (of all regionalisms), Finns, Balts, Khazars, Bulgars, Turks, Tartars, Avars (Hungarians), Roma, Caucasians even Germans in one common religious and cultural identity, respectful to the ethnic traditions of these people with a thrust to not "reinforce Russian cultural imperialism" but Rus' as a unifying center (post tribal, not at all "nationalist") affirming the fundamental Truth and doctrine of Orthodoxy AS THE ONE TRUE CHURCH.

That is what is fundamentally meant by Russian Orthodoxy (or its multi ethnic model which was observed in other historical churches such as the Church of Byzantium, Antioch, Alexandria, even Bulgaria). So Russian Orthodoxy IS NOT concerned with "preservation of the /Great/ Russian ethnos" but exists as a unifying force for disparate peoples in affirming Orthodoxy. In 988 AD, Rus' was a Russo-Scandinavian state, and multi-ethnic/cultural and lingual. So too an American outgrowth of Russian Orthodoxy as it is blessed by God and matures into a local church, which all of us Russian Orthodox in North America are called to accomplish TOGETHER. This means not an absorption into an ethnic Russian Orthodoxy, but, rather, an adaptation of its model of multi-ethnic unification and heritage. We need not be ashamed of SS Vladimir and Olga ever, Metropolitan Jonah! Nor do we need your venerations of Francis of Assisi, Therese of Lisieux or John of the Cross to be "legitimately" Western and Orthodox!

No, we need our OWN Cyrils and Methodiuses and our OWN holy rulers and ascetics and even martyrs and confessors HERE, ORTHODOX (not HERETICAL!) Saints. Metropolitan Jonah, Orthodoxy IS NOT CALLED TO SOME ECUMENIST AND "QUIET" UNIA /ANGLICAN COMPREHENSIVENESS/ AS YOU ADVOCATE AS AN UNCONVERTED SECTARIAN! Orthodoxy is called to be the ONE TRUE CHURCH FOR ALL MEN ALONE, the beauty, light, love and joy of the world.

Where Russian Orthodoxy is specifically a MORE FIT MODEL for America lies in the fact of its model of multi-ethnicity as opposed to the MODERN "neoGreek" model of cultural, political (and even racial) exclusivism. Yes, OCA propaganda was correct in assessing that cultural assimilation generationally makes ethnic subcultures unenduring paradigms BUT WRONG IN ASCRIBING THAT IDENTITY TO ITS RUSSIAN ORTHODOXY, ITS SHAME AT OUR COMMON HERITAGE. Thus, THE PRESCRIPTION OF THE AMERICANIZERS HAS DESTROYED THE OCA BASED ON AN IGNORANCE ROOTED IN A FALSE PREMISE. It is sad that most of the Americanizers in the OCA were at least partially of Russian heritage. Pathetic.

No, the ROCOR paradigm of a messianic diaspora is not realistic either. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with being Russian until it intrudes on being Orthodox and converting the communities which surround our parishes into Orthodoxy. No Orthodox Church, inner city or rural or in Fr. Meyendorff's "ethnic ghettoes," CAN BE PERMITTED TO CLOSE but must simply spread the light of Christ where it is shining and welcome all with a loving embrace, in Russian, Romanian, Ukrainian, or even English, Spanish, French or Vietnamese.

A common language has to be found for all, and a common language for theology, Patristics and liturgy must frame its basis. English (or Spanish) is the natural language of the majority and must be respected and presented in a dignified form in traditional worship. While the challenge of our seminaries and scholars is to forego Orthodoxy in Russian and Slavonic(Romanian/Serbian/Bulgarian, etc.) translation but to find a mode of instruction of Patristic Greek /Katherevousa/ in providing a universal tongue of scholarship and liturgy for our NATIVE Orthodoxy. Instead of Russo-Byzantinism, we are called to mature to an Amero-Byzantinism. There is nothing wrong with ethnic heritage, but we must realize that we are not building or restoring Russia (or any other faraway nation or empire). We are building and restoring Orthodoxy to the West and specifically to North America.

Thus we are called to consider ending ethnic divisions amongst the "jurisdictions" as well as overcoming "political" ones and continuing the work of ENDING the religious counterfeit of UNIA. That means calling what is left of certain communities to a COMMON and SHARED SINGLE mission in North American Orthodoxy:

1). Russians and Russian Dissidents.
2). Carpatho Russians, all Rusins.
3). Byelorussians.
4). Ukrainians (or "Little Russians").

But also:

5). Serbs.
6). Macedonians.
7). Bulgarians.
8). Albanians.
9). Romanians, Moldavians, Georgians, etc.

And also:

10). Uniates parasitizing Orthodox local churches and "jurisdictions" of every stripe. UNIA must be brought to an end, either by its TOTAL absorption by the Latins in its papal depravity or by the return of Uniates to the ONE TRUE CHURCH, Orthodoxy.

One church and ONE unity is necessary now, one TRADITIONAL AMERICAN LOCAL ORTHODOXY IN FORMATION. ONE NORTH AMERICAN LOCAL CHURCH.

While the approach of the Antiochians and their inclusion with us in ONE MISSION must be greeted with a special favour where 2nd., 3rd., 4th., 5th., 6th., etc. generations as well as new North American converts must be reached with a "kerygmatic" or "evangelical" activism coupled with traditional Orthodox churching and life. We aren't called to make America ethnic but to make America Orthodox and to frame a North American cultural and religious identity in Orthodoxy. The Antiochian approach can not only make us stronger but help us to reach those generationally lost for whatever reason and establish for us not only an "acceptance" but a "significance" and positive influence for all the peoples and governments of North America. A new symphonia and a more Apostolic model of Church-state interaction is not only necessary but possible for North America.

