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Varieties of Russian Islam

MUFTI OF NORTH OSSETIA ADMITS THAT HE WAS DISCIPLE OF WAHHABI LEADERS
Interfax-Religiia, 7 May 2010

Mufti of North Ossetia Ali (Sergei) Evteev said that in the past he was a radically minded Muslim and even directed a "jamaat." "Anzor Astemirov and Musa Mukozhev (slain leaders of the Kabardino-Balkariia undergroundÑ"IF") were my teachers; I went to them with questions. Why did we go to them? Because there was nobody else," the mufti declared in an interview with the "Regnum" agency. Two years ago A. Evteev, a former Orthodox believer, became the first ethnic Russian mufti, heading the Ecclesiastical Board of Muslims of the republic. He noted that a young Muslim faces a choice:  "Either he will study in a mosque with a qualified imam or he will do it on the Internet, perhaps, or go to Nazran, Kabardino-Balkaria," as, according to A. Evteev, he did himself. "I was very radical. I do not like this word, wahhabism, I am tired of it. I studied in Saudi Arabia and, naturally, I was a wahhabi to a great extent," the mufti declared. He told how at first he studied in "a famous wahhabi madrasah" in Uchkeken in Karachaevo-Cherkesiia, and everyone knew him, "everybody who was there died or left the country."

"We went 'for study' to Khattaba. Then it was so; settled, went to Chechnya, so exotic. . . .And even the 'organs' did not pay attention to all this. I was able to go to Grozny, I knew very many people, who were famous there, but this did not mean anything to me, up to now," A.Evteev admitted.

The mufti's views began to change, he said, during study in Egypt, and when A. Evteev returned to Ossetia for vacation, he began to have a conflict with the local "jamaat," of which he had been one of the organizers himself. "We were getting ready; if there were to be a second Chechnya campaign, we would all go to fight. We did not hide our hostility to the government; we thought that our peace of mind, nobody would crush us, that was a kind of sign from the Almighty," A. Evteev recalls. He said that when the "amir of the jamaat" Ermak Tegaev called everybody to go to the mountains for "jihad" two men went with him. "We were close friends. He thought that there were no prospects; it is necessary to defend our religion, to fight; if we lose we will go to paradise; if we win, there will be a caliphate. Unfortunately, the man did not have sufficient information and we parted with him because of this idea," the mufti added. (tr. by PDS, posted 7 May 2010)

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New administrative procedures in Orthodox parishes provoke tension

HOME AND CHURCH OF BARNAUL PRIEST SEARCHED
by Artem Kudinov
Gazeta No. 1, 7 May 2010

"I still have not managed to remove anything after the search," sighs with a wave of his hand the rector of Ascension church, which is located in the Academic Village of Barnaul, Father Georgii Titov.  "Early in the morning of 30 April, at seven o'clock, my wife flies in and says 'there's a search at our house!'  I look, and in the yard there are six to eight people, several wearing masks. The commander, Police Major Sergei M., hands me a court order for conducting a search. Really, it was signed by a judge, and in the paper is an explanation that, well, a search will be conducted within the bounds of an investigation of the murder of a Korean student. . ."

First Version:  Criminal Account

As is known, Keng Beng Gil was killed in February of this year in Barnaul, suspects in the murder were arrested immediately, and they have already confessed to the crime. In the course of the investigation, several of them stated that within the circle of their associates there was Fr Georgii, rector of Ascension church, which is in Academic Village. And the priest himself did not deny his own relationship with an acquaintance of the accused, Misha V., who, according to him, tried to steer his friends, skinheads, into a correct, Orthodox stream. Fr Georgii told us about this when we met with him three days after the search that was conducted in his home and in the Ascension church on the eve of May Day.

The priest said that it was within the bounds of the investigation of the criminal case of the murder of the young South Korean that in his house, as a witness (and not a suspect, much less a defendant), police officers conducted a search on 30 April and took away his computer and several magazines.

