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Photo: Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I embrace.
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Kiev, Jul. 29, 2008 (CWNews.com) - The two leading patriarchs of the Orthodox world set aside their differences at least temporarily during a joint weekend appearance in Kiev, Ukraine, where the celebrated the 1020th anniversary of the "baptism of the Rus."
Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, joined Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, the acknowledged "first among equals" in the world's Orthodox hierarchy, for the celebration in Kiev. The two patriarchs later issued a joint statement, affirming their commitment to fraternal relations. The statement proclaimed that "dialogue is always the most important thing because we are always responsible for Orthodoxy’s unity.”
Nevertheless, the weekend in Ukraine was marked by tensions, as the Russian Orthodox Church bitterly complained that Patriarch Bartholomew was involved in a plot to create a new, unified, Ukrainian Orthodox Church-- breaking off a traditional tie to the Moscow patriarchate. The disagreement between the Russian Orthodox Church, which is the world's largest, and the Constantinople patriarchate, which carries the greatest prestige, reflects a long-running struggle for supremacy among the world's Orthodox believers.
The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the "baptism of the Rus" as the foundation of the Church in Russia-- and only secondarily in Ukraine. From the perspective of the Moscow patriarchate, Ukraine is part of the "canonical territory" of the Russian Orthodox Church, which is by far the largest of the world's Orthodox churches.
In Ukraine, however, many Orthodox believers have worked to establish their own identity, separate from Moscow. In 1992, after Ukraine won its political independence, Metropolitan Filaret-- who had been the head of the Russian-backed Ukrainian Orthodox Church-- broke with Moscow to establish an independent Kiev patriarchate. The Russian Orthodox Church has refused to recognize that group, instead backing the rival Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow patriarchate.
Ukraine's President Viktor Yushchenko has strongly backed the establishment of an independent, unified Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Russian Church spokesmen bitterly complained that the attitudes of the Ukrainian government were clear in the treatment of Patriarch Alexei during his stay. They observed that President Yushchenko went to the airport to greet Patriarch Bartholomew, but not Patriarch Alexei. Posters of the Ecumenical Patriarch were places all around Kiev, they noticed, while posters of the Russian prelate were taken down. Russian Orthodox officials even charged that Ukrainian police had barred the faithful from attending a liturgical service at which Patriarch Alexei was presiding.
After the weekend visit by Patriarch Bartholomew, President Yushchenko claimed the backing of the Ecumenical Patriarch for an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church. "I am glad that the Patriarch is backing the aspiration of the Ukrainian people to have its own national local church," Yushchenko said.
Russian Orthodox leaders strongly denied that the Ecumenical Patriarch had given his blessing to an independent Ukrainian Orthodox Church. A spokesman for the Moscow patriarchate claimed that in fact, Patriarch Bartholomew had recognized Moscow's claim to the "canonical territory" of Ukraine.
Patriarch Bartholomew declined to comment directly on the competing claims. The Ecumenical Patriarch had consistently said that his visit to Ukraine was not intended to cause division but to "contribute to the unity of the Ukrainian Church." He said that he also wished to honor the Christians who had suffered under Communist rule in Ukraine.
That cautious approach did not satisfy the Russian Orthodox leadership. Without referring to Patriarch Bartholomew by name, Moscow's Patriarch Alexei observed that any question about Russia's claim to a sort of spiritual paternity over Ukraine could be dangerous. "By raising doubts about what has been undisputable for centuries, we endanger our common future," he told the Interfax news service.
During his stay in Kiev, Patriarch Bartholomew did his best to avoid a confrontation, meeting with both of the rival leaders of the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful-- and also with Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, the Major Archbishop of the Eastern-rite Ukrainian Catholic Church. During a dinner meeting with Metropolitan Vladimir, Moscow's favored Orthodox leader in Ukraine, the Patriarch of Constantinople lamented that "at this table, brothers from other churches from the Ukraine are missing." He said that his role, as Ecumenical Patriarch, was to "mend divisions" among the Orthodox faithful.
