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Two church buildings belonging to the Suzdal diocese of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous church (RPATs) were seriously damaged as a result of fires that occurred in the morning of 3 August. As "Blagovest-info" news agency was told at the Suzdal diocesan headquarters of RPATs, passers-by noticed a column of flame over the metal hanger of the garage of the bishops' synod building at 4:30. Pilgrims who were in the vicinity of the building noticed that five minutes earlier an automobile had departed hastily from the hangar containing, as the investigation suggests, the criminals who committed the arson. Evidence of intentional arson also was provided by the discovery of traces of bottles with a flammable mixture at the site of the fire.
Before the arrival of firefighters, RPATs clergy and pilgrims tried to fight the flame with their own efforts, as a result of which they managed to save two cars located in the hangar from exploding. One of the clergymen was overcome by fumes and was given emergency medical aid. Approximately a half hour after the discovery of the fire the flame was extinguished by the efforts of two firefighting teams.
As a result of the fire, a store of wood and building materials adjoining the metal hangar was completely burned up; this was the center of the fire. The flame partially affected the interior walls of the hangar, destroying automobile spare parts and covers that were kept there. Fortunately containers standing alongside with combustable materials, including a 12-ton barrel filled with brine, were not damaged. The fire posed a serious danger to residents of neighboring buildings, including housing for young pilgrim children who were spending the night in the building close by the hangar. The Suzdal department of internal affairs has initiated a criminal case for arson.
A second fire broke out at approximately 9:30 in a garage of the RPATs convent of the Disposition of the Robe on Vasilevskaia street. Criminals poured gasoline through an opening in the back wall of the garage into the building and set fire to it. The fire was immediately discovered by workers who were working in the convent yard. The investigation team that arrived at the site discovered a discarded canister and bottle with a flammable mixture not far from the site.
As the chancellor of the bishops' synod of RPATs, Archbishop Feodor Gineevsky, told "Blagovest-info" in an interview, a former priest of this church, Andrei Osetrov, has frequently issued calls for burning the church buildings. In the summer of 2001, after he left RPATs, he initiated a judicial investigation of the head of this community, Metropolitan Valentin Rusantsov, that resulted in the rendering of a conditional sentence. The Suzdal court found the head of RPATs guilty of seduction of youth. In May of last year Andrei Osetrov, who was unfrocked by RPATs, officially joined the Russian Orthodox church, where he was again ordained a priest and appointed rector of the church of St Stephen in the village of Kideksha. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 August 2003)
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In the "Olympic" stadium of Kiev on Thursday an international congress of the "Jehovah's Witnesses" religious organization began. Thousands of delegates from various countries of the world assembled there.
As a reporter for the "Interfax-Ukraine" reported, the 80,000 capacity stadium was approximately 30% filled. In all, 72,000 persons were invited to participate in the congress. According to information from the state border service of Ukraine, 4,700 persons already have arrived in the country from abroad for the forum. Jehovists from Belarus, Armenia, Georgia, Estonia, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, Poland, USA and Finland arrived for the four-day congress.
Parallel with the Kiev forum, congresses will be held in Lvov, Kharkov, Donetsk, and Simferopol.
The "Jehovah's Witnesses" religious organization was created in 1872 in USA. In the 1920s its adherents appeared in western regions of Ukraine and Belorussia. The activity of the Jehovists was forbidden in USSR. And international congress of Jehovah's Witnesses already has been held in Kiev in 1993. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 August 2003)
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The last assembly of Sourozh eparchy (London) in July took place without her head, Metropolitan Anthony Bloom. The question about the eparchyÕs status practically did not come up even during recesses. How the situation will be resolved in the near future came up in an interview between Strana.RuÕs correspondent and Archpriest Vladimir Arkhipov, who was present at the assembly.
-- Father Vladimir, it is no secret that there were strong speculations about the possible transfer of the Russian Orthodox ChurchÕs Sourozh (England) EparchyÕs to the Constantinople patriarchate. Would such changes in the Sourozh Eparchy take place following Metropolitan AnthonyÕs death?
- I can say that I spoke with Vladyka Anthony on this subject, and he obviously did not want this. I think that the transfer will not take place because Metropolitan Anthony was a person extremely loyal to his Church and his confession. I know that he did everything possible to keep the simmering conflict from boiling over. He did whatever he could.
