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Moscow patriarchate shows closeness to Ukrainian state

PATRIARCH KIRILL WILL ATTEND INAUGURATION OF VIKTOR YANKOVICH AND LEAD PRAYER SERVICE FOR THE OCCASION IN KIEV CAVES LAVRA
Portal-credo.ru, 20 February 2010

On invitation of newly elected president of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovich, Pariarch Kirill will arrive next week in Kiev and lead a prayer service in the caves monastery of Kiev before Yanukovich officially takes office as head of the Ukrainian state.

"Metropolitan of Kiev and all-Ukraine Vladimir also will participate in the prayer service, which will be conducted on 25 February," Interfax reports, citing the deputy head of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow patriarchate, Archpriest Nikolai Balashov.

The decision to participate in Yanukovich's inauguration was made by Kirill immediately after the release of the decision of the Supreme Administrative Court of Ukraine ending the review of the appeal from Yulia Timoshenko against the decision of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine recognizing Viktor Yanukovich as the elected president of the country.  Earlier, on 9 February, Patriarch Kirill was one of the first official persons to congratulate Yanukovich on his victory in the Ukrainian presidential election. Viktor Yanukovich, the leader of the Party of Regions, has declared himself a true servant of the Moscow patriarchate. (tr. by PDS, posted 21 February 2010)

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Patriarch Kirill advancing Orthodox-Catholic relations

COMMOTION REGARDING "CRETAN UNIA" TOO HASTY AND CRITICISM UNFOUNDED
Interview with Doctor of Philosophy Valentin Nikitin, Russian Academy of Natural Sciences
by Vladimir Oivin
Portal-credo.ru, 18 February 2010

Portal-credo.ru:  Valentin Arsentievich, do you know about the recent theological agreement between the Roman Catholic church and Orthodox churches, which has been christened the "Cretan Unia"?

Valentin Nikitin:  "Unia" is much too strong! I read that the Joint International Commission on Theological Dialogue between the Roman Catholic church and Orthodox churches adopted in October of last year an interesting document.  It is titled "The Role of the Bishop of Rome in Church Communion of the First Millennium." A delegation from the Russian Orthodox church of the Moscow patriarchate participated in the work of the aforesaid commission. As far as I know, recently there occurred a "leak" of information about the draft of this document, which is still in a developmental stage. It formulated a view on the nature of church authority existing in the Catholic church, and it was prepared in general form at Ravenna in October 2007; later it was reviewed and adopted as a foundation a year later; and finally it was developed further in October 2009.

--What can you say about the essence of this document?

--The sensational response to the so-called "Cretan Unia" is too hasty and hardly justified. It arose as an involuntary desire to make what is wished for reality, in connection with an interview that Cardinal Walter Kasper, the chairman of the papal Council for Promoting Christian Unity, gave to the American magazine "Our Sunday Visitor" two years ago. At the time he talked about "a real breakthrough in Orthodox-Catholic dialogue," which had been achieved at Ravenna, where members of the International Joint Commission on Theological Dialogue signed an agreement concerning "the ecclesiological and canonical consequences of the sacramental nature of the church." But this document, in my view, does not contain anything new in principle, and it only recalls that in the first millennium of Christianity the Roman church was considered universally, in both West and East, as primary and the "bishop of Rome" as the "first among the patriarchs."

--But does this really diminish the significance of the current document? Could you explain your position?

--Before the rupture in church relations between Rome and Constantinople in the 11th century, the primacy of the Roman bishop, that is, the pope, his first place "in honor," was not gainsaid by anyone, and the pope himself from the start emphasized the universal sense of his ministry. In canonical theology and in Byzantine legislation from Emperor Justinian I there was the generally accepted idea of the so-called pentarchy, that is, the collegial (conciliar) authority in the universal church of five bishops (patriarchs)ÑRome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. Such a pentarchy personified the universality of the church. It should be noted that in contrast to the inviolable and unchangeable dogmas, ecclesiological doctrines and canon theological theories have changed over the course of the centuries. The Fourth Ecymenical Council in 451 added to the three patriarchates (Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch), which were associated with the missionary proclamation of the holy Apostle Peter, the Jerusalem patriarchate, and it also recognized as equal in honor the patriarchate of Constantinople. Only later did the latter, in connection with its location in the new imperial capital, receive second place in the Orthodox diptych.