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Kyiv—In St. Oleksandr’s Church near St. Volodymyr’s Hill, a thanksgiving Divine Service was held along with a renewal of Baptism promises. According to our RISU correspondent, Svitlana Yaroshenko, seven bishops of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) came to the capital for the occasion. The deputy head of the Conference of the Roman Catholic Bishops of Ukraine, Bishop Markiian Trofymiak, led the liturgy. RISU’s Ukrainian-language web page posted this story on 28 July.
In his address to the faithful, Bishop Markiian said: “Today, we celebrate a thanksgiving Liturgy for the gift of Baptism. The recent TV comments have stressed the importance of St. Volodymyr’s Baptism, which introduced us into the European community. But there was also another important aspect of that event: we were introduced to the community of brothers and sisters of Christ.”
The faithful also heard a Pastoral address of the RCC episcopate reminding of the historic, spiritual, political, and social significance of the Baptism of 988: “We deeply believe that this year’s celebration of the 1020th anniversary of the baptism of Rus will make us more sensitive to this common heritage and will radiate a new light capable of disseminating the darkness of the difficult past,” said the address.
During the service, a rite of renewal of Baptism promises was held, where people rejected Satan and renewed their union with the Savior. After the liturgy, the believers led by the hierarchs prayed for their homeland, for the gift of wisdom, patience, and God’s love for our nation.
The Ordinary of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr Eparchy shared his impressions, noting: “Our Churches, the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, are sister-Churches with long traditions in Ukraine. Therefore, we are glad that the Orthodox Church also celebrates the 1020th anniversary of Baptism,” said Bishop Yan Purvinskyi.
“We are glad that the celebration is attended by two patriarchs, from Moscow and Constantinople. We would also like and hope that the Orthodox Church in Ukraine will become united. There is no good in the division of Churches. We should seek unity commanded by Christ during the last supper, “so that all are one,” stressed the ordinary.
He also told the audience that during the thanksgiving liturgy in St. Oleksandr’s Church, “they asked for unity and blessing for the Orthodox Church, which is the largest one here in Ukraine, for its physical and spiritual growth, development, and strength.”
Bishop Yan came to Ukraine 31 years ago from Latvia. In his commentary for RISU, he noted the great piousness of the Ukrainian nation and expressed hope that the celebration of the 1020th anniversary of the baptism of Kyivan Rus and the visit of the Ecumenical Patriarch “will first of all urge the people to think about who they are, where their origins and roots are from.” The bishop also noted that the wide coverage of this theme by the press will not be fruitless for Ukrainians, for there are many people seeking God, and this may become a sign for them, and the “joint work of all Churches in Ukraine, especially, the unified Ukrainian Orthodox Church will help restore Ukrainian spirituality and the country will follow the way of the civilized European countries.” Bishop Yan noted that “Ukrainian culture is also a gift for European countries, as this culture is associated with faith in God.”
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29.07.2008, [20:01] // Inter-Christian relations // RISU.ORG.UA
Kyiv-Moscow— “Of course such attempts will be made,” said Metropolitan of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Kyrill (Hundyaev), during the 29 July press-conference in Moscow. This information was reported by “Ukrajinska Pravda” with reference from “Interfacs-Ukraina.”
“I do not have a good-natured, optimistic view of the future. We do not have the grounds for such good-natured optimism. But our assignment consists of resisting all the dangers appearing in our faith, from our convictions and relying on help from God,” he added.
Speaking about the possibility of changing the canonical status of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the metropolitan mentioned that this would not be allowed.
“A lot of pressure has been made and continues to be made on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Certain steps to change the canonical status are being requested of the Church,” said the Metropolitan Kyrill.
He mentioned that on 23 July at the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves was a large session of the Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, in which Metropolitan Volodymyr proposed to the hierarchs to discuss the possibility of changing the canonical status of the Church.
“Everyone present, except for one hierarch, spoke in support for the preservation of unity of our church, and declared that they will not allow any change in the canonical status,” stated the Metropolitan.
In his words, this idea was demonstrated by Ukrainians who met with Patriarch Alexis II.
“I saw thousands of Orthodox people who greeted the patriarch in a matter that I have never seen before. Someone said that it reminded them of a meeting with liberators, so much such happiness was found the Ukrainians,” said Metropolitan Kyrill.
