www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News The patron saint of Russian nuclear bombers

FYI, Photius

http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/other_news/&articleid=252003

The patron saint of Russian nuclear bombers
Moscow, Russian Federation
26 September 2005 05:47

Historic Russian admiral Fyodor Ushakov -- a hero of Russia's wars against Turkey and Napoleon Bonaparte -- was designated the patron saint of nuclear-armed, long-distance Russian bombers by the Orthodox Church on Monday.

Russian Patriarch Alexei II, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, carried a reliquary and an icon of the admiral, who was canonised in 2004, into the Moscow chapel of the Russian Air Force's 37th Air Army in Moscow, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency said.

"I am sure he will become your intermediary as you fulfil your responsible duties to the fatherland in the long-range air force," the patriarch said.

"His strong faith helped Saint Fyodor Ushakov in all his battles," the religious leader said, reminding his audience that the famous admiral of the 18th and 19th centuries never lost a battle.

Ushakov distinguished himself in numerous naval battles in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, most notably in the Russo-Turkish war between 1787 and 1791.

But his reforms of the navy were not popular in the upper echelons of the Russian imperial administration and Tsar Alexander I forced Ushakov to retire to Tambov province south-east of Moscow in 1807, where he died in 1817 aged 73.

Ushakov's canonisation as a saint in 2004 follows a strong tradition in Russia of close relations between the Orthodox Church and the state, which was revived after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. -- AFP

I rest my case for being Catholic; can anyone imagine someone being named the patron saint of nuclear warfare in the Catholic Church?
Lord have mercy!
-Daniel

All I'm going to say is: what will the Russians think of next?

This shows everyone where the Moscow Church is.

So praying at the Great Litany "In peace let us pray to the Lord" hasn't registered for the past oh, 700 years?

This is not something I would have proposed or supported, but seriously the indignation here is a little much. The undivided church contains numerous warrior saints. There existed in the West for hundreds of years an active doctrine of holy war. Popes themselves have used military power to achieve political ends. Look through the list of Catholic Patron Saints [catholic.org] and you will find patrons for such groups as "Gunners" and the "Argentinian Air Force", neither of which I would assume are involved primarily in charity work.

Andrew

BTW, the USAF is rushing to canonize Maj. T.J. Kong.

The canonization of warrior saints - and yes, there are quite a few of them, including Saint Joan of Arc, who deserves special mention and honor - rests upon the principle of the just war.

The provision of one or more "patron saints" of nuclear bombing could only be justified if, somehow, nuclear bombs could be included in the idea of the just war. No moral theologian or teacher worth discussing has attempted this, to the best of my knowledge. Further, no less an authority than the late Alfredo Cardinal Ottaviani concluded and taught that the development of such modern horrors as nuclear bombs had so transformed the nature of warfare as to render the principle of the just war out-of-date - according to Ottaviani, it has become impossible to provide any remotely adequate guarantee that the soldiery will guard against civilian casualties. Cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2309-2314.

No doubt the human mind can devise justification for co-opting some (defenceless!) Saint as "patron" of such a thing. And no doubt the same sort of thinking could produce "patron saints" of suicide bombers and kamikaze pilots.

Incognitus

Here's an icon of St. Feodor:

http://www.days.ru/Images/im2076.htm

Dave

Hello,

Yes, there is such a concept of "just war", and it is pretty well defined, and those who might, God forbid, take part in such an endeavor do have patron saints.

I'd assume one of the main "jobs" of their patron saints is to keep these people "unemployed".

However, going from there to have a patron saint specifically for nuclear bombers is going far beyond that stretch of Christian morality which is "just war".

At least the Catholic Church has this very clear: Weapons of mass destruction never are and can never be "just war" and therefore, I would think, those involved in the use of these devices are committing grave evil. Always. Of course, each within his/her own scope of authority and decision-making capacity.

These activities cannot be put under the special protection of a saint.

Shalom,
Memo

Russian armies are notorious for raping women when they have conquered a city. Is there a patron saint of rape and pillage?

Unless I suppose you posited they are for deterrent and not offensive purposes.

Well that is a bit of sticky wicket. Needless to say there are numerous Catholics in the U.S. military who work with our nuclear arsenal, or with weapons such as cluster bombs or munitions made up of depleted uranium. No doubt there are many Catholics who are serving in the Strategic Air Command. Are they committing a grave evil? I wouldn't say so.

The whole situation in Iraq I'm sure throws a whole wrinkle in this as well as to when a war is just and when it isn't.

Andrew

There are a lot of Catholics who do all sorts of evil; working for abortionists, torturing prisoners, etc. None of that changes the teaching of the Church. Clearly nuclear weapons are immoral.
-Daniel

I propose you all, the members of the "Holy Synod" of this Byzantine Forum (I hope this expression will not sound too irreverent)to find a patron saint againts nuclear and mass destruction weapons common to Catholics and Orthodox. Why not to find also a common saint againt the heresy of philetism, that is the error of racial discrimination inside the Church, body of Christ, officially condemned by an Inter Orthodox Synod and against nationalism (differing form the love to someone's own country) in all its evil forms (wars, genocides...)

RE: Is there a patron saint of rape and pillage?

Absolutely! I suggest that both Catholics and Orthodox can both find a patron saint of rape and pillage in the person of Iosaphat Kuntsevich. I am certain his cruelty could satisfy even the most bloodthirsty

Perhaps Eastern Catholics might even prepare a troparion to him beginning with "O Holy Martyr-Maker....."

Dear Greek Ortho
Thank you for your interesting post. Might one request your source of reference for the life and work of Saint Josaphat?

Incognitus

Patron saints of those who rape or pillage?

Come on, now! We are all supposed to be followers of Jesus Christ. Such sarcasm is definitely not within the bounds of charity. I ask participants to remember the rule of charity for the Forum, and not to post such hate filed comments. Those who continue to do so will earn themselves time outs.