www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Catholic Worker Article

Excellent article in the current issue of the Catholic Worker, which I wish I had some means of posting. Entitled "A Pilgrim of the Absolute" by Jerry Ryan, on page 8. Speaks of Elisabeth Pilenko, a Russian aristocrat, who fell first into atheism then fashionable among upper class Russians. She then found atheism empty and, developing a social conscienous turned to social democracy and then Orthodoxy. She opposed the czar and was chased by the White Army, fleeing to Constantinople in 1921. She founded Russian Christian Action while living in poverty in Paris. In 1932 she made a monastic profession (despite two failed marriages and a bastard child). Her work was very close to that of Dorothy Day. In 1943, during the occupation of France, she was arrested by the fascist Gestapo and deported to Ravensbruck. She was devoted to ecumenism, workers and the poor.

The above description does not do justice to the spiritual and social beauty of this woman shown in the Catholic Worker article. Please read a copy (Still a penny a copy at better religious stores everywhere!).

Kurt

Dear Kurt,

Thank you for bringing this article and the person of Elizabeth Pilenko forward.

As you know, Elizabeth Pilenko was a Ukrainian nun who is now known to history as Mother Maria Skobtsova of Paris.

She is venerated as a saint privately among many Orthodox and others. Her self-sacrifice resembles that of St Maximilian Kolbe.

One independent Orthodox group in the U.S. canonized her as "St Maria of Paris." Although this canonization would not be recognized by Orthodoxy, the icon they wrote seems to be fairly wide-spread.

How is the process for Dorothy Day coming along? Any updates?

Happy Christmas,

Alex

As you know, Elizabeth Pilenko was a Ukrainian nun who is now known to history as Mother Maria Skobtsova of Paris.

I thought so — thanks. I haven't read enough of her writings to endorse everything she said but what I've read was intelligent and thought-provoking, including criticism of Russian religiosity as mere civil religion, etc.

The Paris school of Russian Orthodoxy, from which Skobtsova, Meyendorff and Schmemann came, has been criticized by more than some in the Church as "liberal', but that is a very relative term compared to the mess in the Western communions. I say read 'em but with NaCl ad lib.

"Independent Orthodox' (an oxymoron) outfits are not the Church, are spiritual dead ends (a good friend was priested by one 33 years ago — he wasn't with them very long) and I don't want to promote them on this forum. Dangerous back alleys for the religiously curious.

http://oldworldrus.com

Dear Serge,

Agreed, agreed!

It is just that their icon of her is being increasingly used by Orthodox and Catholics. It is not my intention to promote them.

(Olga, do I still have a problem with focus? Not that I'm sensitive about your comment, mind you . . .)

Alex