He added that this reaction was a “colossal support of this plain truth, which was once said by a reverend and godly person: Russia – Ukraine – Belarus are the holy Rus’.”
Kyrill also declared that the church schism “can only be overcome by Church methods.”
“No political schemes will work. Interference by politicians will create more divisions. Nothing good will come from this,” said the Metropolitan.
“I do not think that this will settle right away. I do not think that our Church awaits easy times in Ukraine. Maybe someone will want to take revenge for what happened. But I would like to return to all of these passionate hotheads. We have to understand one simple thing: the Church exists by its own inner logic for 2000 years. And this is the one thing missing in our time,” he added.
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29.07.2008, [20:04] // Inter-Christian relations // RISU.ORG.UA
Kyiv—The Canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) eagerly desires the return of schismatics, said Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow and All Rus. "Our Church eagerly desires that its children, who unwisely went far away, should return to the parents’ home. But it should be carried out according to the unshakeable canons of the Church," said Alexis II at Ukraine Palace in Kyiv at a celebration for the 1020th anniversary of Baptism of Rus.
According to the Patriarch, it is possible to avoid further divisions only through such conditions.
According to unian.net, the head of the Russian church reminded that in 1992, the Ukrainian Church was granted the right of self-government comparable to the rights of autocephaly (independence) and "successfully carries out its ministry in the complicated conditions of the development of the Ukrainian state."
The patriarch thanked the heads and representatives of the local Orthodox Church of the world who came to Kyiv to participate in the celebration of the 1020th anniversary of Baptism of Rus."
At the same time, Alexis II noted that "those who seceded from the Church seek to use even the smallest crack in that solidarity to show support for one or another local Church…All this, first of all, harms the schismatics themselves, as they are given a chance to justify their sin instead of repenting," added patriarch Alexis.
The Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Volodymyr, thanked the Patriarch for his visit, joint prayers, and celebration of the jubilee of the Baptism of Rus and asked him to come to Ukraine more often to get acquainted with the needs of the people and share its joy.
During the conclusion of the events at the Ukraine Palace, the patriarch was given a large bouquet of orange roses from the Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
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29.07.2008, [19:56] // UOC-KP // RISU.ORG.UA
Kyiv— The official press-release of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP), for the occasion of the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus, published on 28 July, declares that “at this time, the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) appeals to the KP mainly with ultimatums. The Mother-Church, the Constantinople Patriarchate, can propose a calculated and historically fair model for progress… two assignments: renewing Church unity in Ukraine and recognizing the national status of the Ukrainian Church.” In the declaration, the UOC-KP underlines that the goal is to “unite Ukrainian Orthodoxy and to recognize the autocephaly of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.”
“For the sake of the achievement of this goal, our Church is ready to make concessions, and rather considerable ones, but only for the interests of the future of the Ukrainian Church and all of Orthodoxy. We believe that our position will be accepted by all with understanding,” stresses the release.
The UOC-KP thanked the Ukrainian state and especially the President for the support of the Church initiatives for the celebration of the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus. In the message it was also stated that “the Kyivan Patriarchate also highly values the declarations by Patriarch Bartholomew that the Constantinople Church will remain the Mother-Church for the Ukrainian Church, and the reference to the unpleasant fact about the annexation of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Church by the Russian Tsar Peter I.”
The Kyivan Patriarchate press-center informs that the UOC-KP believes that “the visit of the head of the Mother-Church and his personal acquaintance with Ukraine will revive the unification processes of Ukrainian Orthodoxy.” Furthermore, the KP states that “the goal of these processes is the unification of the Ukrainian Church and the recognition of it as national and autocephalous.”
“On the eve of the celebration, the Moscow Patriarchate began to threaten the planned events if hierarchs of the Kyivan Patriarchate plan to attend. In such a state, the Moscow Patriarchate sent letters to the heads of the National Churches asking them to ignore the invitations by the President of Ukraine to come to Kyiv,” continues the message of the UOC-KP. It is also says that the decision to not partake in the official events on the level of the hierarchs of the UOC-KP was to “not place our state in a difficult situation,” “but the faithful and the clergy of the Kyivan Patriarchate” as the message declares, “composed more that three-fourths of those on the St. Sophia Square who stood in the rain to greet the Constantinople Patriarchate and receive his blessing.”