I believe that all his disciples (should they remain in control of the eparchy), particularly Vladyka Basil (Osborn) who was designated by the Synod as the administrator of the Sourozh eparchy, will also do everything possible to prevent the transfer. Should a situation arise when circumstances would become beyond their competence or strength, then one cannot exclude that the Sourozh eparchyÕs parishes could decide to go to the Constantinople patriarchate. In this case the decision does not rest entirely with them. As for their wishes, they will try to remain faithful to Vladyka Anthony, to his intentions and his wishes.
Ð What do you consider Metropolitan Anthony was (and is) for the Russian Orthodox Church?
- The Lord sends such people to us very rarely.
This was a person of exceptional honesty and veracity within himself, before his God and before every individual. Without such qualities Ð honesty, veracity or, as he liked to say, transparency Ð there can be no real faith. It cannot be engendered in the heart of some other person. God will be unable to speak in another heart.
Metropolitan Anthony was a standard, a contemporary example who happened to be a holy man. This was a person who understood Christianity with clarity, guarding everyone by his example from turning Orthodoxy into a branch of a cult.
He took such a position that no one of his flock nor anyone who wanted to follow his example would be tempted to turn to seek of signs and wonders which, as the Gospel cautions, will not be given. Metropolitan Anthony avoided any kind of emotional exclamations with respect to numberless "renovations" of icons, weeping ones, and other "miracles" which now fill the Church and human consciousness. He treated all this soberly and with caution.
This was an example of a sober, clear, and an enlightened understanding of the Gospels and his life consisted of his personal relation to Christ. Anyone who wanted to follow him could see in him a real, living example of such a relationship.
Ð You met Metropolitan Anthony some time ago and knew him well. Could you share some personal recollections about him?
My personal recollection is of a profound gratitude. He blessed me to become a priest many years ago. Actually, we developed a father-son relationship and in the last several years it has become even stronger. I have personal recollections about his exceptional warmth, peace and his pure and crystal-clear relations with God. Whenever I saw Vladyka Anthony I felt a lifting of all my expectations, feelings and thoughts.
I saw him often and I also had several opportunities to visit him in London so my memory of him is of a relation to a father. Although I have another spiritual and neither one can replace the other, but there was always a feeling of gratitude, and an appreciation of his ability to maintain such a pure and loyal relationship to God and the Church at times when he needed to bear the Cross. The circumstances surrounding him do not reflect his true state which far from everyone can understand or accept. Vladyka Anthony had a clear and exceptional understanding that the cross he bore was not a simple one. He understood this but never declined to bear it, expressing only gratitude to God for everything.
He avoided and ran away from any kind of pomp, an external affectation, which inevitably accompanies hierarchal services. This was one of the directions he took in his services in the eparchy, which did not please everyone. He was firm about this: to avoid any kind of external actions which were not related to the service of a bishop. Because such external entourage distracts the people from the one who serves God. Vladyko understood this very well saying, "I am a bishop who does not lord it over you but who serves you." This is a very important point, a very important principle. A bishop who is not power-seeking but one who seeks to serve.
It is rare for people who have attained such a high position, or any position, who manage to maintain such principles. (tr. by A. Smirensky, posted 7 August 2003)
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Events occurring in the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe [OSCE] are rather untypical for international forums. Here there are not the usual official resolutions; these meetings serve only as an arena for discussion so that subsequently the opinions expressed and recommendations for offices of OSCE and its member states (from Canada to Kirgizia) can be published.
The agenda of the last meeting was devoted to three basic themes: possible restrictions on freedom of conscience in light of the daily intensifying policies of national security, tolerance in the religious and neighboring sphere, and hate speech in mass media and publications devoted to religion. Reporters spoke on each theme and then representatives of states and nongovernmental organizations discussed the matters dealt with in the reports.
It is remarkable, for example, that the representative of Azerbaijan completely denied that there were any problems in his country and then declared that the state and religion have worked together in the common task of bringing good out of evil. No more, no less. The representative of Uzbekistan, which has gained notoriety for total repression against Islamic and any other opposition, was more modest; he did not deny violations of the law but he ascribed them to corrupt officials.
The first reporter, Professor Kevin Boil, raised a rather acute question: can secularity in the countries of OSCE be considered the norm in a juridical sense? This problem arose in connection with the decision of the European court that agreed with the law of Turkey forbidding an Islamic party. We note that for Russia the question about religious parties has been decided; in our country creation of parties with such identity is directly forbidden.
It is well known that the question about the secularity of public education is more critical for our country at present. In the opinion of a member of the Russian delegation, Andrei Sebentsov, secular and religious education should be separated and religious associations may not interfere in required secondary education. Sebentsov advanced a rather surprising argument in favor of the second thesis: receiving a basic secondary education in and of itself will facilitate "selecting a religion," and society must be concerned to guarantee the free selection of faith.