These observations are written to appreciate the restored intercommunion between "branches of the Russian church" and tempered by a love of and well wishing for a common and shared success for Orthodoxy in the West. Orthodoxy is the Pearl of Great Price, the Body of Christ, mystically redeeming the world in Him in the eschaton. It is the sole True Church and outside of it there can be no salvation, for salvation is the Church, is the thenthropic, mystagogical justification of humanity in Christ Jesus in the Eighth Day. Fr. Florovsky's words and emphasis ring ever more true and requisite for us and especially for the future today. Let us celebrate intercommunion and develop a new unity and a stronger missionary Orthodoxy. Let us celebrate this restoration of brotherhood and look forward to a future Feast of one North American Orthodoxy culminating in not only an autocephalous North American local church, but even a majority North American local church.

ORTHODOXIA I THANATOS!

Rostislav Mikhailovich Malleev-Pokrovsky, Tserkovnye Vekhi Blog

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Latest Russian bombers stand long-distance test


A wing of latest Russian Sukhoi-34 fighter bombers has successfully accomplished a non-stop 6-thousand-kilometre test flight from the region of Lipetsk south of Moscow to the region of Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East. The Sukhoi-34’s predecessor in the niche, the Sukhoi-24, cannot fly further than 3 thousand kilometres.

The Sukhoi-34 is a two-seater with a length of 22 metres and a wingspan of 14.7 metres. The maximum speed is 19 hundred kilometres an hour


http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/23/10520630.html



Russia’s Black Sea Fleet to get more frigates, submarines


The RIA-Novosti news agency quotes Russia’s Navy Commander-in-Chief Vladimir Vysotsky as saying that this country’s Black Sea Fleet will have got 15 new frigates and diesel submarines by 2020.

According to the Admiral, the Black Sea Fleet will be rearmed through getting new ships, rather than through obtaining naval vessels from other Russian Fleets.

He said that this year the keel will be laid of one frigate and one non-nuclear submarine for the Black Sea Fleet.

The sub is meant for destroying enemy naval surface ships and submarines, defending naval bases, the coastline and sea communications, and for performing reconnaissance.

The frigate’s main weapons will be anti-ship cruise missiles, a new artillery mount, an anti-submarine missile system and a medium-range air defence missile system.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/23/10485265.html



Russia tests high-speed Allegro trains


Russia prepares to test high-speed Allegro trains which are expected to be launched at the end of the year between St. Petersburg and Helsinki.

Built by the French Alstom company, the seven-carriage train accommodates 344 passengers, and will cut the travel time from six to 3.3 hours.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/23/10460614.html



Deacon Feodor Konyukhov faces a barrage of requests to bless or consecrate equipment


Moscow, June 23, Interfax – News that renowned traveler Feodor Konyukhov was ordained a deacon made many yachtsmen, travelers and alpinists, who don't know much about church hierarchy, ask him for a priestly blessing or consecrating their equipment.

"Just a barrage of calls from yachtsmen, from travelers. Dozens of yachtsmen ask to consecrate their yachts. Alpinists want to have his blessing for the climb," the traveler's son Oskar told Interfax-Religion on Wednesday.

According to him, people from Kamchatka to Kaliningrad were very glad to learn about the traveler's new status and now want to have his blessing as "he like nobody else understands what the sail and ocean are."

Fr. Feodor, who is not a priest, has to refuse all of them explaining that blessing and consecrating is not in a deacon's competence.

During his previous expeditions to distant places, residents judging by his appearance took him for a priest and asked to baptize them. "If he had been a priest at those expeditions, he could have baptized people thus making them join Orthodox faith," Fr. Feodor's son said.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7394



Russia to donate 2 mln. dollars for restoring Orthodox shrines in Kosovo


Moscow, June 21, Interfax – Russia decided to make a voluntarily target contribution to UNESCO for financing restoration works of Orthodox shrines in Kosovo.

According to Vladimir Putin's order posted at the official governmental website, 1 mln dollars will be transferred in 2010 and the other million - in 2011.

Putin instructed the Foreign Ministry to inform UNESCO about the decision and together with the Finance Ministry coordinate the procedure of transferring the donation.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7382

Saturday, June 19, 2010

French president calls for closer cooperation between Europe and Russia

ST. PETERSBURG, June 19 (Itar-Tass) -- Europe and Russia should cooperate closely in the spirit of trust, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Saturday closing the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

The Cold War is over, the Berlin wall is down, Russia is a great power and we shall be more close, said Sarkozy who headed a big delegation of French businessmen. “It is a strategic choice,” he stressed.

“I believe in Medvedev’s word, I highly appreciate our work with him, when we managed to find a solution despite our differences,” the French president said and noted the two country’s stands on key issues of the international agenda were very close or even coincided, including on the Iran nuclear program.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15243884&PageNum=0



Russia should become dream-country for anyone in the world – Medvedev


Russia should become a dream country for anyone in the world who seeks success. This is the objective that President Dmitry Medvedev set when speaking during the opening of the International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg. The objective is perfectly real, he said, adding that one should only use correctly the resources available.

The current, 14th, economic forum boasts a record great number of attendees ever since the event was held first. Over 2,000 conferees from 69 countries have come to attend the forum in Russia’s Northern Capital.

Today, on the last day of the forum, Dmitry Medvedev is due to hold talks with his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy. The two leaders will “synchronize watches” as regards options to consolidate European security.

Medvedev will then address the concluding full-scale meeting of the forum on “Re-thinking global development”, specifically on world economic growth in the post-crisis period.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/19/10160797.html



Vatican ambassador to Russia urges Catholic priests to periodically attend Orthodox divine services


Moscow, June 18, Interfax – The Holy See ambassador to the Russian Federation Archbishop Antonio Mennini suggested that Catholic priests every now and then attend divine services in Russian Orthodox churches.

The nuncio said it addressing participants in a regular session of Russia's Conference of Catholic Bishops in Sochi, its general secretary Rev. Igor Kovalevsky told Interfax-Religion on Friday.

