Yesterday in Perm a hunger strike "to death" was declared by Fr Veniamin, the former father superior of the Belogorsk monastery, the largest monastery in the Kama region. He is demanding the removal of Metropolitan Afanasy of Perm and Solikamsk. If that does not occur, Fr Veniamin promises to deliver "to public scrutiny all the unseemly actions which bring shame not only to the name of Afanasy but also the church." The scandal is associated with the improper use of money apportioned for the restoration of the Belogorsk monastery.
The Belogorsk St. Nicholas monastery is located 100 kilometers from Perm. The cloister, which was founded in 1890, has gradually become the central Perm monastery and is styled the Athos of the Urals. In 1923 the monastery was closed, and an orphanage, warehouse, and grain storage were housed within its buildings.
The monastery was returned to the Russian Orthodox church in 1990. In the middle of the 90s the administration of Perm province made the decision to participate in the restoration of the monastery that the church had begun. In 1996 the "Belaia gora" fund was created which began receiving contributions from enterprises, private persons, and the provincial budget for restoring the monastery. Reconstruction was conducted under the patronage of Perm provincial Governor Gennady Igumnov, whose deputy was directly involved in the collection of the means for the good work. Money for the restoration was given by practically every large enterprise in the Kama region (the total figure of contributions, including private persons, was more than 27,000). Besides this, the "Belaia gora" fund also received some of the taxes collected on alcohol production in the region.
The position of leader of the monastery, which is under the supervision of Perm diocese, has been in the center of public attention for two years. During this time two abbots have retired and both retirements were accompanied by scandals. At the beginning of 2000 Hegumen Daniil was removed from office specifically because of financial violations that he committed. Archimandrite Veniamin replaced him. Two days ago he was dismissed "in connection with failure to fulfill his duties." In the opinion of the diocesan leadership, the process of restoring the monastery church has been significantly delayed and, besides, since Fr Veniamin's arrival disputes within the monastic brotherhood have begun. More reliable information about the reasons for the dismissal is not available. Representatives of the Perm diocese restrict themselves to the formula: "For the time being we prefer not to comment." According to one version, Fr Veniamin did too little by way of collecting contributions for the restoration of the church, which was the reason for the delay in restoration work. According to other information, the abbot had stopped sharing with the diocesan administration what he had been able to collect.
Now the dismissed cleric has begun a hunger strike. This was preceded by a letter from Fr Veniamin to Archbishop Afanasy of Perm and Solikamsk in which the archimandrite set forth a number of harsh conditions, including a visit by a commission of the Holy Synod for investigating the state of affairs in Perm diocese, a public apology to him by the archbishop, and the archbishop's retirement. If even one of these conditions is not met, Fr Veniamin promised Master Afanasy to submit "to public scrutiny all the unseemly actions which bring shame not only to your name but also the church, which lie as a heavy sin upon your conscience." Archimandrite Veniamin promised that he would depart to his cell and fully intended to fast all the way to death.
There has still been no reaction from the Perm diocese to the priest's action. Representatives of the local administration who deal with relations with religious organizations expressed "our concern with particular personnel changes which, surely, have harmed the work of restoring the monument of architecture." However they hastened to note that "we do not have the right to interfere in church affairs and will cooperate with the new abbot, if one is appointed in accordance with all procedural specifications." (tr. by PDS, posted 1 September 2001)
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The bishops' council of the Russian Autonomous Orthodox church (RPATs) announced a press conference to be conducted on 3 September on the topic "Who wants to arrest Metropolitan Valentin Rusantsov, and why?" As noted in a RPATs communication for journalists, the occasion for the press conference is "a series of contract articles appearing in July and August in newspapers of Vladimir and the center containing unfounded accusations against the primate of RPATs, Metropolitan Valentin of Suzdal and Vladimir."
The communication says that a "traditional collection" of accusations was leveled against him, from "molesting youth" to "sale of immovable property abroad." Two criminal cases have been opened against the head of RPATs and representatives of the Vladimir prosecutor's office have threatened him with arrest.
The leadership of RPATs plans to lay out at the press conference its official point of view on what has happened and to answer "any questions pertaining to the current state of Orthodoxy (including 'alternative Orthodoxy') in Russia, the RPATs communication for the press says. (tr. by PDS, posted 31 August 2001)
METROPOLITAN VALENTIN OF SUZDAL AND VLADIMIR
(Russian Orthodox Autonomous church)
Mir religii dossier
(excerpts)
Anatoly Petrovich Rusantsov was born 3 March 1939. In 1956 he entered the Holy Dormition monastery in Odessa. . . . From 1962 to 1973 he was rector of the Holy Dormition church in Makhachkala, Dagestan, and dean of the [Russian Orthodox] churches of the Dagestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. He graduated from the history faculty of the State University of Makhachkala and the Moscow Ecclesiastical Seminary. Later he graduated from the Moscow Ecclesiastical Academy and defended his kandidat's dissertation.