A contradictory position was taken by Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin. He articulated the position of the Moscow patriarchate very clearly, according to which the real conflict now is not among religious worldviews but between them as a whole and the secular worldview. The state, guided by the principle of freedom of conscience, should maintain its neutrality in this conflict.
Speaking about restrictions for religious associations associated with maintaining security, the Swiss representative, Jean Francois Maier, declared that one should not replace the idea of security with ideological criteria. This topic is extremely vital for Russia, although in our country sometimes the threat to "spiritual security" is seen even in the extremely old religions.
However, serious doubts were expressed relative to the idea that some special restrictions are needed for religious associations in general that are distinct from restrictions for public associations.
One of the points of the agenda was discussion of discrimination against religious minorities. And it is necessary to say that somehow in western Europe they have managed to deal with this. In a number of countries ancient concordats with the "dominant church" have gradually been supplemented with new ones. For example, four concordats are in effect in Italy and another two (including the Jehovah's Witnesses) have been agreed to and await ratification. At the meeting representatives of Italy and the Vatican spoke virtually in unison about the need to observe the rights of even the small religious groups.
Suggestions to reject completely any juridical strengthening of the hierarchy of religions were heard on the part of international rights defense organizations. The more so since no hierarchical system (including concordats) can keep pace with the current dynamic of religious life.
Actually, there is no point in creating a hierarchy where none exists. The point is that in a number of countries of eastern Europe, including Russia, there are enough cases of discrimination against religious minorities. Every movement for erecting a hierarchy only draws officials into greater discrimination. This particularly pertained to Russia in the case of a briefing arranged by the International League of Human Rights. The writer of this article expressed his concern at this meeting about the threat to religious equality in Central Asia in connection with mass arrests in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Thus it was not quite right for him to express concern about religious equality in Russia at the briefing. Against that background things are not so bad in our country.
I would like to note that at conferences of OSCE one is hearing every more firmly recommendations for states to reject the use of the terms "sect" and "cult" as offensive with respect to small or new religious associations.
Dr. Frances d'Susa, making a report on problems of religious intolerance occurring in mass media, stressed that direct prohibition of hate speech should be firmly limited so as not to subject freedom of speech to unnecessary restriction. She called for states and the public to distinguish between really impermissible hate speech and expressions that, however offensive, are permissible.
Relevant legal standards in Russia are poorly formulated and thus we do not have any mechanism to distinguish really dangerous agitation that requires criminal prevention and insignificant cases for which administrative measures and civil suits are sufficient. After all, rather often some representatives of the Russian public have called for holding someone criminally responsible on article 282 of the Criminal Code ("incitement of ethnic and religious hostility") on clearly frivolous and extremely debatable bases. (tr. by PDS, posted 6 August 2003)
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Sooner or later Russia will have to become tolerant.
Several important themes resounded at a conference of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. But I would like to talk about only those that are now most urgent for Russia.
First theme: possible restriction of religious freedoms. They are indicted in part 2 of article 9 of the European Convention for the Defense of Human Rights and Basic Freedoms. In the opinion of conference participants, the introduction of new restrictions cannot be viewed as well founded. In the Russian law on freedom of conscience and religious associations of 1997 the restrictive list was extremely broad, although the decisions of the Constitutional Court substantially alleviated a whole series of parameters. Nevertheless these restrictions exceed the European standard.
In my own work on a mass of cases, when real restrictions at the local level directly contradict Russian and international legislation complaints to higher instances yield no results. For example, representatives of the society of Jehovah's Witnesses sent to the Gatchina municipal chamber a request for allotting to them a plot of land for constructing a church. Local authorities directed them to the Orthodox priests for permission. Then for what reason, observing the equality of religious organizations before the law, are the Orthodox not directed to this society for permission for granting land for construction a church?
Second theme--tolerance. This also is rather painful for Russia. Not long before the revolution conversion from Orthodoxy to another confession was punishable as a crime. It is not necessary to talk about tolerance under the soviet regime. A lot of time is needed for overcoming traditions of intolerance, but much greater problems have arisen for religious organizations that have been listed as so-called sects (and this was discussed in Vienna). In 1994 the Russian Orthodox church drew up a detailed list which then was actively circulated by state structures. There followed orders of the State Duma and informational materials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health, and the like.
