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Russian leaders more active in church on Christmas than citizens

FEWER THAN ONE PERCENT OF MOSCOW RESIDENTS ATTEND CHRISTMAS SERVICES
Portal-credo.ru, 7 January 2010

According to official data, attendance at Christmas services in Moscow, as in the past, did not exceed 1 percent of the number of residents of the city.  Christmas services in Moscow's cathedrals, houses of worship, and churches in the twenty-four hour period from the morning of 6 January to morning of 7 January were attended by more than 135,000 persons. This was reported by Interfax, citing a source in the law enforcement agencies of the capital. Last year, it was reported that 108,000 believers attended Christmas night liturgies, although this year the statistical data refer to an entire 24-hour period.

The agency's source noted that on Christmas night the church of Christ the Savior was attended by approximately 6,000 persons. Among them was also Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who arrived at the service along with his wife, Svetlana. Almost 5,000 persons attended the Epiphany cathedral in Elikhovo and more than 1,000 were at the St. Daniel's monastery.

In all, more than 85,000 believers participated in the night liturgies of 2010 in Moscow, which is about 23,000 fewer than in the past. These numbers constitute less than one percent of the population of the Russian capital. On Christmas night, 5,500 police and internal military forces patrolled Moscow's streets to maintain order.

At the end of 2009 information appeared that on the night of 6-7 January, 8,540 police officers would go out onto the capital's streets. Also it was predicted that around 200,000 persons would attend Moscow's churches on Christmas night. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 January 2010)


MEDVEDEV ATTENDS CHRISTMAS LITURGY IN CHURCH OF CHRIST THE SAVIOR
Interfax, 7 January 2010

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrived with  his wife at the church of Christ the Savior, where a patriarchal liturgy for Christmas was in progress.

On days of chief church holidays, the head of the Russian state always attends services. When he was still in the post of first vice-premier and head of the administration of the Kremlin, D. Medvedev most often attended Christmas and Paskha services in the chief cathedral of the Russian church. Last year the president also attended the Christmas liturgy in the church of Christ the Savior.

The patriarchal liturgy was attended by members of the Russian government, deputies of the State Duma, members of the Federation Council, and well known public figures.  (tr. by PDS, posted 7 January 2010)


PUTIN OBSERVES CHRISTMAS IN OLD CHURCH ON OUTSKIRTS OF KOSTROMA
Interfax, 7 January 2010

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin arrived at Kostroma where in the village of Selishche in the church of the Holy Martyrs Alexander and Antony of Rome, along with parishioners, he participated in the Christmas divine worship.

At the conclusion of the service, Putin chatted with parishioners and also presented the rector of the church an icon of Elijah the Prophet. Together they placed the image in the chapel of St. Elijah [Ilya].

Selishche, which is known from the 14th century, is located on the outskirts of Kostroma, on the right bank of the Volga river. At the beginning of the 17th century there were two wooden churches in the village, where in the second half of the 18th century a stone church was built at the expense of nobles, which has been preserved to the present.

Now a children's Sunday school functions in the church. In addition, in summer an Orthodox children's camp is opened.

In accordance with long established tradition, Vladimir Putin chooses a church outside the boundaries of Moscow for attending the Christmas service, often in small Russian cities.

Last year in the night of 7 January the Russian premier attended the holiday service in the Presentation church of Petrozavodsk, one of the oldest and most beautiful Orthodox churches of the city.

In 2008, when he occupied the post of president of Russia, Putin celebrated Christmas in the chief cathedral of Veliky Ustiug. In 2007 he attended the divine liturgy in the suburban Moscow New Jerusalem monastery. In 2006, despite a temperature of 50 below zero, V. Putin flew for Christmas to Yakutia and stood through the service in the Transfiguration cathedral church of Yakutsk.

In previous years Putin went for Christmas to the small church of the Nativity of the Mother of God in the village of Gorodnia in Tver province, the church of the Sign in Suzdal, and the church of the Vladimir icon of the Mother of God in the village of Agapovka in Cheliabinsk province.