"They asked me right away to give them materials of extremist content.  I did not recall such materials and then they began the search, which was conducted quite correctly, and even with jokes. In the end they confiscated several old magazines and a computer with all its data. I will note that I cooperate actively with the Orthodox monarchist press and therefore it is important for me to know the ideology of opponents, and that means also to have their works," Fr Georgii stated, who, incidentally, is one of the leaders of the Altai division of the Orthodox monarchist organization "Union of Russian People," and he does not conceal his nationalistic views. To be sure, he said that these views have nothing in common with extremism, racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia.

However, it is evident that the investigation takes a different view and thus there arose the version that the murder of the Korean student was not committed by drunken hooligans but by some organization with a nationalistic slant. And it is possible that Fr Georgii was its ideological inspiration. "That is complete nonsense," the priest thinks. And his parishioners also are in solidarity with him, filing a complaint with the prosecutor of the territory, Yakov Khoroshev,  and considering the suspicions of the law enforcement agencies to be baseless. "The activity of Fr Georgii Titov is public and his convictions are generally known. Thus we ask that an official answer be given within the time required by law as to what evoked such extreme measures as a search (even of a church) on the part of law enforcement agencies," the parishioners of Ascension church wrote to the prosecutor on 2 May, soon after the searches had been conducted. Incidentally, as was explained in the course of the searches, they were conducted with the knowledge of Bishop of Barnaul and Altai Maksim. And so there arises a second version.

Second Version:  Intrachurch Account

Father Georgii has had a long-term conflict with diocesan authorities and particularly with Bishop Maksim, although he is to the present the director of the juridical department of the diocese, and that means he is in on many "diocesan secrets." To be sure, more than two years ago the priest declared that he does not accept the methods of leadership practiced by Maksim, and he even threatened to disclose several secrets of his episcopal "management." And in December 2008 he even delivered an ultimatum, declaring that he would exit his subordination to Bishop Maksim. At that point law enforcement agencies were drawn into the intrachurch scandal, virtually mobilized to storm the stronghold of "schismatics," the Ascension church. At the time the rector, Fr Georgii, managed to defend the church thanks to the support of parishioners. But today, if the parish statute is adopted in its current form, he could be deprived of his foothold.

So local observers connect the present escalation of tensions with the rejection by Fr Georgii and his supporters of the new statute on parish councils proposed by the Moscow patriarchate of RPTs. In brief, previously the supreme organ of a parish has been the parish meeting, but now it will be the diocesan cleric, that is, the bishop. What is more, one or another parish could be ruled directly by the patriarch himself. Besides this, the bishop could disaffiliate all members of a parish for several violations by one of the parishioners, and appoint in their place new members. There also have been designated the times of adoption of the new statute in parishes of RPTsÑby October of this year. There has even begun a kind of competition among dioceses: who will adopt the new system soonest? In Kemerovo diocese it was decided to reregister the statutes by this Easter and in Altai it was decided to collect the minutes of parish meetings as a demonstration of loyalty and to have them reregistered by October.

It is said that in this way is being erected within RPTs its own "power vertical," similar to that which has been erected by secular authority. However, one is a matter of worldly, secular life, and the other is ecclesiastical. In Fr Georgii's opinion, such innovations violate the basic principle of the Orthodox church, the principle of sobornost [community], which is the touchstone of Orthodoxy. The parish of Ascension church and Fr Georgii rebelled against this new order and stated that they will not fulfill its requirements. Moreover, they have stated their position on the Internet.

A stalemate has developed; nobody knows what to do now. "I do not want to think about it, but I cannot go against my own conscience," the passionate father, lover of truth, declares. Meanwhile local observers do not rule out that with an extreme development of affairs the parish of Ascension church could leave the jurisdiction of the Moscow patriarchate. It seems that in such a case the private matter of the personal relations of a hierarch and his subordinate in one of the provincial dioceses of RPTs would take a scandalous and, what is most unpleasant, political turn. To be sure, it cannot be ruled out that in the end, at the very top, some compromise resolution with respect to the upcoming church reform will still be found.