In 1999 the prosecutor's office wrote resources for law enforcement agencies where, for example, it was indicated that Jehovah's Witnesses are prone to some forms of crimes and members of the Unification Church to others. To be sure, no convincing evidence of this was provided. And where could it be gotten. The theory about the inclination of Jews to drink Christian children's blood went out of favor long ago.
In 2000 the Ministry of Education sent out to the component elements of the federation a letter where the activities of Mormons, Pentecostals, and other organizations were given a negative characterization. It is therefore not surprising that at a session of the licensing commission of the Department of Education of Moscow on 6 February 2003 a license was given to the St. Thomas Aquinas College of Philosophy, Theology and History on the condition that its rector, who was a member of the Jesuit order of the Roman Catholic church, be replaced.
In an interview with "Gazeta" on 25 April 2003 Patriarch Alexis II of Moscow and all-Rus responded to a question whether such people as Andrei Kuraev and Alexander Dvorkin act in the name of the church when they "go about the country and give lectures, show films, and incite in Orthodox believers hatred for those who believe differently," by saying directly: "Today the tasks of the domestic mission are a priority for the Russian Orthodox church. Therefore the educational work today includes not only preaching the gospel but also arguing, including in public, against this kind of teaching that contradicts Orthodoxy. I do not know of cases of incitement of religious or interethnic hostility by the evangelists you have mentioned. In addition, I am convinced that manifestations of such hostility are directly connected with the ignorance about religion that dominates in the public, which they are trying their best to combat."
Instances of religious intolerance can hardly be viewed apart from the general direction of relations between the state and religions. Although the constitution of RF and federal legislation on freedom of conscience and religious associations guarantee to religious organizations equality before the law, to a great extent this provision remains in word only.
And finally, the third theme of the forum--the role of mass news media. Unfortunately, many publications dealing with questions of faith are blatantly illiterate and, it seems, calls by OSCE for educating reporters who write on religious topics have changed little.
Conditions of intolerance with regard to believers of other confessions, especially those that have centers abroad, are increasing in Russian society. In one of the recent editions of the parachurch publication "Rus Pravoslavnaia" there was broad collection of materials containing crude and slanderous expressions of an explicitly antisemitic and antiislamic character. Practically all of Russia's neighbors are declared to be its enemies. The collection's composers "predict" that after "a great slaughter" in which the Vatican will appear on the side of the enemies of "holy Rus" everyone will have to bow to the "Orthodox God."
In April the NTV channel showed a broadcast that was quite offensive about Pentecostal Christians, which included participants from the department of "sectarian studies" of the St. Tikhon's Orthodox Institute. They were accused of performing "ritual murders," making zombies of believers, and breaking up families. Meanwhile representatives of this "totalitarian sect" participate in the Council on Cooperation with Religious Associations of the Russian presidential administration.
In our country there is a traditional trust in the news media. This is why they should devote their energies to forming tolerance in our multiconfessional society and respect for the rights of each person to freedom of conscience and observing the constitutional principle of the equality of religious organizations before the law.
In any case, sooner or later Russian will have to become tolerant; otherwise it will be difficult for us to occupy a worthy place in the family of European nations. (tr. by PDS, posted 6 August 2003)
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"Refusals of permission by local administrations in the provinces of Russia for conducting public protestant worship services have already become the tradition, if one judges according to scale," an attorney for the "Grace of Christ" church, Sergei Sychev, declared on the occasion of the refusal of the administration of St. Petersburg to permit the "Jesus March" which was supposed to have gone through the northern capital on 27 July. According to the attorney, recently the authorities of Siberian cities such as Novosibirsk, Abakan, and many others have refused to permit protestant churches to conduct public services, while Orthodox churches have conducted processions of the cross and other public events. Such refusals directly contradict the rights of believers of "freedom to confess their religion or convictions by means of public worship services and performance of religious and worship rituals, and the right to freedom of peaceful assembly" that are guaranteed by the constitution, Sychev noted. "Because we are now preparing for a trial in the European Court on Human Rights, we have been receiving complains about incidents of refusal of permission for conducting public services. I think that our country, which is trying to become a member of the European Union, should introduce appropriate religious legislation and really, and not just in words, provide equal rights for all confessions," Sergei Sychev stressed. (tr. by PDS, posted 6 August 2003)
PENTECOSTAL LEADER THINKS SITUATION THAT DEVELOPED AROUND JESUS MARCH
IN PETERSBURG "SIMPLY LACK OF COORDINATION OF ACTIONS"
Blagovest-info/Radiotserkov, 31 July 2003
The head of the Russian Associated Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith, Sergei Riakhovsky, thinks that the situation that developed around the conduct of the Jesus March in St. Petersburg "is simply a lack of coordination of actions on the part of march organizers and the administration of St. Petersburg." Sergei Riakhovsky, who is also a member of the Consultative Council of Heads of Protestant Churches of Russia, noted that it is possible this situation will be reviewed at the next session of the council, but that session will be held only in September.