In the past nine years, Putin has remained in the capital for Christmas only twice, in 2000, when as acting president of the Russian federation he attended the holiday service in the church of the Life-giving Trinity on Vorobiev hills, and in 2001, when he celebrated this holiday with the family of the then-chancellor of Germany, Gerhard Schroeder in the church of Christ the Savior. As a rule, Putin has attended Paskha services in the church of Christ the Savior. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 January 2010)


MEDVEDEV ATTENDS CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE THE VICTORIOUS IN SUBURBAN VIDNOE
Interfax, 7 January 2010

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited the church of the Holy Martyr George the Victorous in the Moscow suburb of Vidnoe on Thursday, after laying a wreath in the Alley of Glory.

Construction on this church began in 2005, in the year of the sixtieth anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War. The church was consecrated two years later.

The president was greeted in the church by pupils of the Sunday school. They read poetry devoted to the birth of Christ and presented him a picture of the "Angel with the icon of the Birth of Christ," which was drawn by pupils of this school.

In return, the president presented the school an icon of the Birth of Christ, and at the request of the children he was photographed with them.

The children invited the president to visit one of the classes of the school, which is housed in the same church, where they described their lessons. The president presented the school an electronic blackboard. Then he drank tea with the pupils. Turning to the rector of the church, Medvedev noted that "it is very nice here, everything is fine, and the entire premises of the church are being used in an amazingly rational way."

In conversation with the pupils, the president asked them about their lessons and about their lives at home. The children described for him in detail their vacation in the Orthodox "Defender" military camp, where they participated intensively in the restoration of one of the churches.

Medvedev expressed his satisfaction that the children had engaged in the restoration work and in research work. "Children's participation in the restoration of churches for our country is an extremely important affair," the president said, and the rector of the church added that the children who participated in this process will never be able "to raise their hand against the church in order to destroy it." (tr. by PDS, posted 7 January 2010)

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Heads of Russian government, church exchange Christmas greetings, gifts

MOSCOW'S NOVODEVICHY MONASTERY WILL BE HANDED OVER TO CHURCH, PUTIN PROMISES PATRIARCH KIRILL
Portal-credo.ru, 06 January 2010

In 2010 the government will deliver the Novodevichy Monastery in Moscow to the Russian Orthodox church of the Moscow patriarchate, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin declared on 5 January at a meeting with Patriarch Kirill, Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeev, and the head of Rosimushchestva [Russian Property] Yury Petrov, RIA Novosti reports.

At the present time the Novodevichy Monastery, established by Grand Prince Vasily III in 1524, is simultaneously an active monastery and an affiliate of the State Historical Museum.  "In 2010 we plan to completely surrender the Novodevichy Monastery and turn it over to the church," Putin said.

At the same time, Avdeev noted, the iconostasis in the Novodevichy Monastery will remain. "Of course, we now will leave the iconostasis in the Novodevichy Monastery. And there is one church that does not have an iconostasis; we will transport, deliver, and leave it for preservation," Avdeev noted.

As Putin noted, the state budget for 2010 provides more than two billion rubles for the restoration of objects that belong to the Moscow patriarchate.  According to the minister of culture, this figure is 23 percent less than the current year, but "it is more than the budget cut."

"For restoration this year less is allotted than in 2009, but not less than in 2008. And 2008 was a good year from the point of view of meeting the budget," Putin said in his turn. (tr. by PDS, posted 6 January 2010)


RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT PREVENTED DESTRUCTIVE CONSEQUENCES OF CRISIS, PATRIARCH KIRILL DECLARES IN MEETING WITH VLADIMIR PUTIN
Portal-credo.ru, 6 January 2010

Patriarch Kirill delivered greetings for the upcoming Christmas holiday to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and noted that the measures undertaken by the government for combating the crisis had prevented global negative changes from penetrating the country, RIA Novosti reports.

"It seems to me that the government you head has managed to take such steps, such measures, as to balance off the crisis and keep it from destroying that which has been accomplished in recent years," the head of RPTsMP said on 5 January in a meeting with Putin and Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeev in his residence at the St. Daniel's Monastery.