In 1973 he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite and transferred to the Vladimir diocese and appointed rector of the cathedral in Suzdal. After the city authorities forced the parish to give up the church located on Torgovaia square of the city in 1977, Archbishop Valentin performed divine services in the Emperor Constantine cathedral of Suzdal. In 1977 Patriarch Pimen awarded him the order of Saint Prince Vladimir, third degree. . . . In 1988 Archimandrite Valentin was subjected to criticism from the authorities and the leadership of RPTs. According to information of RPATs, the basic reason for this was "his candid statements about the absence of religious freedom in USSR, while he was making a lecture tour in America." Placed on leave by the Russian Orthodox church, he decided to leave the jurisdiction of RPTs as "irrevocably taking the path of violation of the holy canons."
On 7 April 1990 Archbishop Valentin and members of the Suzdal parish officially announced their departure from the Moscow patriarchate. On 11 April they were received into the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia. On 4 October Archimandrite Valentin was named exarch of the bishops' synod of ROCOR on the territory of USSR. On 10 February 1991 Archimandrite Valentin was ordained bishop of Suzdal and Vladimir in the church of St. Job the Patient in Brussels. In 1993, as a result of a conflict arising with ROCOR he was retired by decision of the bishops' synod of ROCOR.
In March 1994, while not giving up attempts to restore ties with ROCOR, he created the Supreme Church Administration of the Russian Orthodox church. By decision of the administration, Bishop Valentin was elevated to the rank of archbishop in that same year. In 1996 the bishops' council of RPTs unfrocked the bishop because of his creation of the Russian Orthdox Autonomous church, which was not recognized by the Moscow patriarchate. On 15 March 2001, by decision of the bishops' synod of RPATs, he was elevated to rank of metropolitan and recognized as the chief bishop of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous church. (tr. by PDS, posted 31 August 2001)
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Defence lawyers in the trial of Lyova Margaryan presented evidence to show that the criminal charges against him are based on a Soviet anti-religion law aimed at persecuting people for their religious beliefs, the court heard today. A decision in the trial of Lyova Margaryan is expected in mid-September after Margaryan completed his testimony in the Armavir regional court. Judge Mamvel Simonyan again rejected two motions that were presented for a second time by Prosecutor Minasyan when the prosecutor failed to explain their relevance to the criminal charges against Lyova Margaryan.
Lyova Margaryan is charged with "infringement of individual and civil rights and freedoms" under Article 244(1) of Armenia’s Soviet-era Criminal Code. Sos Grigoryan, lawyer for the defence, produced historical documentation showing that since 1991 many other former Soviet republics have removed this crime from their statute books. Under the Russian Federation Law of 18 October 1991, No. 1761-1 "On the rehabilitation of victims of political persecution" actions classified by the criminal charge now being used to prosecute Lyova Margaryan were declared to "lack any danger to the public" and those convicted under it were completely exonerated. This law describes those convicted under the charge as "victims of the tyranny of a totalitarian State" who were "persecuted for their religious beliefs." Numerous Jehovah’s Witnesses were rehabilitated and compensated under this law.
The trial is adjourned until September 11 to allow both sides time to prepare their closing arguments.
PROSECUTOR ATTACKS JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES' RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
Office of Public Information, Jehovah's Witnesses, 25 August 2001
On Friday, August 24, Prosecutor Minasyan commenced his cross examination of Lyova Margaryan by attacking the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses which he described as ‘propaganda’. For several hours Lyova Margaryan, using the Bible, calmly answered questions regarding his religious convictions. Minasyan listened respectfully and checked Scriptural references in his own Bible. Sos Grigoryan, lawyer for the defence, raised several objections arguing that the prosecutor’s line of questioning had nothing to do with the criminal charges against Margaryan. Hrachya Kesheshian, a local spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses, remarked: "We are always pleased to defend our faith", but added, "surely a court of Law is not the place to debate religious beliefs."