According to Fr. Igor, Archbishop Mennini pointed out that Orthodox-Catholic relations had significantly improved and urged to develop "fraternal relations between Catholic and Orthodox clerics."

The nuncio also stated that state-church relations improved after establishing diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level between Russia and Vatican.

The Conference of Catholic Bishops made a statement regarding abolishing religious symbols in public schools of Europe and pointed out that the cross is one of most important elements of European identity. The bishops mentioned Russia's tragic experience when struggle against religious symbols resulted in prosecutions of believers and moral decay of the society.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7377



Metropolitan Hilarion regrets the Church lacks stable source of income


Moscow, June 17, Interfax – Head of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk believes the question of stable income is actual for the Church.

"The Church should have its own stable source of income and this income can't be based only on parishioners' donations. The Church can't exist only on money received from selling candles, icons or church literature," the Metropolitan said on air the Church and World program on the Rossiya 24 TV.

According to him, hierarchs spend major part of their time searching for sponsors and "surely, this situation is not normal." Metropolitan Hilarion noted that the Church pays for electricity, restoration and "these expenses are huge, multimillion."

He believes the Church lacks permanent income as its property was "nationalized and stolen."

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7370




Clergymen of the South American Diocese Who Followed Former Bishop Agathangel Into Schism Are Suspended


According to an ukase issued by His Grace Bishop John of Caracas and South America, of May 31, 2010, published on the official website of the South American Diocese, “clergymen of the South American Diocese who did not accept the decision of the Council of the Russian Church Abroad on the reestablishment of Eucharistic communion with the Church in the Fatherland, leaving their lawful hierarchy and creating a schism together with former Bishop Agathangel (Pashkovsky): Protopriest Vladimir Shlenev, Protopriest Valentin Iwasjewicz, Protopriest George Petrenko (who calls himself “Bishop Gregory”), Protopriest Konstantin Busygin, Priest Alejandro Iwasjewicz, Protopriest Vladimir Petrenko, Priest Michael Berduk, Deacon Igor Baratov, Deacon Caesar Mortari and Deacon Eugene Braga—are suspended from performing divine services in accordance with the following Holy Canons: Apostolic 31; I Ecumenical Council 16; Carthaginian 10, 11; Double Council 13, 14 and Laodicean 57.”

The matter of Priest Alejandro Iwascewicz, who is under criminal indictment in Uruguay, is also being considered.

The Diocese recalls that “even without suspension, any act of divine service, if performed outside of the bosom of the Holy Church, is not a salvific Mystery, but only a blasphemous private action by a person in clerical rank.”

http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/eng2010/6enbuenosairesclerics.html

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Russia to invest into newest offensive, defensive arms - Medvedev

SEVERODVINSK, June 15 (Itar-Tass) - Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday the country will inject huge funds into state-of-the-art offensive and defensive arms.

“Most great powers heavily invest into the newest offensive and defensive systems. We should do the same,” he told a ceremony of launching the Severodvinsk nuclear submarine in the dockyard of the Sevmash defence plant.

“Russia should simply effectively modernize its maritime forces and more actively build the most modern ships,” Medvedev said.

He noted that “in the near future a single program for the development of the country's military and civil shipbuilding will be adopted.”

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15227454&PageNum=0



Russia to consider CSTO norms in decision on sending peacekeepers to Kyrgyzstan


MOSCOW, June 16 (Itar-Tass) - Russia will base its decision on sending peacekeepers to Kyrgyzstan exclusively on the valid norms of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation /CSTO/, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday.

The CSTO already provides assistance to Kyrgyzstan, he said over a news conference.

“But whatever decision may be made only on the basis of the valid procedures, that is a request from the country and the unanimous consent in reply to it,” he said.

Lavrov said that according to the order from Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev, the CSTO secretaries had met already.

“Over the meeting, they made a detailed decision on the material and technical support to Kyrgyzstan so that its law enforcement authorities could fight with the disorders more effectively and could stabilise the situation there, as well as to spot the initiators,” he explained. “We have discussed joint work in the information space so that our residents could see our consolidated position.”

“We hope these measures will bring results,” Lavrov said.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15230868&PageNum=0



Some 350 groups of drug dealers active in Russia


Drugs kill some 80 people in Russia every day, says the Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliyev. He was speaking in a live interview with the Militseyskaya Volna, or Police Wave, radio station on Wednesday.

He admitted that the illegal drug traffic was a government problem, and that the drug addiction growth rates were a national threat. The Interior Minister pointed out that the imported, basically Afghan-made, drugs accounted for the lion’s share of all narcotics in the country. Almost the whole of heroin consumed in Russia is of Afghan origin.

According to Nurgaliyev’s estimates, some 350 organized crime groups are in charge of the delivery and marketing of narcotics in this country.

In the first four months of this year alone the law enforcement agencies found out about more than 81,000 crimes, related to illegal drug trafficking.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/16/9904746.html



Newcomers should mind that life in Moscow is based on Russian culture – authorities


Moscow, June 16, Interfax – Lifestyle of the Russian capital is based on Russian culture and traditions and newcomers should take it in consideration, head of the Moscow city Interregional Relations and National Policy Committee Mikhail Solomentsev said.

"Moscow is a city with its lifestyle based on Russian culture and centuries-old traditions and all who come to live here should mind it. We're sure that this important demand will help all residents of the capital without exception become Muscovites," Solomentsev said in his interview published on Wednesday in the Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

Thus he commented on a provision of the national policy and interethnic relations concept worked out in Moscow and recently adopted by the city government saying that Moscow is not only a megapolis and the capital of Russia, but a Russian city as well.

Solomentsev explained that such a requirement should help newcomers who want to live in Moscow to become "members of the community that is more than a nationality as different cultures have interwoven here, the community with a certain Moscow lifestyle, certain rules of conduct."