The document under review, thus, merely fixates the historically existing ecclesiological doctrine regarding the primacy of the bishop of Rome in the period before the division of the churches. I should emphasize that at the time the bishop of the Eternal City was an Orthodox hierarch.

--How do you assess the future of the document under review in the perspective of the Orthodox-Catholic dialogue?

--It is still just a working document of a theological commission, which must be confirmed by higher authorities, namely the synods of the autocephalous Orthodox churches. One would wish that the dialogue relative to the role of the bishop of Rome in church communion of the first millennium could be considered completed. It can provide a good impulse for the continuation of the dialogue. But the basic difficulties lie ahead, when the topic becomes the schism, its causes and consequences, as well as about the conditions for overcoming them and the concrete steps in this direction today. It seems to me that the true place in the ecclesiastical diptych is determined by the real significance, scope, and spiritual influence of one or another church. There is no dispute that in our time the Roman Catholic church, which stretches its embrace to all continents, remains in first place. But how does one know whether it might yield its place tomorrow to the Russian Orthodox church of the Moscow patriarchate, which has been significantly strengthened after the reunification with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and is intensively strengthening its position under the new patriarch?

--How would you characterize the mutual relations of Patriarch Kirill and the papal curia? What can you say in connection with the new initiatives of the hierarchy of RPTsMP?

--The Vatican has known Patriarch Kirill for a long time and well, and it treats him with profound and unconcealed respect, as one of the few recognized religious leaders on a world scale. While he was still a metropolitan, His Holiness Kirill often spoke out for an improvement in relations between RPTsMP and the Roman Catholic church (for example, in an interview with the "Russkaia mysl" newspaper of 5 May 2006). In the year of his patriarchal ministry there have been noted hopeful, serious achievements in the pathway of the RPTsMP with respect to the RCC. This should rejoice the whole Christian world, since upon them depends its internal unity and stability, and that means the "welfare of the holy churches of God" throughout the world. Our sad "fundamentalists" are so far from understanding this.

--Expressing recently his regret at the increasingly frequent closing of Christian churches in western Europe, Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Ilarion, the "right hand" of the patriarch, announced his extremely far-sighted initiative. Its essence is that RPTsMP, which has unique historical experience of surviving in conditions of persecution on the part of militant state atheism, is prepared to enter into the struggle for Christian values in the West along with Catholics and protestants.

--How is all this connected with the raising of the level of mutual relations between the Kremllin and the Vatican. How does RPTsMP relate to this?

--On 9 December 2009 there finally were established full diplomatic relations between Russia and the Vatican at the level of apostolic nuncio, on the part of the Holy See, and ambassador, on the part of the Russian federation, as a consequence of the fruitful meeting of Pope Benedict XVI and President Dmitry Medvedev. In the run-up to this historic meeting, the Moscow patriarchate's publishing house issued Benedict XVI's book with a preface by Archbishop (now Metropolitan) Ilarion, the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow patriarchate. And this was a truly significant event. One could suggest that the Kremlin and Chisty Lane exchanged corresponding signals and coordinated their actions.

--Will Patriarch Kirill become a new pope by strengthening the "vertical of power"?