It is no secret that Fr Georgii enjoys a certain authority not only among parishioners of Ascension church but also among a part of the Orthodox intelligentsia of Barnaul. Thus it is especially important that there be an objective and impartial investigation of all circumstances of this affair and of the possible involvement (even if indirect) or noninvolvement in this high-profile murder by persons known in Altai and outside of Altai, including church people. Without interfering in any way in strictly church affairs, or the confidentiality of the investigation, or "terrible" secrets of law enforcement agencies and other responsible agencies, one would still wish to recall the following: in our country the church is separate from the state. One would like to believe that this will be remembered by those who have to do their duty.

P.S. The Barnaul diocese and the Investigative Department of the prosecutor's office for Altai territory refused to comment on this matter for Gazeta No. 1.  (tr. by PDS, posted 7 May 2010)

Russian original posted on Portal-credo.ru site, 7 May 2010

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Terrorist act foiled in Ingushetiia?

LEADER OF ISLAMIST FIGHTERS OF INGUSHETIIA SHOT NEAR MOSQUE BY SPECIAL AGENTS
Portal-credo.ru, 6 May 2010

An active participant in the armed islamist underground, who tried to hide from siloviki [security forces] in a mosque, was wiped out in the course of a special operation in Ingushetiia, "Life News" reported on 5 May. The special forces trapped the man in his car and killed him when he opened fire on them. A search of the auto found a belt with explosives on the man.

The identity of the dead man has been established; he is one of the leaders of the Ingush underground, Magomed Gardanov.

"Gardanov put up armed resistence and he was wiped out," law enforcement agencies of Ingushetiia reported.

"According to intelligence, the dead warrior had prepared a terrorist act for the territory of Ingushetiia for the Victory holiday," the press secretary of the president of Ingushetiia, Kaloi Akhilgov, reported. "Gardanov was the organizer of a terrorist act in the Department of Internal Affairs in Karabulak, he had a connection to the explosion in the Nazranov Department of Internal of Affairs, and also to the attack on the money agents in April of this year, when the driver of the armored vehicle was killed."

In the course of the crossfire, two women and a teenager were wounded. Later one of the wounded died in the hospital. According to law enforcement employees, the dead woman was an accomplice of the fighter hiding in the mosque.

"The condition of the other victim, Maka Bogatyrevaia, who is a surgical nurse in the Ingush republican hospital clinic, is considered to be serious," a source at the law enforcement agencies said. "She received severe wounds in arms and legs. The third victim, a fourteen-year-old boy, was sent home after first aid treatment." (tr. by PDS, posted 6 May 2010)


SECURITY REPORTED ARREST OF GARDANOV IN APRIL
Islam News, 6 May 2010

Magomed Gardanov, who was killed by siloviki on Wednesday in Nazrani, according to intelligence, had prepared a terrorist act in Ingushetiia for Victory Day. This was reported by the press secretary of the president of the republic, Kaloi Akhilgov. This information also was confirmed by the president himself, Yunus-Bek Evkurov, on air with radio station "Echo of Moscow," writes Newsru.com.

"This is not a matter of any increase in fighters; it is simply planned actions which special forces are conducting. One of the obvious organizers of terrorist acts was killed. The special forces worked well," he commented about the special operation as a whole.

However earlier, on 30 April, the "Kommersant" newspaper reported that on 29 April "Ingush siloviki reported the arrest of the fighter Magomed Gardanov, who in April of this year organized a terrorist act at the building of the Department of Internal Affairs of Karabulak." "Twenty-five-year-old Magomed Gardanov, who, according to our information, is the organizer of the terrorist act at the building of the Department of Internal Affairs, was arrested in his own home in Karabulak," a representative of the Ingush Ministry of Internal Affairs then reported, noting that "the fighter tried to put up resistance, but in the end he surrendered." The police also reported the arrest at the Nesterovskaia station of a certain Terpuev, who, in the opinion of security forces, also took part in organizing the terrorist attack on the Karabulak Department of Internal Affairs, and is "the closest aide of the leader of the group of Gordanov's fighters."