The UOC-KP does not believe that “the recognition of the canonical status of the hierarchy and clergy by another Church is the principle goal of any inter-Church meeting or understanding.” “If our hierarchs and clergy worried solely about the canonical status, then they would never have left the body of the Moscow Patriarchate, and would now be hierarchs and priests of this Church,” says the dispatch.
Summing up the celebratory events for the 1020th anniversary of the Baptism of Kyivan Rus, the release mentions that “the Kyivan Patriarchate hopes that the celebratory events, declarations, and public addresses will have its own continuation and will contribute to the unity and recognition of the National Ukrainian Church.”
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This Tuesday the Most Rev. Dionisiy (Lyakhovych), Curial Bishop, returned from Australia. With a group of forty young people from Ukraine he took part in World Youth Day there.
The trip was divided into two stages. First the Ukrainian delegation took part in the days of the Eparchy of the UGCC in Melbourne. A great Liturgy took place at the stadium. On the feast of the High Apostles Saints Peter and Paul, after whom the eparchy is named, there was a great indulgence granted. During the Liturgy Bishop Dionisiy delivered a sermon. First of all he transmitted a greeting from His Beatitude Lubomyr for Bishop Peter and the whole eparchy. Consequently he turned the attention of those present to the theme-slogan of World Youth Day: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.” What does this power of the Holy Spirit consist in, the power of God? And the answer is: love. "The Father is the primary source of all love and goodness. This love appears in Jesus Christ and with this love He heals the sick, drives out demons, resurrects the dead. Christ fulfilled His mission on earth, and ascended to heaven. The Holy Spirit continues in the Church and in persons this power of love, which originates from the Father, and operates in Jesus Christ and now descends on the Church. The Holy Spirit gives life, charisms, sets preachers on fire. We can recognize His operations through acts in which love, gladness, peace, kindness, tenderness, and long-suffering are demonstrated. This needs to be revealed to us in the works of the Holy Spirit, a place for Him needs to be opened in our heart. That is why it is necessary to use the divine grace from these days," the preacher noted. The Bishop noted the singing of the local choir; in fact, the musical score for an original youth Liturgy was written especially for these days.
After the completion of the days of the Eparchy in Melbourne, the Ukrainian delegation moved to Sidney, where there was a meeting with the Pope. Liturgies were celebrated in the Ukrainian parish in Lidcombe.
From Wednesday to Friday catechesis for youth was conducted. Catechesis was carried out by Bishops Peter (Stasiuk), David (Motiuk) and Dionisiy (Lyakhovych). It should be noted that on the first day 20 persons came for catechesis and for the last one 60.
The theme of the catechesis was "The role of the Holy Spirit in the Church." The first lesson was about the Holy Spirit as the third Divine Person, Who originates from the Father, Who is the primary source of all love and goodness. The next lesson developed a theme about the mission of the Holy Spirit.
On Tuesday the Ukrainian delegation took part in a Liturgy which was celebrated by Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sidney, in the locality of Barangaroo in Sidney Harbour. On Thursday in Barangaroo they met the Holy Father. On Friday they took part in the "Way of the Cross" on the streets of the city of Sidney. On Saturday in Garden Terry Hills a Liturgy was held in which approximately 500 bishops from all over the world took part. In the evening in the area of Randwick, evening prayer together with the Pope took place, to which approximately 300 - 400 thousand youths came.
On Sunday, a Divine Liturgy which the Pope celebrated completed the celebrations of World Youth Day. More than 700 bishops and 1000 priests took part in the Liturgy.
"World Youth Day is an extraordinary festival at which the strength of Christianity appears. Never mind some discomfort, the journey to Australia turned out interesting and rich in memories. Similar events are important for youth, because youth from the whole world meet and a Christian spirit wakes up at that time. The youth feel that they are the Church. There is an opportunity to talk, to discuss, to learn more about God," noted Bishop Dionisiy.
Information Department of the UGCC