--That question is too facetious, too provocative. It seems to me that more likely the pope will become a patriarch! Incidentally, according to Orthodox canons, a Catholic hierarch can be received into Orthodoxy through repentance, while retaining his episcopal rank. (tr. by PDS, posted 19 February 2010)

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Ministry of Justice responds to Orthodox concerns about anti-evangelism law

AMENDMENTS TO LAW ON FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE TO UNDERGO FURTHER IMPROVEMENT AND DISCUSSIONÑMINISTRY OF JUSTICE
Interfax, 19 February 2010

The Ministry of Justice of Russia declared its intention to work further on the draft of amendments to the law "On freedom of conscience and religious association" and the Code of Administrative Violations of Law of the Russian federation.

"The Ministry of Justice of Russia has made the decision to continue to work on the draft law with the goal of its further improvement and public discussion," an official communication of the Ministry of Justice said in response to an inquiry from the "Interfax-Religiia" portal.

The document notes that in 2009, work on preparing the draft law was conducted, it went through "all necessary coordination with interested federal agencies of the executive authority, and it received a positive conclusion from the Institute of Legislation and Comparative Jurisprudence of the government of the Russian federation."

In accordance with the provisions of existing legislation, on 12 October 2009 the draft law was posted on the official site of the Ministry of Justice for purposes of public discussion.

"Discussion of the draft law evoked broad public response among representatives of religious organizations of various confessions and citizens. The Ministry of Justice of Russia received appeals from citizens and religious organizations, expressing criticism and disagreement with several of its provisions," the Ministry noted.

In working on the draft law, this ministry operated on the basis that "suggestions for correction of matters connected to the evangelistic activity conducted by religious organizations should be considered and developed on the basis of a consolidated position of all interested parties."

As the Ministry of Justice reported at the beginning of this week, the aforesaid draft of amendments was worked out and prepared for introduction to the government of RF. The draft law aims "for a legislative definition of the concept of evangelistic activity and for the strengthening of restrictions on evangelistic activity conducted by religious associations with respect to children of minor age."

The Orthodox community, however, expressed the worry that the draft law hits the evangelistic activity of the Russian church. In its turn, the Moscow patriarchate noted that separate provisions of the amendments to the law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations" proposed by the Ministry of Justice need improvement.

"I consider that the draft law is a step in the right direction, but several of its provisions may create situations that would seriously complicate the life of well intentioned religious societies," the head of the synodal Department for Relations of Church and Society, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, told an "Interfax-Religiia" correspondent. (tr. by PDS, posted 19 February 2010)

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Anti-Catholic Orthodox zealots attack patriarchal diplomat

METROPOLITAN ILARION GREETED WITH SHOUTS OF "HERETIC" DURING DIVINE WORSHIP IN MOSCOW CHURCH
Portal-credo.ru, 18 February 2010

With shouts of "heretic!" a group of worshippers greeted Metropolitan of Volokolamsk Ilarion Alfeev in the evening of 13 February in the church of the "Joy of all the Sorrowing" icon of the Theotokos on Ordynka as he came out for the Polyeleos, a correspondent of "Portal-credo.ru" reports. Metropolitan Ilarion is the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow patriarch and the regular celebrant in this church.  In this way the group of "zealots for Orthodoxy" expressed their attitude toward the hierarch's participation in the composition of the document* of the Joint Commission on Orthodox-Catholic Dialogue regarding the primacy of the pope of Rome, also known as the "Cretan Unia."

According to the testimony of eyewitnesses, a group of young people from among the parishioners and employees of the church immediately conducted the shouters out of doors and the incident did not develop further.

The leader of the "Association of Orthodox Experts," Kirill Frolov, reacted on his blog to the incident occurring at the Ordynka church during the all-night vigil of the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. He warned all those who wish to accuse Metropolitan Ilarion of apostasy from Orthodoxy:  "Both I myself and many good and influential Orthodox people work and live in the vicinity of the 'Sorrowers' church. Thus any provocations will be cut off at the planning stage." (tr. by PDS, posted 18 February 2010)

*[tr. note--the document mentioned in this article is "The Role of the bishop of Rome in the Communion of the Church in the First Millennium."]
 