"I recall my own inner state at the beginning of 2009 when the word 'crisis' was resounding so fearsomely. Actually, a lot was not clear and there was an enormous number of risks. We all felt this: who has the mind, who has the heart," Patriarch Kirill noted. He said that now it is possible to conclude that "the year has gone by and what unimaginable things that could bring suffering to the people didn't happen."

"Although the year was difficult and was accompanied by various kinds of unpleasant events and technological catastrophes, including those caused by evil, human intent," Patriarch Kirill added.

In the name of the whole RPTsMP he thanked the prime minister for his efforts and extended to him and all members of his government greetings for the upcoming holiday.

"On the eve of the celebration of Christ's Nativity, permit me to greet you cordially and wish for God's help for the service to which the Lord has called you and to wish for blessing and health for all your associates, family, and the team that surrounds you, which, in my view, is now bringing to completion this time that is very difficult for our country," the primate of the Moscow patriarchate said.  (tr. by PDS, posted 6 January 2010)

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Religion in schools still a puzzle

SPIRITUALITY GIVEN START IN SCHOOLS
"Foundations of religious cultures" is a new educational discipline.
Nezavisimaia gazeta, 30 December 2009

In the summer of 2009 a final period was placed at the end of years of discussion about teaching religion in middle school.

On 21 July President Dmitry Medvedev met in his "Barvikh" residence with leaders of the traditional religious organizations of the country. At the meeting it was decided that religion will appear in the schools and the selection for pupils and their parents will be wide. The discipline "Foundations of religious cultures and secular ethics" is divided into three modules:  first, the foundations of one of the traditional Russian religions (Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism); second, history of all four religions; third, secular ethics.

The experiment will be launched in the schools of 18 Russian regions as soon as spring of 2010. It was decided to effect this massive educational project in an unprecedentedly short period of time. Archdeacon Andrei Kuraev maintained that he would need several years to prepare a good textbook on "Foundations of Orthodox culture" but the work had to be expedited, and in December it was learned that the book is ready. For Muslims and Jews things were yet more complex, and the gist of "Foundations of secular ethics" remains a puzzle for many.

Criteria for evaluating the success or, on the other hand, failure of the experiment have still not been defined. Also it is not completely clear who will teach the new discipline, and how. It is proposed that one teacher (most often a teacher of history or social studies) should be able to present material for all three modules adequately. Will a teacher who has taught "Foundations of Orthodox culture" for several years in a Sunday school be able to present the principles of secular ethics properly? Will a teacher who has been trained for several years to teach the history of religion in schools be able to deal with a defense of religion? For these questions there is still no answer.

The president's decision was viewed by many as a compromise. However if one looks at the new conception in the context of years of discussion, several nuances emerge. In particular, it is quite obvious that the Russian Orthodox church has gained more than the others from the introduction of the new discipline, since the promotion of "Foundations of Orthodox culture" had become for hierarchs of the church a cause and even a matter of honor. In essence, the state found the least controversial way of satisfying the RPTs' quest.

Many Muslims and Jews have cast doubt on the necessity of teaching religion in the schools; they express concern over the secularity of the teachers (which is one of the principles of the new discipline) and the potential marginalization of their children in the class, and the prospect of inter-religious conflicts in the schools and the quality of the academic course and the textbooks. It is not fully clear whether there will be a demand for "Foundations of secular ethics" (atheists and agnostics would be quite satisfied with history of world religions).

The train has departed and the state has adopted the role of engineer. The Russian Orthodox church plays the role of VIP passenger, and the other religious organizations and public groups have been forced to jump into the second-class cars so as not to be left on the platform and observe from the side what is going to happen in the future. Just what will happen the next year will show. The process has already begun.  (tr. by PDS, posted 5 January 2010)

Russian original posted on Portal-credo.ru site, 30 December 2009

ARCHDEACON ANDREI KURAEV PREDICTS FAILURE OF EXPERIMENT IN TEACHING FOUNDATIONS OF CULTURES OF WORLD RELIGIONS AND SECULAR ETHICS
Portal-credo.ru, 30 December 2009

Serious doubts whether the textbook "Foundations of Orthodox culture" will "arrive in classes soon" were expressed on 29 December by the author of the textbook in the edition of the RPTsMP and professor of the Moscow Ecclesiastical Academy Archdeacon Andrei Kuraev on his blog. The occasion for doubt was the archdeacon's acquaintance with the "Foundations of secular ethics" textbook, which is one of the modules of the new experimental academic course, another module of which is "Foundations of Orthodox culture."