According to him, there are certain unwritten rules residents of the city should observe.

"For example, not to kill sheep in the yard, not to cook barbeque in the balcony, not to wear national cloths in the city, to speak Russian. In the short run we want to work out a set of rules that will help newcomers who arrive in Moscow for permanent residence to settle down," the committee head said.

The city authorities proposed that Moscow diasporas start working out the rules. After receiving their proposals, scientists will be invited to complete the work that is to result in a kind of a "Muscovite Code."

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7365



Patriarch Kirill decisively against any transactions with church property in the Holy Land


Moscow, June 10, Interfax – Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia states that it is inadmissible to lease or sell church property in the Holy Land.

"I categorically oppose any commercial operations with immovable property in the Holy Land," Patriarch Kirill said on Thursday speaking at the first conference of the Imperial Orthodox Palestinian Society in the Audit Chamber of Russian Federation.

According to the Patriarch, "there can't be any cession of land (in the Holy Land - IF), any sale or lease.

"Everything should be under jurisdiction of the Church or other institutions representing our country," the Patriarch stressed.

He noted that church property in the Holy Land "has a special status as lots of our compatriots worked to collect it."

"Thus this property is national, all-church and integral heritage of historical Russia," Patriarch Kirill said.

By 1917, the Russian Empire owned 70 real estate items in Holy Land. In 1964, the Soviet government sold most of them to Israel for a minute sum of $3.5 in what was dubbed the "Orange Deal" as Israel, being short of hard currency, paid the Soviet Union in citrus fruit.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7353

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

US stops destroying Afghan opium crops


The United States believes the policy of destroying all Afghan opium crops has badly backfired and must be stopped. Its forces on Afghan soil have already received appropriate orders.

Ambassador John Beyrle told this to a Russian news agency in an interview in Moscow Wednesday. He cited numerous instances in which poppy eradication stripped farmers of their livelihoods and forced them to join the Taliban.

At the same time, he did not rule out localized opium destruction operations.

In the period since the year 2000, the Afghan-produced heroin is estimated to have been killing some 100 thousand people each year. The Afghan drug industry generates income for three and a half million people.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/09/9442883.html



Lavrov urges stepping up struggle against Afghan drug production


Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has called for dealing with drug production in Afghanistan just as effectively as cocaine production is being fought in Latin America.

Opium poppy plantations and heroin labs should be wiped out, he told the international forum “Afghan Drug Production – a Challenge to the International Community”, which is under way in Moscow. We are certain of the need to treat the Afghan drug threat at the UN Security Council as a threat to international peace and security, he added.

Russia’s topmost diplomat feels that the ISAF coalition force in Afghanistan should come to grips with the drug industry problem.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/09/9427888.html



Russian economy can be seen as more stable in Europe – Gref


The Russian economy can be seen as one of the more stable European economies, but it needs foreign investment.

This came in an interview with the “Rossia 24” TV channel by Russia’s Sberbank CEO Hermann Gref.

The key objective now is the creation of sound macroeconomic conditions that would look attractive to investors, Gref said.

He pointed out that the Russian financial system’s dependence on mineral resources and the non-diversification of the economy was a major drawback. The Sberbank CEO says he is certain that this affects price instability in Russia.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/09/9424327.html



Russia will not buy The Mistral without the high-tech on it – Putin


Russia will not buy the French Mistral assault ship without the technology on it or contracts to procure much of the equipment for bringing it up to date from Russian companies. It wants the ship’s mammoth price tag of 300 million euros to stimulate naval and civilian manufacturers in Russia, as well as France.

Prime Minister Putin has told this to French media ahead of a visit to France from Thursday.

The Mistral displaces 21 thousand tons and can carry 16 attack helicopters to distances of up to 20 thousand nautical miles.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/09/9458711.html



Patriarch Bartholomew hopes Ukraine will overcome church schism under Yanukovich


Istanbul, June 9, Interfax – Patriarch Bartholomew hopes that under President Viktor Yanukovich Ukraine will overcome schism in Orthodoxy.

"We know there is a schism of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine and it distresses us a lot. We pray for this separation to vanish as soon as possible and for our brothers who separated to come back to the canonical Church as it is our salvation," he said at his meeting with the Ukrainian President in his Istanbul residence.

The Patriarch confessed he was "more than convinced" that Yanukovich would spare no effort to "heal these wounds" and restore unity of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.

In his turn, Yanukovich pointed out to the importance of unity for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7348

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Patriarch Kirill consecrates Boldino cloister

On Sunday Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill consecrated the St. Trinity Church at the Boldino monastery in the Smolensk region west of Moscow.

Despite the remoteness of the place, about a thousand people attended the ceremony.

Founded in 1528, the cloister was shut and turned into a warehouse in 1929.

Then, in 1943, retreating German troops blew up its churches and belfry.

Finally, in 1991, the Boldino monastery was handed back to the church.

As of today all of its edifices have been fully restored.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/06/9188620.html



Rimma Salonen goes to Court of Human Rights


Rimma Salonen of Russia intends to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, human rights activist Johan Beckman reports. She wants to challenge a decision by Finland’s court which deprived Rimma of her son Anton after she had taken the boy back to Russia. Earlier, Anton’s Finnish father had taken the boy away with the help of a Finnish diplomat.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/06/9203290.html



Moscow marks Pushkin`s 211th birthday


Moscow is celebrating the 211th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Pushkin, one of the greatest poets of all time.

Since Pushkin was born and baptized in Moscow, spent his childhood and also met his wife Natalia Goncharova here, the city traditionally hosts various events, including poetry readings.

Today the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts in Moscow offers free entry to all visitors.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/06/9178971.html



Russia’s Central Bank issues 5kg gold coin


Russia’s Central Bank has issued a 5kg gold collector’s coin with a face value of 50,000 rubles. It depicts Emperor Alexander II who established the Central Bank.