Organizers of the March in the Name of Jesus Christ received a negative response from the administration of St. Petersburg to their notification of the conducting of the Jesus March and Peacelovers' March. The authorities did not consent to this event on Nevsky prospect and Palace Square on 27 July just as they did not give approval to conducting the Jesus March on 7 June. The procession was supposed to go along Nevsky prospect and be concluded with a meeting and "Holiday of Peacelovers" on Palace Square. As the president of the Jesus March Fund, Pastor Sergei Timokhin, said: "I think that God has called us to united actions by all Russian Christians. The country has grown up; it demands a corresponding level from us. The All Russian Jesus March resounds in the minds and hearts of many who believe in the future of Russia." (tr. by PDS, posted 6 August 2003)
FIRST ORGANIZING MEETING OF ALL-RUSSIAN JESUS MARCH HELD IN ST. PETERSBURG
by Anna Kolesnikova
Radiotserkov, 25 July 2003
On 15 July the first founding meeting of the "All-Russian Jesus March" organization was held in St. Petersburg. Premises for it were provided to the organizing committee of the Jesus March by the rector of the St. Petersburg Evangelical Theological Academy, Bishop Sergei Nikolaiev of the Association of Evangelical Churches of Northwestern Russia.
The decision to create the "All-Russian Jesus March" organization was made when it became clear that the administration of St. Petersburg may refuse permission to conduct a March in the Name of Jesus Christ on 27 July in the northern capital. As the president of the Jesus March Fund, Pastor Sergei Timokhin of the Contemporary Church of Christ the Savior, reported, well known St. Petersburg and Moscow pastors and bishops of protestant churches gave their consent to join the leadership of the All-Russian Jesus March. He noted that the organizing committee expects the participation in this action by Christians from all regions of Russia. Sergei Timokhin called protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox to cooperate "so that our country may have moral and spiritual support in the development of its civil and public life." (tr. by PDS, posted 6 August 2003)
MARCH IN NAME OF JESUS CHRIST NOT HELD IN ST. PETERSBURG BECAUSE OF
ABSENCE OF PERMISSION ON PART OF CITY AUTHORITIES
by Anna Kolesnikova
Radiotserkov, 24 July 2003
Organizers of the March in the Name of Jesus Christ received on 22 July a negative response from the administration of St. Petersburg to their notification about conducting a Jesus March--Peacelovers' March. The authorities did not agree to permit this event on Nevsky prospect and Palace Square on 27 July, just as they did not give their consent to conducting a Jesus March on 7 June. At that time march organizers were urged to postpone its date to a later time in order to guarantee security for leaders of various countries of the world who were coming for the celebration of the 300th anniversary of St. Petersburg.
The Christian procession was supposed to go along Nevsky prospect and finish with a meeting and "Holiday of Peacelovers" concert on Palace Square.
In accordance with existing legislation, march organizers made a timely notification of the city authorities about the planned event and asked their permission for conducting it with city services, first aid, fire, police, and others. According to law, an event will not be held in the event that any of the services does not consent. However, according to an assistant to the president of the Jesus March Fund, Olga Tsarikovskaia, in such a case that does not mean that the authorities had prohibited the event.
The organizing committee of the march and representatives of evangelical churches of Russia and St. Petersburg had decided previously that if the march were permitted, Christians would pray on that day for peace, harmony, and mutual understanding and against war, discord, terrorism, extremism, rebellion, divorce, suicide, and other manifestations of disorder. This prayer was supposed to be spiritual preparation for conducting an All-Russian Jesus March. If the authorities refuse permission for the Peacelovers' March, its organizers will again postpone the date of the march and will seek protection from the presidential envoy for the Northwestern federal district and the presidential administration of RF so that the constitutional provisions for freedom of religious confession will be fulfilled.
In connection with the definite misunderstanding of the significance of the Jesus March on the part of the administration of St. Petersburg, the organizing committee of the march made the decision to postpone it to a later date so that they would have the possibility of preparing an event on the statewide level, the All-Russian Jesus March. . . . (tr. by PDS, posted 6 August 2003)
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