Minasyan repeatedly referred to Margaryan’s role in seeking registration for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Armenia, leading defence lawyer Rustam Khachatryan to the view: "The prosecutor’s questions appear to demonstrate that the real issue being fought in the Armavir court is not whether Lyova Margaryan is guilty of criminal charges, but should Jehovah’s Witnesses be registered?" This prosecution follows calls by law-enforcement officials’ on use of Armenian television to call for a crack down on unregistered religions. Jehovah’s Witnesses have made numerous attempts to secure registration since Armenia gained independence in 1991. Freedom of religion and conscience is guaranteed by the Constitution of Armenia and by the European Convention of Human Rights, which Armenia signed upon its accession to the Council of Europe on January 25, 2001.
At the start of the day’s proceedings the prosecutor repeated two motions that Judge Mamvel Simonyan had rejected on Monday as irrelevant to the criminal charges against Margaryan. The Judge decided to reconsider the motions on completion of Margaryan’s testimony.
The prosecutor called for a break in proceedings saying that he had numerous questions to put to Lyova Margaryan. Court proceedings was scheduled to resume at 3 p.m. but was delayed until Monday August 27 when the Judge was unexpectedly called away to Yerevan.
PROSECUTOR FAILS TO APPEAR AGAIN IN JEHOVAH'S WITNESS TRIAL
Office of Public Information, Jehovah's Witnesses, 22 August 2001
Television cameras filmed an empty seat as, for the third time, Prosecutor Minasyan failed to make an appearance in the Armavir regional court where Lyova Margaryan is due to face cross-examination by the prosecution. After a four-hour delay the original prosecutor in the trial, Mr. Hovhannesyan, informed the court that Minasyan was still sick. Hovhannesyan claimed that he was not prepared to carry out the questioning of Lyova Margaryan alone. However, he gave assurances that Minasyan would be in court on Friday, August 24. Defence attorney Rustam Khachatryan remarked: "Throughout this trial we have witnessed various attempts by the prosecution to stall the judicial process. This is hardly surprising given their failure to produce evidence against Margaryan." Margaryan is being charged under a criminal provision that dates back to the era of Khrushchev’s anti-religion campaign, and if convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.
ACCUSED JEHOVAH'S WITNESS TESTIFIES IN ARMENIA
Office of Public Information, Jehovah's Witnesses, 21 August 2001
Yesterday in the Armavir regional court Lyova Margaryan stood in the
witness box and denied the charges against him. "I am accused under
Article 244 of the Armenian Criminal Code for practicing my religious beliefs.
I am proud to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses", he declared. Margaryan
described the charge of "luring young people into attending religious meetings
of an unregistered religion" as having "no basis". "I am responsible
for my children and I would be insulted if anyone interferes with my right.
Youngsters who attend our religious meetings do so with their parents permission",
he stated. Margaryan rejected as "nonsense" the criminal charge that
he "influenced members to refuse their civic duties".
Earlier the Mayor of Metsamor, Meruzhan Karazyan, informed the court
that, following verbal complaints from inhabitants of Metsamor, on April
5, 2000 he sent a letter to schools expressing concern that a child’s education
is hindered when taught by a ‘sect’. However, he admitted, "Priests
are allowed to teach in schools". The Mayor testified that he had
received no complaints against Lyova Margaryan and added that he knew nothing
about the charges.
Judge Mamvel Simonyan reminded the court that Jehovah’s Witnesses should be referred by their name not as a ‘sect’.
Presenting two separate motions the prosecutor called eight witnesses from a child custody case involving one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, then asked for an ‘expert’ from a religious faculty in Armenia to testify in court. The Judge rejected both motions, deciding that they were irrelevant to the criminal charges against Margaryan.
The Prosecutor requested four days to prepare his cross examination of Lyova Margaryan. Judge Simonyan denied the request and adjourned the hearing until the following. At the start of today’s hearing Prosecutor Minasyan reported sick. The case is scheduled to resume on Wednesday, August 22.
JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES TESTIFY IN SUPPORT OF MARGARYAN
Office of Public Information, Jehovah's Witnesses, 16 August 2001
In the ongoing trial of Lyova Margaryan, six defence witnesses, all of whom are Jehovah’s Witnesses, yesterday refuted the charges against Margaryan. He is accused under Article 244 of the Armenian Criminal Code of "luring young people into attending religious meetings of an unregistered religion" and "influencing members to refuse their civic duties." The witnesses said Margaryan never discussed civic duties with fellow believers. Several parents explained that they have children who attend religious meetings with their written permission, and others who do not because they have no interest in the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses. A group from the Armenian Apostolic Church arrived to observe proceedings and were granted a section of the court room.
The trial continues on Monday, August 20, when Lyova Margaryan is expected to give evidence. (posted 29 August 2001)
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