"Investigators are working with the detained fighters and we hope that in the near future we will manage to neutralize the terrorists remaining at liberty," the MVD declared.

"I consider the report about the participation of Magomed Gordanov in the attack on the Karabulak OVD to be premature," the director of the Ingush "Mashr" rights defense organization, Magomed Mutsolgov, told "Kommersant." In his opinion, the misfortune of the Gardanov brothers began after they were enrolled in the wahhabis. "Indeed, this family is very religious and one of the Gardanovs studied in Egypt and has his own views on religion that some might think questionable. And they do not pray in a mosque; that's all. But is this really a reason to accuse them of committing a serious crime without investigation and trial?" the rights advocate expressed in outrage.

Today Newsru.com writes that Gardanov, who supposedly prepared a terrorist act for 9 May, "according to precise data, was killed not in a mosque but near it, in automobile VAZ-21099. The special forces trapped Gardanov in his car and wiped him out when he opened fire on them. A search of the car found a belt with explosives on the terrorist. In the course of the crossfire, two women and a teenager were wounded. . . . According to other data, both women were Gardanov's accomplices and were with him inside the car. .  . ."

Rights advocate Mutsolgov earlier reported that in 2007 and 2008 siloviki shot two Gardanov brothers, Adam and Khamzat, in conditions that have not been entirely cleared up. And Magomed, whose arrest siloviki reported, had earlier been arrested several time and released when proof of participation in crimes was not found. "People from the so-called wahhabi list are seized every time a blatant terrorist act happens. Thus, Magomed was arrested several times, and then released, after making fun of him," the rights advocate declared. "The statement about Magomed's involvement in a major terrorist act was made in order to discourage relatives and rights defenders from standing up for him," Mutsolgov said. (tr. by PDS, posted 6 May 2010)


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Reason for bombing of Muslim shop uncertain

MUSLIM "HALAL" STORE BOMBED IN ST. PETERSBURG
by Viacheslav Gromov
Gazeta.ru, 6 May 2010

In St. Petersburg, the Muslim "Halal" store, located near the chief mosque in the center of the city, was bombed. Unknown persons threw a grenade into the shop and three persons were injured. Among the motives for the crime, investigators consider extremism. Muslim organizations of St. Petersburg are inclined to see in what happened a provocation or an example of a dirty competitive struggle.

The blast in St. Petersburg occurred on Tuesday. Around ten in the morning, two unknown young people of Slavic appearance threw a grenade into the "Halal" produce store located on Konnyi Lane next to the chief mosque. This is the largest mosque in the city, located on the Petrograd side. The very name of the store, "Halal," indicates that here products are sold that have been prepared for Muslims to eat; "halal" foods, particularly meat, are placed on sale after a ritual of sacrifice. The store opens at 10.00. That's the way it was on Tuesday.

As the victimsÑtwo men, porters, and one saleswomanÑreported, the unknown persons opened the door and then something rolled across the floor and a deafening explosion rang out.

As a result, glass display cases were shattered from whose shards the store's employees were wounded. Expert analysis will determine the type of grenade. But, as was explained to a "Gazeta.ru" correspondent at the internal affairs department for Petrograd region, it seems that the bombers used an RGN [assault hand grenade]. It contains 90 grams of explosive and its action radius is 35 meters. Its explosion is directional. And in this case the store's employees were lucky, the source noted, because the explosive wave went in the other direction.

Doctors and police were summoned by the victims themselves, and word of the explosion in the "Halal" store reached security and simultaneously "first aid" headquarters a couple of minutes after 10.00. It seems that nobody heard the blast in numerous nearby stores and offices, since the mosque and store are located in the very center of the city where there is always a lot of noise. Almost immediately vehicles of various colors with flashing lights arrived at the site of the crime. Entry ways to the store were barred by a living chain of guards armed with Kalashnikov automatic weapons and behind the cordon worked medics, investigators, and officers of the Investigative Department of prosecutor's office for St. Petersburg.