As reported earlier, on 21 July Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, at a meeting with leaders of Russia's "traditional confessions," proposed the initiative of introducing in grades 4 and 5 of general education middle schools a secular subject devoted to religious culture and secular ethics. On 1 April 2010, in all schools of 19 regions of Russia selected for conducting the experiment in teaching the new subject will begin the parallel study of six courses, at the choice of pupils and their parents. Besides the foundations of the culture of the four "traditional religions," it is possible to select another two modules, world religious culture and secular ethics. Meanwhile not a single textbook for the new subject has yet been approved, and the textbook for "Foundations of Orthodox culture" ordered by the Ministry of Education and Science was written, not by Fr Andrei Kuraev, but by Aleksei Muraviev. However it is not the conflict between two textbooks for Orthodox culture, but the "Foundations of secular ethics" that will, in Fr Andrei Kuraev's opinion, pose the threat of failure of the entire experiment and discredit the idea.

The "Foundations of secular ethics" text, the archdeacon writes, "is obviously incompetent from a pedagogical and academic point of view." Since it will not be possible to rework it in the two weeks remaining before the approval of the textbook, "then along with it the whole experiment will come crashing down." Thus Fr Andrei, whose textbook was adopted for the basis of the initiative of RPTsMP at a session of the special church editorial council on 28 December in the church of Christ the Savior, does not rule out the possibility that on 1 April the foundations of the culture of world religions and secular ethics will still not begin to be taught in the schools of the 19 regions of the country.

The archdeacon does not rule out the possibility that the textbook on secular ethics was deliberately written in an incompetent manner, because "atheists have decided to take the path of the Christian fools for Christ," and thereby demonstrate the pointlessness of introducing the new subject in the schools.  (tr. by PDS, posted 5 January 2010)


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Orthodox hierarch denounces protestants

ORTHODOX METROPOLITAN SERGII DECLARES THAT NEW PROTESTANT SECTS WERE DEVISED IN BOWELS OF FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE SERVICES
Portal-credo.ru, 30 December 2009

Speaking on 28 December live on the "Vesti-Voronezh" television station, the ruling bishop of Voronezh diocese of the Russian Orthodox church of the Moscow patriarchate (RPTsMP), Metropolitan Sergii Fomin, advocated intensification of government control over the activity of "sects," a Portal-credo.ru correspondent reports.

According to the metropolitan, who made his assessment as a specialistÑ"as a religious specialist I will say"Ñcontrol over the activity of so-called "sects" falls within the competence of the state. The RPTsMP has been raising this "painful question" for ten years, the hierarch stated. Metropolitan Sergii noted that in this case they are pursuing "not religious interests but those of the government" and he recommended restricting the religious choice to the Russian spiritual heritage of the enumerated quartet of "traditional religious confessions."  "There are religions that are traditional for Russia; they have been approved by time. Select from them. If not, remain unbelievers."

In the opinion of the head of Voronezh diocese of RPTsMP, "sects carry a destructive political force; a sectarian works with state secrets but is bewitched and lives in hypnosis." The metropolitan declared that we "are warning you: in many countries they are forbidden [without naming either the denomination of the religious organizations nor the countriesÑPortal-credo.ru], we must be on guard." The danger, the hierarch stated, also comes from "neopagan (Slavonic) cults." They also "are up to no good."

As regards the "new protestant sects," Metropolitan Sergii noted that they "were devised in the bowels of intelligence services and they are being tried out on us; all means are good; this is a genuine war, not with the killing of a person but it kills his soul." He added:  "I deal with them very carefully and I call for the use of caution" regarding protestant foreign missions, about which the program announcer asked.