50 coins have been made of 999 probe gold, which is the purest from of gold known, and will go into circulation on June 12th, the 150th anniversary of the Bank of Russia.

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/06/06/9194924.html



Ukraine wishes to broaden trade, economic cooperation with Greece


KIEV, June 6 (Itar-Tass) -- Ukraine is interested in broadening trade and economic cooperation with Greece, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich said upon the arrival in Greece on a working visit.

“Ukraine wishes to broaden trade and economic cooperation with Greece, which have reduced because of the world economic crisis,” Yanukovich told Greek President Karolos Papoulias.

Ukraine and Greece should pool efforts to prevent a negative effect of the world economic crisis on the bilateral investments, Yanukovich said. So far, investments fall short the Ukrainian potential, he added.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15199965

Saturday, June 5, 2010

НА РОССИЮ ДАВИТЬ БЕСПОЛЕЗНО (ПАРЛАМЕНТАРИИ О КУРИЛЬСКОМ ВОПРОСЕ)

Российские парламентарии решительно осудили создание в Японии специальной структуры для давления на Россию по Курильскому вопросу. По их мнению, такое поведение является не только недобрососедским, но и неконструктивным.

В Японии в четверг, 13 мая, создана Ассоциация депутатов парламента, выступающих за скорейшее решение вопроса о Южных Курилах и заключение мирного договора с Россией. Ее возглавил член нижней палаты Есио Хатиро.

Ассоциация создана по инициативе правящей Демократической партии, чей лидер, премьер-министр Юкио Хатояма с первых дней своего премьерства назвал заключение мирного договора с Россией одним из приоритетов своей дипломатии. Как пояснил Есио Хатиро, возглавляемая им Ассоциация намерена не только активизировать общественное мнение, но и усиливать воздействие на правительство и парламент России.

В заявлении по поводу создания Ассоциации повторяется термин о "незаконной оккупации" Южных Курил, которые именуются "исконными территориями" Японии. Между тем термин "незаконная оккупация" в прошлом году по настоянию японского министерства просвещения и науки был исключен из новых методических материалов по преподаванию истории в старших классах.

Осенью 2009 года министр транспорта Японии и ответственный министр по делам Окинавы и Северных территорий Сэйдзи Маэхара спровоцировал дипломатический скандал между Москвой и Токио. Дважды – 17 октября и 1 декабря он заявил о незаконной оккупации Кунашира, Итурупа, Шикотана и Хабомаи. Министр также назвал неприемлемым требование об уплате портового сбора, который якобы планируют взимать власти Сахалинской области с японских судов, участвующих в безвизовых обменах с этими островами.

Заявление Маэхары было сделано не на пустом месте, а стало итогом усилившихся антироссийских настроений в Японии. Верхняя палата японского парламента 3 июля одобрила законопроект с призывом о скорейшем возвращении так называемых "северных территорий", то есть четырех принадлежащих России островов Курильской гряды. В поправках к закону "Об особых мерах для форсирования решения проблемы Северных территорий" зафиксировано положение о принадлежности четырех островов Южнокурильской гряды Японии.

В сентябре новый премьер-министр Японии Юкио Хатояма на встрече с президентом России Дмитрием Медведевым призвал окончательно решить территориальную проблему между двумя странами уже при нынешнем поколении. В свою очередь Дмитрий Медведев высказался в пользу расширения диалога между двумя странами.

Однако 24 ноября правительство Японии утвердило документ, в котором утверждается, что Южные Курилы незаконно оккупируются Россией.

Это решение налагает существенные ограничения на сотрудничество с Сахалинской областью. При этом Токио разрешает путешествия японцев на Южные Курилы в форме "безвизовых обменов", в частности, для посещения могил и контактов между людьми.

Документ стал ответом на депутатский запрос председателя парламентского комитета по международным делам Мунэо Судзуки. Депутат предложил временно согласиться с правом России на управление островами для участия в экономических проектах на Южных Курилах. ***

После окончания Второй Мировой войны, в соответствии с международными договоренностями, Южный Сахалин и Курильский архипелаг отошли к СССР. Япония считает южные острова Курильского архипелага Итуруп, Кунашир, Шикотан и группу необитаемых островов Хабомаи незаконно оккупированными и ставит их "возвращение" предварительным условием заключения с Россией мирного договора.

В 1956 году была подписана советско-японская декларация, в которой СССР в качестве жеста доброй воли предложил передать Японии Шикотан и Хабомаи после подписания мирного договора. В 2001 году Владимир Путин и тогдашний премьер Японии Иосиро Мори подписали Иркутскую декларацию, которая подтверждает юридическую силу декларации 1956 года.

В 2001 году Владимир Путин и тогдашний премьер Японии Иосиро Мори подписали Иркутскую декларацию, которая подтверждает юридическую силу декларации 1956 года, согласно которой СССР в качестве жеста доброй воли предложил передать Японии Шикотан и Хабомаи после подписания мирного договора.

В 2008 году в правительстве Ясуо Фукуды обсуждалась возможность разбиения переговорного процесса на две части. Предполагалось, что Токио продолжит настаивать на возвращении Россией островов Хабомаи и Шикотан, но обсудит с Москвой вопрос о принадлежности Кунашира и Итурупа.


НА РОССИЮ ДАВИТЬ БЕСПОЛЕЗНО (ПАРЛАМЕНТАРИИ О КУРИЛЬСКОМ ВОПРОСЕ)
13.05.2010 17:06

Российские парламентарии решительно осудили создание в Японии специальной структуры для давления на Россию по Курильскому вопросу. По их мнению, такое поведение является не только недобрососедским, но и неконструктивным.