A criminal case was opened on the basis of part 3, article 30 and part 2, article 105 (attempted murder) and art. 22 (illegal traffic in explosives) of the Criminal Code.

Investigators are studying tapes from security cameras located near the site of the crime, and they also are trying to determine the bombers' motives: extremism, vandalism, competitive struggle among merchants, or provocation.

As Andrei Lavrenko, the director of the Investigative Department of the prosecutor's office who is heading up the investigation, told journalists, law enforcement agencies are considering several versions of the crime: "We have not ruled out an extremist motivation because of the proximity of the mosque and the nature of the wares sold in the store."

After the release to the press explaining the situation involving the cordon, local residents and employees of nearby offices began to discuss the incident vigorously. Many acknowledged that because of the clearly Muslim name, they never entered the store. One onlooker suggested posting a Slavic security guard at the store. "We cannot permit individual monsters to maim and kill people simply because of their adherence to the Muslim confession," he explained.

Officials were more restrained. A representative of the Coordinating Council of Muslims of St. Petersburg, Shamil Mugattarov, declared that this explosion was a provocation:  "The persons who did this knew that their act would evoke a response throughout the whole country." The vice-chairman of the Ecclesiastical Board of Muslims of St. Petersburg and the Northwestern region of Russia, Kamil Isliaev, is convinced that this blast was a wrecking action by business competitors and has nothing to do with Islam. "Whether the meat that is sold there is 'halal' is rather doubtful. The store has nothing to do with the chief mosque. And whether something is 'halal' should be certified by a representative of the mosque. He should be present at the sacrifice of animals whose meat is to be subsequently put on sale," Isliaev told "Gazeta.ru." "Sure, the owner is Muslim. But whether it is 'halal' and the convenient location are simply advertising devices. It seems to me that in this case, this is a competitive struggle."

Earlier, St. Petersburg rumbled with a whole series of explosions, some of which investigators have ruled as extremist crimes.

At first, improvised explosive devices went off in apartments and stores that were owned by migrants from Central Asia. No one was injured then. Investigating these crimes, police officers arrested Igor Gritskevich and Vladimir Smirnov, who identified themselves with the "Slavic Union" organization. Then there was the undermining of the railroad tracks under the wheels of the handcar on the Bronev-Ligov line of the Vitebsk railway branch. It exploded on 2 February. The handcar driver was wounded in the leg. Two unemployed youths, both born in 1988, were arrested on suspicion of committing this crime. Investigators consider that the motives for the act was the wish of the youths to show the seriousness of the nationalist group they created. The investigation is ongoing.

The investigation of the explosion in "Halal" has only begun. As the head of the Department of Internal Affairs, Vladislav Piotrovsky, told "Gazeta.ru," the whole investigative staff of the Petrograd regional internal affairs department has been activated in the investigation:  "Massive measures have been organized. There already is a large evidence base. But it is too soon to speak about discoveries. We are now trying to establish the identity of the criminals and to determine how many of them there are by studying the tapes from the security cameras located in the region and in nearby metro stations." As "Gazeta.ru" has learned, law enforcement agencies have a witness who saw at 10.00 on Tuesday two young people running away from "Halal." (tr. by PDS, posted 6 May 2010)

Russian original popsted on Portal-credo.ru site, 6 May 2010

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Baptists win case for use of home for religious meetings

BAPTIST CHURCH FIGHTS FOR ITS RIGHTS IN CONFLICT WITH FIRE INSPECTOR
Portal-credo.ru, 5 May 2010

A judge in the Millerovo regional court of Rostov province, S.A. Kopylov, came to the defense of a church and ordered an end to the proceedings in a case on administrative violation of law with regard to a local religious organization of the Millerovo church of Evangelical Christians-Baptists, the official site of the Russian Union of EKhB reports.