Previously in his public statements Metropolitan Sergii has frequently described how, supposedly, Madeline Albright, the American Secretary of State in the administration of Bill Clinton, presented in conversations with the first Russian president, Boris Yeltsin, a demand in exchange for the participation of the Russian federation in programs of the leading states on the planet and aid from them that Orthodoxy and the RPTsMP be demoted in Russia:  "So let there be Christianity in Russia, but of a different kind." (tr. by PDS, posted 5 January 2010)

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Jehovah's Witnesses get no satisfaction from Russian president

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES RECEIVE ANSWER TO LETTER SENT TO PRESIDENT MEDVEDEV
They were reminded that court's decision remains unchanged
Portal-credo.ru, 5 January 2010

An answer from the Presidential Administration of the Russian federation to a letter sent to D.A. Medvedev has been received by the chairman of the Presiding Committee of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witness in Russia religious organization, V.M. Kalin, the press service of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reports.

In their letter believers called attention to the fact that "xenophobic hysteria has been whipped up around the Witnesses," and that "today any regional court can, by using the imprecision of the legislation, declare 'extremist' just about any publications," and that "governmental organs have conducted raids and searches in religious buildings and private homes, interrogated and fingerprinted believers, confiscated books, seized batches of religious literature, and interrupted divine worship services" and that "from day to day the situation is getting worse."  The letter concludes with a request to "guarantee the constitutional principle of a secular state, protect . . . [believers] from bureaucratic arbitrariness, and provide effective judicial protection."

The Presidential Administration of the Russian federation reported that the letter was submitted for review by the Ministry of Justice of RF, from which an answer arrived dated 11 December 2009, signed by the director of the Department for Affairs of Noncommercial Organizations of the Ministry of Justice of Russia, S.Yu. Milushkin.

The answer got around in silence the problems mentioned in the Jehovah's Witnesses' appeal. Only a brief explanation was given:  "We report that by decision of the Supreme Court of the Russian federation of 8 December 2009 the decision of the Rostov provincial court. . . regarding liquidation of the 'Taganrog' Jehovah's Witnesses local religious organization as extremist was left without change." The response concludes with a reminder that judicial decisions that have gone into effect are subject to rigorous fulfillment. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 January 2010)

Related article:

Jehovah's Witnesses appeal to Russian president , November 11, 2009

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Jehovah's Witnesses: Win some, Lose some

SAMARA PROSECUTOR REJECTS ACCUSATION AGAINST JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Portal-credo.ru, 4 January 2010

Action on a suit by the prosecutor's office of Samara province for the liquidation of the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization in the city of Samara was terminated on 30 December 2009 because of the prosecutor's rejection of the suit's demands, the official site of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reports.  In March 2009 the prosecutor of Samara province filed in court suits for the liquidation of two local Jehovah's Witnesses religious organizations in Toliatti and Samara. The decision with regard to the Jehovah's Witnesses congregation in Toliatti was rendered 29 May 2009: the Samara provincial court did not find violations of the law in its activity and rejected the prosecutor's suit, and the Supreme Court of the Russian federation let the decision stand.

Earlier, on 11 September 2009, a Rostov provincial court found 34 titles of Jehovah's Witnesses' literature extremist and liquidated their congregation in Taganrog, and on 8 December 209 the Supreme Court of the Russian federation let the decision stand. (tr. by PDS, posted 4 January 2010)


ORSK CITY COURT CLOSES CASE AGAINST CHAIRMAN OF LOCAL JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES ORGANIZATION
Portal-credo.ru, 30 December 2009

The press service of the Administrative Center of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reports the decision to close the administrative case with respect to the chairman of the local religious organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, Konstantin Mikhailovich Kvartiuk, on the basis of the absence of the essence of administrative violations of law in his activities, issued 22 December by Justice of the Peace V.V. Orlov of the city of Orsk, Orenburg province.

