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By Klara GUDZYK, The Day
The Day Weekly Digest in English
Kyiv, Ukraine, February 10, 2004
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The recent visit by Russian President Putin to Ukraine had a religious
aspect to it, aside from its many other aspects. Putin has again confirmed
the historic unity of the Russian state and church that, unlike in Ukraine,
has been preserved in Russia through the centuries and that Moscow's
official church policy is but a continuation of its lay policy. Conversely,
it would be correct to say that at certain points in his recent visit Putin
acted as if he were an envoy of the Moscow Patriarchate.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin kisses an icon during service in Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra in Kiev as Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma stands behind him, January 24, 2004
REUTERS/Pool
(Click on images to enlarge them)
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In his address at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Monastery of the Caves, Putin
claimed to know about the problems of a schism in Ukraine's Orthodox Church
("We are with you heart and soul"), yet he is not interfering and will not
interfere with the church affairs (that is, with the church affairs of a
different state). He was kind to say this, especially if you recall that
Russian emperors have always considered it their holy duty to "protect"
Orthodox believers abroad, which they did for the benefit of the empire.
Further, the guest of honor uttered the symbolic words that have quite
clearly described the general direction of Moscow's both church and secular
policy toward Ukrainian Orthodoxy: "Ukraine's Orthodox Church is independent
[Putin has been misinformed, to put it mildly, because this applies to the
Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate - Author]. Its sole
connection with the Russian [church] is canonical and spiritual.
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This is something that has remained absolutely single, and we must preserve
this unity for future generations." This way Ukrainians have been given to
understand that in the foreseeable future the current Moscow Metropolis on
Ukrainian territory (Ukrainian Orthodox Church) will remain a part of the
Russian Orthodox Church. Such is the stance of both the Russian church and
Kremlin. Thus, let not the Ukrainian presidents ever again request the
Moscow Holy See to grant the UOC autocephaly or autonomy.
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Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma light candles during the service in Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra cathedral
REUTERS/Pool
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Neither did Russia's president forget to remind the champions of autocephaly
for Ukrainian Orthodoxy about the infamous canonicity or, put simply, that
the independent Kyiv Patriarchate is not canonical and therefore illegal.
This is what the all too familiar clerical writings are all about, showing
complete disregard (or is it ignorance?) of the fact that the Moscow Church
had also lived through times when it was identically "not canonical."
Every word in Putin's speech is of consequence. Consider for example the
image of the church as a "single [? - Author] bond" between Ukrainians and
Russians. This is a quite familiar motif from the repertoire of numerous
Russian and pro-Russian religious publications; it is also voiced by some
high hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In fact, what they mean is a great "historic mission" of the Russian
Orthodox Church to not only prevent further disintegration of the state but
also restore the Great Russian Empire that has been criminally destroyed by
stupid politicians at the close of the twentieth century; to restore the
empire on the basis of Russian Orthodox unity.
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Putin ended his religiously political address with the words: "We remember
and understand full well that Rus' was baptized here on the banks of the
Dnipro. The cradle of Orthodoxy is here." His words are a further reminder
that the Kyiv Church is almost five centuries older than the Moscow Church
and that the Kyiv Church is in fact the mother church of Ukrainian,
Belarusian, Polish, and Russian Orthodoxy. Then why should this church,
contrary to its birthright, remain subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate?
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The gold-crusted domes of the 11th century Monastery of Caves shine on a snowy winter day
AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky
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Putin thanked Metropolitan Volodymyr for his permission to visit the Kyiv
Pechersk Lavra Monastery of the Caves and sent all the Ukrainian hierarchs
(the "canonical" ones, of course) a warm brotherly greeting from Patriarch
Alexis. Putin also decorated and praised those of the Ukrainian clergy who
are the most outspoken in their defense of Moscow Orthodoxy and kindly
praised his Ukrainian counterpart Kuchma for paying much attention to
supporting the church. One needs not specify which church he meant.
Kuchma in turn reminded all that he is "a staunch supporter of the unity of
the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. It would be a godsend for us." In his view,
the schism has caused the emergence of many new religious trends and
adversely affected the morals of the clergy: "Some [clerics] mess up in one
church and then switch to a different church and deliver other sermons from
the pulpit - just as it happens in our parliament."
Reading between the lines of Kuchma's speech at the Lavra in the presence of
Putin and remembering his unchanging in recent years thesis about the unity
of Orthodoxy, I suddenly grasped the high degree of ambiguity of these
words. The ambiguous phrase "unity of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine"
indicates either the unity of Ukrainian Orthodox believers within the
independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine or unification of all Ukrainian
Orthodox believers within the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate under the
pallium of the Moscow Patriarch.
This is a quite apt choice of words, which the conflicting parties can
interpret and cite as they see fit, both gladly agreeing with the president.
The storied oracles used similar ploys in olden times and were never wrong.
As a closing remark, I will quote a letter to The Day from our devoted
reader and regular contributor Borys Filipchenko: "How should a
patriotically-minded citizen of Ukraine and a parishioner of the Ukrainian
Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate feel after watching a televised
report on the reception of the Russian president at the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra
Monastery of the Caves?
I for one pictured a visit by Tsar Peter I attending a meeting of the Kyiv
Holy See, where he kindly praised Ukrainian hierarchs for their loyal
service to the Russian throne..."
FOR PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC USE ONLY
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 and Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma light candles','during the service in Kievo-Pecherskaya Lavra cathedral','REUTERS/Pool'))
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