The church was accused by the regional fire inspector of violating the requirements of fire security in conducting worship services in a residence owned by the presbyter of the church. In the opinion of state inspector V.A. Dimitrov, in changing the function of the building or premises, the rules of fire security should also be changed in accordance with the new use of these buildings or premises.

However the judge established that two rooms on the first floor of the residence were used for conducting the services, and that in the period between meetings they were ordinary living rooms. The presbyter of the church had not made any documented change in the use of living space, and the current federal law "On freedom of conscience and religious association," part 2, article 16, permits conducting worship services and other religious rituals in living quarters. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 May 2010)

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Patriarch consecrates new church in Belgorod

PATRIARCH KIRILL TREAT WITH SKEPTICISM ATTEMPTS TO DETERMINE NUMBER OF ORTHODOX BELIEVERS IN RUSSIA
Interfax-Religiia, 4 May 2010

Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill does not consider it possible to determine the exact number of Orthodox in Russia by means of sociological surveys. "Often it is asked, how many believers are there in Russia? But here statistics are trying to answer a question that  is impossible to answer," Patriarch Kirill said on Sunday in a sermon in the newly consecrated church of [second century--tr.] martyr saints Vera, Nadezhda, Liubov, and their mother Sophia in Belgorod. He said, today "almost everybody says that we are Orthodox in culture, education, worldview, and traditions."

"But if one asks how many people feel God in their hearts; is it really possible to produce such a statistic? And will the boundary line [between believers and nonbelievers--"IF"] follow precisely the line of sociological investigations?" Patriarch Kirill said.

He called for remembering that the personal contact of one with God is "the greatest secret of God" and it is just such contact through prayer that "God expects from us." "We need to learn to pray, and we believe that our life will be filled with divine light, and we will be filled with enormous inner strength. And in joining this strength with our work and personal life we will be able to transform our life in accordance with God's law," the primate said. (tr. by PDS, posted 4 May 2010)

PATRIARCH KIRILL CONSECRATES NEW CHURCH IN BELGOROD
by Viacheslav Vedmanov
Komsomolskaia Pravda, 3 May 2010

Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill was in Belgorod province 1-2 May. The visit of His Holiness was very busy. As the first event he visited the Belgorod Ecclesiastical Seminary, where he blessed the students, and in the cathedral church of the Transfiguration of Belgorod he kissed the sacred relics of the Holy Prelate Ioasaf, who is considered the heavenly protector of the region. The primate of RPTs performed the Divine Liturgy in the cathedral.

After the solemn service Archbishop of Belgorod and Starooskol Ioann presented to Patriarch Kirill an icon of the Holy Prelate Ioasaf. In memory of the visit to Belgorod the patriarch presented to the Transfiguration cathedral an image of Christ the Pantokrator. And to the parishioners, a small image of the Resurrection of the Savior with patriarchal blessing.

On the first day of his visit, Patriarch Kirill went to a new medical center of ophthalmology and eye microsurgery of the "Pokolenie" foundation.  Here the primate of RPTs performed the ritual of consecration of the medical center which is opening its doors to visitors on the eve of the celebration of the 65th anniversary of Victory. War veterans will be able to get free treatment here.

"When a person does something for the good of others, he gives something, but he also receives much in return. And human life with this exchange of resources is impossible," Patriarch Kirill said at the consecration of the center.

On the second day of his stay in Belgorod province Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus consecrated the church of Vera, Nadezhda, Liubov, and their mother Sophia, built on Kharkov hill. A year ago fire destroyed the cupola and wooden constructions of this church. Several months later the church's cupola was restored by local residents' money. "Beauty is promoted by people's faith," the patriarch exulted, consecrating the 17-cupola church of the holy martyrs Vera, Nadezhda, Liubov, and their mother Sophia.

At the ceremony of consecration of the new church, the primate of RPTs presented Governor Evgeny Savchenko one of the highest awards of the Russian Orthodox church, the order of Saint Serafim of Sarov, first degree. The patriarch signed the document of transfer of the church to the Russian Orthodox church, after which along with Archbishop Ioann and the governor, he released into the air white doves, symbolizing spiritual purity.