В Японии в четверг, 13 мая, создана Ассоциация депутатов парламента, выступающих за скорейшее решение вопроса о Южных Курилах и заключение мирного договора с Россией. Ее возглавил член нижней палаты Есио Хатиро.

Ассоциация создана по инициативе правящей Демократической партии, чей лидер, премьер-министр Юкио Хатояма с первых дней своего премьерства назвал заключение мирного договора с Россией одним из приоритетов своей дипломатии. Как пояснил Есио Хатиро, возглавляемая им Ассоциация намерена не только активизировать общественное мнение, но и усиливать воздействие на правительство и парламент России.

В заявлении по поводу создания Ассоциации повторяется термин о "незаконной оккупации" Южных Курил, которые именуются "исконными территориями" Японии. Между тем термин "незаконная оккупация" в прошлом году по настоянию японского министерства просвещения и науки был исключен из новых методических материалов по преподаванию истории в старших классах.

Осенью 2009 года министр транспорта Японии и ответственный министр по делам Окинавы и Северных территорий Сэйдзи Маэхара спровоцировал дипломатический скандал между Москвой и Токио. Дважды – 17 октября и 1 декабря он заявил о незаконной оккупации Кунашира, Итурупа, Шикотана и Хабомаи. Министр также назвал неприемлемым требование об уплате портового сбора, который якобы планируют взимать власти Сахалинской области с японских судов, участвующих в безвизовых обменах с этими островами.

Заявление Маэхары было сделано не на пустом месте, а стало итогом усилившихся антироссийских настроений в Японии. Верхняя палата японского парламента 3 июля одобрила законопроект с призывом о скорейшем возвращении так называемых "северных территорий", то есть четырех принадлежащих России островов Курильской гряды. В поправках к закону "Об особых мерах для форсирования решения проблемы Северных территорий" зафиксировано положение о принадлежности четырех островов Южнокурильской гряды Японии.

В сентябре новый премьер-министр Японии Юкио Хатояма на встрече с президентом России Дмитрием Медведевым призвал окончательно решить территориальную проблему между двумя странами уже при нынешнем поколении. В свою очередь Дмитрий Медведев высказался в пользу расширения диалога между двумя странами.

Однако 24 ноября правительство Японии утвердило документ, в котором утверждается, что Южные Курилы незаконно оккупируются Россией.

Это решение налагает существенные ограничения на сотрудничество с Сахалинской областью. При этом Токио разрешает путешествия японцев на Южные Курилы в форме "безвизовых обменов", в частности, для посещения могил и контактов между людьми.

Документ стал ответом на депутатский запрос председателя парламентского комитета по международным делам Мунэо Судзуки. Депутат предложил временно согласиться с правом России на управление островами для участия в экономических проектах на Южных Курилах. ***

После окончания Второй Мировой войны, в соответствии с международными договоренностями, Южный Сахалин и Курильский архипелаг отошли к СССР. Япония считает южные острова Курильского архипелага Итуруп, Кунашир, Шикотан и группу необитаемых островов Хабомаи незаконно оккупированными и ставит их "возвращение" предварительным условием заключения с Россией мирного договора.

В 1956 году была подписана советско-японская декларация, в которой СССР в качестве жеста доброй воли предложил передать Японии Шикотан и Хабомаи после подписания мирного договора. В 2001 году Владимир Путин и тогдашний премьер Японии Иосиро Мори подписали Иркутскую декларацию, которая подтверждает юридическую силу декларации 1956 года.

В 2001 году Владимир Путин и тогдашний премьер Японии Иосиро Мори подписали Иркутскую декларацию, которая подтверждает юридическую силу декларации 1956 года, согласно которой СССР в качестве жеста доброй воли предложил передать Японии Шикотан и Хабомаи после подписания мирного договора.

В 2008 году в правительстве Ясуо Фукуды обсуждалась возможность разбиения переговорного процесса на две части. Предполагалось, что Токио продолжит настаивать на возвращении Россией островов Хабомаи и Шикотан, но обсудит с Москвой вопрос о принадлежности Кунашира и Итурупа.

См. также "Россия должна заботиться о своих гражданах, а не о японцах (мнения парламентариев и общественности)".

"Японских детей будут учить правильному подходу к Курилам".

"Россия отстоит свое право на Курилы (мнение парламентариев)".

"Японцы могут пользоваться Курилами, но не забирать насовсем (мнения парламентариев)".

"Не надо сеять сомнения в праве России на Курилы (мнение парламентариев)".

"Чужой земли мы не хотим, но и Курил не отдадим".

"Курилы не отдадим, но деньги возьмем".
***

REGIONS.RU/"Новости Федерации" обратились к представителям верхней и нижней палат парламента с просьбой обозначить позицию России по этому вопросу.
***

Не обращать внимания на созданную в Японии Ассоциацию депутатов парламента, выступающую за скорейшее решение вопроса о Южных Курилах, советует первый заместитель председателя Комитета Совета Федерации по конституционному законодательству, представитель в СФ от правительства Вологодской области Валерий Федоров, бывший в свое время первым замминистра внутренних дел РФ.

"Они могут создавать любые организации, объединения, блоки под эту тему, мы же будем действовать в рамках достигнутых договоренностей", - заявил сенатор. "Мы не позволим на нас давить с помощью каких-то ассоциаций! Мы – уважающий себя народ, мы помним историю и знаем юридические нормы", - подчеркнул парламентарий.

Политик выразил недоумение выбранной японцами формой давления на Россию. "Важные вопросы, особенно территориальные, таким образом не решаются", - отметил он.

Сенатор также призвал не забывать о принципах соседских взаимоотношений, существующих между государствами. "Соседи друг другу никогда палкой не грозят и костры на меже не зажигают", - заключил Валерий Федоров.

Заместитель председателя Комитета Госдумы по собственности, член фракции "Единая Россия" Юрий Медведев выступает категорическим противником обсуждения на уровне российско-японских отношений вопроса о возвращении Японии Южнокурильских островов.