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Orthodox church to receive government money for faith-based services

GOD ON STATE AID
by Vera Kholmogorova, Evgeniia Pismennaia, Natalia Kostenko
Vedomosti, 17 February 2010

The right of religious organizations to state aid is provided by amendments put forward by the United Russia party in a presidential draft law regarding support for noncommercial organizations, which will be introduced for second reading, Vedomosti was informed in the State Duma Profile Committee for Affairs of Public Organizations. Religious organizations also will receive the "socially oriented" status. According to the chairman of the committee, Sergei Popov, the committee will review the amendments on 19 February and the second reading is scheduled for 26 February.

In the original version of the law on supplementary state support, religious organizations, along with political parties and state corporations, were explicitly excluded. Usually deputies do not introduce amendments into presidential draft laws, but a Kremlin official said that the presidential administration prepared this one. According to him, it received such an assignment after the Russian Orthodox church sent a request to the president. This is merely an extension to churches of several privileges that other noncommercial organizations have, Vedomosti's source added. The Ministry of Economic Development, which prepared the law, also agreed with the amendments, the agency's worker explained.

A bureaucrat who is acquainted with the course of discussion of the draft law said that originally religious organizations were not included in the law because of worries that they would create new legal entities and drain off a substantial amount of financial support which would violate the very essence of the church, which is supposed to be engaged in worship services. But in the end a second point of view triumphed: to stimulate religious organizations to be engaged in charitable activity, Vedomosti's source reported. It was the Russian Orthodox church that lobbied for introducing the amendments, a State Duma deputy said.

After the adoption of these amendments, parishes of the RPTs will be able to claim, on a priority basis, money designated by the government for prevention of abortions and support of young families, United Russia Duma deputy Sergei Markov, explained, and it will become easier for them to get housing. Religious organizations even now have tax privileges, says partner Denis Shchekin; they do not pay taxes on property and land, and are partially exempt from paying tariffs and taxes on profits, and contributions are not subject to taxes. He said that inclusion of religious organizations among socially oriented associations is explained by the desire to simplify access to budgetary funds for them.

The law does not provide for automatic grants of privileges to all religious organizations, RPTs legal consultant Kseniia Chernega emphasizes. Naturally a selection will be made. She said that claims for support will first be made by those parishes that are engaged in charitable activity, helping the needy and homeless. (tr. by PDS, posted 17 February 2010)


NOT ALL RELIGIIOUS ORGANIZATIONS WILL BE ABLE TO CLAIM STATE AIDÑJURIST
Interfax, 17 February 2010

New legislative amendments do not provide that all religious organizations, without exception, will be given the right to state support, legal consultant of the Moscow patriarchate Sister Ksenia Chernega declared.

"The draft law does not provide automatic granting to a religious organization of the socially oriented status. An organization will be recognized as such and will receive state support only in the case that it is included in a special register that will be done by authorized state agencies," K. Chernega told an "Interfax-Religiia" correspondent on Wednesday.

She said, "by no means will all religious organizations be entered in such registers, but only those that satisfy the requirements of the law and really are directly performing social activity." [. . .]

As the patriarchate's jurist noted, the status of socially oriented organizations, and therefore, state aid will be able to be claimed by those parishes, monasteries, and annexes of the Russian church that conduct charitable and social activity directly, without the creation of specialized organizations.

For example, according to the agency's source, many monasteries, of which in Russia there are about 50, have within their structure orphanages that are not registered as independent legal entities. In Moscow there are separate religious organizations that provide charitable meals for the need and they give shelter to the homeless.

K. Chernega indicated that, according to the amendment, religious organizations receiving state aid will be required to account publicly for the proper use of the financial resources received.