In the opinion of the prosecutor of the city of Orsk, the chairman of the Jehovah's Witnesses local religious organization violated the federal law "On meetings, protests, demonstrations, parades, and pickets," since he had not informed the authorities of the holding of a religious congress of the Jehovah's Witnesses on 24 and 25 October 2009 in rented premises. Kvartiuk and his representative in court explained that the event in question was a form of divine worship by Jehovah's Witnesses. According to the federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious organizations" divine worship does not require any permission and approval from secular authorities nor the notification of authorities in accordance with the procedure provided for by the law "On meetings, protests, demonstrations, parades, and pickets."  The court agreed with the conclusions of the Jehovah's Witnesses' chairman and closed the case.

Similar decisions have been made several times by the Supreme Court of the Russian federation, indicating that for conducting religious meetings by Jehovah's Witnesses in sites provided to them, no kinds of permissions or consents by government agencies are required. The plenipotentiary for human rights in the Russian federation, V.P. Lukin, stated in a special report, "On implementation of the constitutional right to peaceful assembly on the territory of the Russian federation," of 26 June 2007:  "Action of the given federal law [i.e. "On meetings, protests, demonstrations, parades, and pickets"Ñed.] does not extend to religious rites and ceremonies." (tr. by PDS, posted 4 January 2010)

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Jehovah's Witnesses targeted

NEW YEAR'S NIGHT ARSON OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES' HOUSE OF WORSHIP
Portal-credo.ru, 4 January 2010

Two bottles with a flammable mixture were thrown through the window of the Kingdom Hall (house of worship) of the Jehovah's Witnesses in the city of Volzhsky, Volgograd province, on the night of 1 January 2010 at five minutes after midnight, the press service of the Administrative Center of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia reports. Unknown persons, taking advantage of the noise made by exploding fireworks, threw these bottles, one of which struck the frame and burst into flame. Watchmen located within the premises summoned the fire department, although before its arrival they were able to extinguish the flame with fire extinguishers. The criminals noticed the movement within the building and ran off, leaving another three prepared bottles on the snow.

The firefighters called the police. At approximately 3:00 a.m. the assistant chief of the Department of Internal Affairs of Volgograd province arrived at the site and he ordered an investigation of the incident. It has become known that on the same night, somewhat earlier, arson of a house of worship of one of the protestant churches also was committed in Volzhsky. (tr. by PDS, posted 4 January 2010)


ARKHANGELSK INVESTIGATION ORGANS DECIDE QUESTION OF CRIMINAL PROSECUTION OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
Portal-credo.ru, 28 December 2009

The prosecutor of Arkhangelsk province has investigated the activity of the local congregation of the Jehovah's Witnesses organization and has established that its representatives "distributed literature whose contents are aimed at the incitement of hatred toward other religions," RIA Novosti reports, citing the press service of the regional prosecutor's office.

The investigation was conducted by the prosecutor's office of the Lomonosov region of Arkhangelsk, on the basis of an appeal from the regional division of the Union of Writers of Russia as well as from the "Informational Antisectarian Center" public organization.

According to information from the press service, in the course of the past three years local Jehovah's Witnesses in Arkhangelsk have distributed among city residents materials "whose contents were aimed at inciting hatred with regard to Christian and other religions that differ from the teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses." To achieve their goal they used magazines and brochures of the organization such as "Awake!" and "Watchtower," and also "Jehovah's Witnesses: Who are they? What do they Believe?"

"In addition, religious literature was distributed that contained statements regarding Christian clergy, demeaning the human dignity of persons because of their religion, and elements of propaganda of the exclusivity of one religion over another, which is evidence of containing indicators of the incitement of inter-religious strife, religious exclusivity, and violations of human rights," the press service report noted.

As a result of the investigation, the prosecutor's office delivered a warning about the impermissibility of violations of the law to the chairman of the local division of this religious organization.

In addition, materials were sent to the regional Investigative Committee of the Prosecutor's Office of the Russian federation for conducting an examination and deciding the issue of opening a criminal case on the basis of article 282 of the Criminal Code of the Russian federation (incitement of hatred or strife and demeaning of human dignity), the press service report notes.  (tr. by PDS, posted 4 January 2010)


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