"На сегодня это не в интересах сохранения государственной стабильности России и единства российского общества", - заявил депутат. Он также убежден, что для самой Японии передача Южных Курил не принесет никаких экономических дивидендов. "Острова не являются источниками богатых природных ресурсов, поэтому для Японии было бы гораздо выгодней развивать многостороннее экономическое сотрудничество с Россией, минуя курильскую проблему", - считает парламентарий.

В связи с этим Медведев призывает японских государственных деятелей отказаться от политических спекуляций на тему подписания двустороннего мирного договора. "Вряд ли их устроит перспектива лишиться в лице российской экономики широкого рынка сбыта для своей автомобильной промышленности и радиотехники", - отметил депутат.

По мнению Юрия Медведева, проблема Южных Курил с годами будет "рассеиваться" сама собой, "когда начнут решаться вопросы более прозрачных границ между государствами, отмены визовых режимов и т.д.".

Заместитель председателя Комитета Госдумы по образованию, член фракции "Справедливая Россия" Виктор Шудегов назвал "очень непростым" вопрос о возвращении Японии четырех южнокурильских островов.

"Думаю, что сегодня российское общество отнеслось бы отрицательно к любому решению о передаче островов", - заявил депутат, заметив, что сам он "как простой гражданин также воспринял бы это болезненно".

Парламентарий полагает, что России и Японии нужно найти по Южным Курилам "политическое решение, которое устранило бы противостояние по данной проблеме". При этом Шудегов считает недопустимым со стороны японских политиков постоянно "будоражить общественность" по курильскому вопросу. "Тема взаимовыгодного экономического сотрудничества двух стран должна взять верх над политическими столкновениями", - убежден депутат.

В связи с этим он обратил внимание на "хорошие добрососедские отношения России и Финляндии"[!]. "Несмотря на их серьезное противостояние во время Второй Мировой, сегодня никто не собирается пересматривать ее итоги для обоих государств, и страны успешно взаимодействуют во всех сферах", - подчеркнул Виктор Шудегов.

Резко отрицательно относится к идее возвращения Японии Южнокурильских островов первый заместитель председателя Комитета Госдумы по аграрным вопросам, член фракции КПРФ Николай Харитонов.

"Потомки нам этого не простят", - заявил депутат. Он особо отметил, что "Курилы достались нам в результате победы в 45-м над милитаристской Японией, поэтому возвращать мы ничего не обязаны". К тому же, как подчеркнул парламентарий, нарушение территориальной целостности государства - это прямое нарушение его Конституции.

По мнению Харитонова, настаивая на возвращении Южных Курил, японская сторона преследуют сугубо экономические интересы. "Они прекрасно понимают, какое огромное рыбное богатство вокруг этих островов, и какие возможности открывают перед ними дополнительные морские пути", - обратил внимание депутат.

"Россия не должна поступаться своими стратегическими интересами, поэтому пусть Япония довольствуется тем, что у нее есть", - подчеркнул Николай Харитонов.



http://www.regions.ru/news/2289847/

List of Russia's memorial dates adds the Day of Baptism of Rus

Moscow, June 1, Interfax - President Dmitry Medvedev signed into law amendments to Article 11 of the Federal Law on Military Glory Days and Memorable Dates of Russia adopted by the State Duma on May 21 and approved by the Council of Federation on May 26, the Kremlin press service reports.

Subject to this amendment, the Russia's list of memorable days added a new date - July 28, the Day of Baptism of Russia.

According to the Church calendar, June 28 (July 15 by Old Calendar) is the day of Saint Vladimir, the Grand Prince of Kiev, who baptized Rus in the 10th century.

The law aims at legal commemoration of such momentous historical event which has affected social, spiritual and cultural development of the peoples of Russia, as well as enhanced the Russian state system, head of state press service notes.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7327



Juvenile justice unacceptable interference in family matters - Moscow Patriarchate

Moscow, June 2, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church has resolutely opposed the introduction of the institution of juvenile justice in Russia.

"I am totally convinced that the juvenile justice system is an unacceptable interference by the state in a family's private life, its world vision and way of life," Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, head of the Synodal Department for Church and Society Relations, told a press conference at Interfax.

A child without a family is always unhappy, the priest said. "Even if he was showered with money, sweets and toys, if his family or adoptive parents are taken away from him, this will leave him traumatized for the rest of his life, and the government should not substitute the family or destroy it, but support it in every way, including financially and, of course, morally," the priest said.

Such support is the best remedy against child homelessness and child crime, "that is against all those social ills, which the juvenile justice is seemingly trying to defeat without actually being able to," he said.

Family counseling by religious communities, the public, parents' associations is quite capable of overcoming 80-90% of family conflicts, "which do not always need a surgical intervention by the authorities," the priest said.

While admitting that the problem of violence in certain families does exist, the Russian Church official pointed to more important problems for Russia such as pedophilia, child pornography, sexual violence against children, and violation of orphans' rights.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7329



Russian Church to help expand dialog between United Russia and western conservatives

Moscow, May 31, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church will help to establish a dialogue between United Russia party and the conservative forces of Europe and the USA, head of the Synodal Department for Church and Society Relations Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin said.

"Conservative ideology which is not blinkered, stagnant, and not keeping any worm-eaten habits without distinction, and focused on eternal things, rather than on outdated ones, such ideology will be always accepted by the Church with appreciation," Father Vsevolod said Monday at a meeting with deputies from United Russia.

Fr. Vsevolod reminded that "before, there was little dialogue with the right-winged Christian Protestant elite due to hackneyed anti-Communism," and "today, we need overcome that."

"We should show them (western conservatives - IF) religious life in this country," Fr. Vsevolod believes.