"Besides financial aid, they will also be able to get property on a privileged basis that does not have religious uses but is intended specifically for social activity, such as buildings of charitable dining rooms and orphanages. In addition, they will be able to provide help for groups, including voluntary ones," she added.  (tr. by PDS, posted 17 February 2010)

RUSSIAN STATE DUMA BEGINS WORK ON DRAFT LAW FOR STATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF SELECTED RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
Portal-credo.ru, 16 February 2010

The State Duma of the Russian federation has decided to classify as "socially oriented noncommercial organizations" religious organizations that are entered into a special register, "LifeNews" reports. Upon adoption of the document, societies that are entered into the special register will be able to count on substantial financial support from the state, allocation of property, and tax privileges.

"Religious organizations, just like noncommercial organizations, are engaged in charitable work. Thus they have the right to those same privileges that the other socially oriented organizations have," the head of the Duma Committee on Affairs of Public Associations and Religious Organizations, Sergei Popov, told "LifeNews" on 16 February.

He said that the document will be adopted on second reading at the beginning of March. The RPTsMP lobbied for the amendment and expects it. "Religious organizations that are engaged in charitable services are the ones that primarily need the new status," explained the legal consultant of the Moscow patriarchate Sister Kseniia.  "We have around 50 parishes and monasteries that sponsor orphanages. In the event they receive the status of socially oriented noncommercial organizations, they will be able to count on premises for these same orphanages and tax privileges."

She noted that to get on the register, many organizations will have to "fill out a whole stack of documents and even register their own orphanages." Attorneys of RPTsMP will be ready to deal with this immediately after the adoption of the law.  (tr. by PDS, posted 17 February 2010)


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Russian church wary of anti-evangelism law

ORTHODOX EXPERTS:  MINISTRY OF JUSTICE'S NEW DRAFT LAW HITS RUSSIAN CHURCH
Interfax, 16 February 2010

The Association of Orthodox Experts issued a criticism of attempts to restrict evangelistic activity with respect to Russians of minor age.

"The draft law regarding restriction of evangelistic activity, whatever its developers may declare, hits the Russian Orthodox church. It also hits wahhabis and sectarians, but the main thing is that it hits Orthodox evangelists," the association's statement delivered on Tuesday to "Interfax-Religiia" says.

As the Ministry of Justice reported yesterday, "A draft of a federal law 'On introducing changes to federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations" and the Russian federation Code of administrative violations of law' has been worked out and prepared for delivery to the government of the Russian federation. The draft law aims "for a legislative definition of the concept of evangelistic activity and also for strengthening the restrictions on evangelistic activity directed to minors conducted by religious associations."

As the Orthodox experts noted, baptism of children already is "drawing minors into the activity of religious associations, to say nothing of Sunday schools and so forth."

"It is important to understand that sects arise as a consequence of the absence of an active Orthodox mission, and thus it is necessary to cure the cause and not the consequence. It is in the interests of the state for there to be maximum support of the Orthodox mission, including the spiritual and moral training of children," the statement says.

The association pointed out that throughout the world "states support the evangelistic activity of traditional confessions. For example, in the world of Islam such support of Muslim education is the norm throughout the world. USA actively supports the protestant mission, and so forth."

"Therefore support by the Russian government of Orthodox evangelism, "the export of Orthodoxy," is a strategic resource of Russia," the experts aver. (tr. by PDS, posted 16 February 2010)

RUSSIAN CHURCH ADVOCATES FURTHER DISCUSSION OF AMENDMENTS TO LAW ON FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE PROPOSED BY MINISTRY OF JUSTICE
Interfax, 16 February 2010

The Moscow patriarchate thinks that individual provisions of the amendments to the law "On freedom of conscience and religious associations" and the Code on Administrative Violations of Law, proposed by the Ministry of Justice, need improvement.

"I consider that the draft law is a step in the right direction, but individual provisions may create situations that seriously complicate life of well intentioned religious societies," the head of the synodal Department of Relations between Church and Society, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, told an "Interfax-Religiia" correspondent Tuesday.

"On these provisions, evidently, it is necessary to continue the discussion," the priest added. . . . (tr. by PDS, posted 16 February 2010)


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