The next spot to which the patriarch went was the famous Prokhorov Field, where during the war there occurred a great tank battle, marking the turning point in the Kursk battle and in the whole Great Patriotic war. On 2 May a museum of military glory, "The Third Battlefield of Russia," was opened in the complex of the Prokhorov Field military historical museum. Patriarch Kirill was one of the first visitors to this museum.

At the time of his excursion, His Holiness was accompanied by Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeev and member of the Federation Council Nikolai Ryzhkov. At the opening of the museum Patriarch Kirill blessed everybody and generously sprinkled them with holy water. The guests visited the composition, "Tank battle near Prokhorov. Taran," the "Memorial Flame," and the column on which are carved the names of soldiers who received the rank of Hero of the Soviet Union in the battle of the Kursk Salient. Patriarch Kirill laid a wreath and flowers at the monuments.

"We bow our head before the fallen soldiers and the living veterans, before people who accomplished a genuine feat," Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill declared, and he added that victory became possible thanks to the strength of spirit of the Russian people.

The patriarch visited all of the exhibits and conversed with veterans and even with the participants in the reenactment of the battles. (tr. by PDS, posted 4 May 2010)

Russian original posted on Interfax-Religiia  site, 4 May 2010

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Orthodox church commemorates victims of Stalinism

PATRIARCH KIRILL CONDUCTS DIVINE LITURGY AT BUTOVO POLYGON
Blagovest-info, 1 May 2010

Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill on 1 May performed the Divine Liturgy at the Butovo Polygon outside Moscow, where from August 1937 to October 1938, 20,765 persons were shot. In Butovo, 739 clergymen and hundreds of laity of the Russian Orthodox church were killed, of whom 320 have been canonized as new martyrs. The memory of the Butovo new martyrs is celebrated on the fourth Saturday after Pascha.

Pilgrims arrived at the Butovo Polygon from early morning, where they awaited the beginning of the service under drizzling rain.  To transport the believers the bus traffic was arranged at shortened intervals from the "Boulevard of Dmitry of the Don" metro station. The weather notably improved by the beginning of the liturgy. Exactly at ten o'clock bishops and priests in red vestments and also several thousand believers greeted Patriarch Kirill. The liturgy was performed under the open sky near the shooting ditches in which the remains of the dead are buried.

Patriarch Kirill was joined by concelebrants metropolitans of Krutitsy and Kolomna Yuvenaly and of Saransk and Mordova Varsonofy, archbishops of Istria Arseny, of Verei Evgeny, of Sergiev Posak Feognost, of Egorev Mark, bishops Ilian, Nikon, Anatoly, Tikhon of Vidnovsk, Alexander of Dmitrov, Ignaty of Bronnits, Roman of Serpukhov, Sergei of Slnechnotorsk, Ieronim, Tikhon of Podolsk, and Kirill of Pavlovo-Posad, and by clergy of Moscow and Moscow province.

A choir of the Orthodox St. Tikhon's Humanities University sang for the worship service.

After the reading of the Gospel, Patriarch Kirill delivered a sermon in which he posed the question:  why did people kill their own kind here at the Butovo Polygon? "Because they in this way wanted to hasten the construction of a just society where everybody would be equal and free." The Lord spoke differently:  "You will know the truth and the truth will make you free," and further:  "Verily, verily I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin." No kind of external freedom, the patriarch emphasized, will set a person free:  "Whatever each says about freedom, the world is enslaved to sin."

"Those who perished in Butovo were freed from the fear of death and they did not commit treachery, they did not try to save themselves by killing others. They courageously stood at these ditches and departed for the Lord as angels, gaining through this complete, final, and absolute freedom in God," the primate of RPTs said.

Upon the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy, Patriarch Kirill raised prayers to the new martyrs and served a lity memorial for the innocent victims. (tr. by PDS, posted 3 May 2010)

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