According to him, the anti-abortion movement is a good opportunity to expand communication. In particular, there is an idea to hold a global Pro-Life congress in Moscow.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7322



Kaliningrad Diocese receives 15 Lutheran churches, Roman Catholic church and several other religious property objects

Moscow, June 1, Interfax - The government of Russia has transferred title to 26 objects of religious purpose to the Kaliningrad Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.

According to the order published in the database of statutory regulations of the Russian government, Lutheran churches account for the most part of the transferred property (15). Half of them (7) are ruined and are subject to renovation.

The list of transferred property includes several parish houses, chapels, the Roman Catholic Church, the old church in Quednau and the monastery buildings Rossiten Castle in Rybachy village which also lie in ruins.

Last week, the Kaliningrad Diocese received title for two old churches intended "for primary functional use", as is the property transferred today.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7326



Russian Church gets 18 new parishes in Britain and Ireland

St. Petersburg, June 1, Interfax - The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church joined 18 new parishes to the Dioceses of Sourozh of Britain and Ireland at its meeting in St. Petersburg on Monday.

Four of the new parishes are in Scotland - in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dundee.

Eleven others are in different parts of Britain, including North Humberside, Devon, Hampshire, Essex, Tyne and Wear, West Midlands, East Sussex and Dorset.

There is an Orthodox parish in Belfast and another in the Isle of Man.

Three more Orthodox parishes are in Ireland - in Watford, Galway and Cork.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7328



Interconfessional Center to open in Sochi Olympic village

Sochi, June 3, Interfax – According to international requirements and recommendations of the International Olympic Committee, an Interconfessional Center will be established in the Olympic village-2014 in Sochi, executive director of the Olimpstroy state corporation for Sochi Gennady Gubin said.

"As we respect representatives of all world religions, experts of the state corporation met with regional leaders of Christian, Buddhist, Muslim and Jewish confessions in order to consider all their wishes when creating such a center," Gubin told Interfax on Thursday.

The interviewee of the agency noted that representatives of these religions approved of the idea to set up the center and expressed confidence that it would help develop Olympic movement.

The future Interconfessional Center will have a separate entrance and isolated premises for adherents of each religious trend.

Chief Olympstroy architect Oleg Kharchenko has already started working out an original project of the Interconfessional Center.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7332



Patriarch Kirill would have been a gardener to participate in perfection of the world

Petrozavodsk, June 4, Interfax – Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia considers profession of a gardener noble and would have gladly devoted his life to it.

"Perhaps, I would have been a gardener. I like to plant flowers and cut lawns. I always take it painfully when it's not nice outside," the Patriarch said on Thursday speaking in the Petrozavodsk musical theatre.

According to the Patriarch, in such work a person "together with God directly participates in perfection of God's creation." The Primate also likes the profession of the forester as it gives a possibility "to control so that woods would not only be cut, but planted, the resources - not only wasted, but refilled, especially in such places as Karelia."

The Patriarch urged everyone, especially young people, choosing a profession, to focus on "reaching Divine objective of existence" in his or her work.

He confessed that he had never seen any happy person who coordinated his or her personal purposes with permissiveness and depravity.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7337



Patriarch Kirill to conduct requiem at site of the Polish president crash

Smolensk, June 4, Interfax – Pastoral trip of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia to the Smolensk Region will start with his visit to the Katyn memorial and the Resurrection Church constructed nearby.

"Clerical delegation will lay flowers in Russian and Polish sectors of the memorial," press service of the local administration told Interfax on Friday.

On Saturday, Patriarch Kirill plans to visit towns of Desnogorsk and Roslavl and then return to Smolensk to the Severny airdrome to conduct a requiem service at the site where the plane with federal Polish delegation tragically crashed.

[The Orthodox Church FORBIDS ecclesiasistical prayers for the heterodox departed.-R]

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=dujour&div=213



Polish religious activist to stand trial for pornography distribution in Byelorussia

Minsk, June 3, Interfax - The Byelorussian Prosecutor's General Office has forwarded to court a criminal case against a Polish national who is charged with distributing pornography in Belarus.

"Minsk law enforcement agencies opened in 2009 a criminal case on charges of producing and distributing pornography (Article 343 of the Byelorussian Criminal Code) against the Polish national who is a prominent religious activist of one of the confessions in Byelorussia," the Prosecutor's General Office told Interfax.

"The pre-trial investigation confirmed instances of distributing pornography among Byelorussians by this person," it said.

The name of the Polish national is not disclosed due to the secrecy of the investigation.

http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=7334



Gay pride parade looks more like provocation than demonstration to protect human rights

LGBT activists' attempt to hold their pride parade in Moscow met with an adverse reaction of citizens yet another time. President of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia Alexander Boroda also spoke against such public events in an interview to Interfax-Religion.


- Members of LGBT community made another attempt to hold their pride parade in Moscow. Members of the Russian Orthodox Church and other religious organizations came out against this event. What does the Jewish community of Russia think about this initiative?

- The Jewish community of Russia has repeatedly stated clear its attitude to such events: any public event should be held with a clear view of its possible effects. Today, the Russian society does not seem ready to accept such parades; the participants' behavior may result in outbursts of violence in Moscow streets. Therefore, such gay parade looks more like a provocative action than the demonstration to protect human rights. The rights can be efficiently protected in courts. The conclusion is only obvious - the core motivation of organizers which makes them hold such events is their wish to get publicity in media gaining doubtful profile and promotion.

- Do you think that such bans may be an infringement on the right to freely express one's own opinion?

- I'd like to stress that the Jewish community is in no case willing to oppose any democratic rights, including the right to hold demonstrations. But the thing is that organizers and members of the so-called "sexual minorities" insist on public demonstration of their life style. However, normal people prefer to conceal their private and family lives from others.

When you hear that any person has the right to publicly express his/her opinion, I believe, there are exceptions to this rule, and some intimate issues should not be made public.