RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


 

 

Russian Orthodox Church uses liturgical prayer for political purposes

MOSCOW CHURCHES BEGIN ACCEPTING PRAYER REQUESTS "FOR SALVATION IN UKRAINE"

Parishioners ask for divine help for those whom SBU is persecuting

Izvestiia, 2 July 2015

 

Along with traditional prayer notes "For health" and "For repose," a new form of commemoration has appeared in churches of the capital: "For salvation in Ukraine" (for the health of people located in the zone of armed conflicts, for salvation of "those persecuted for their faith," etc.).  This was described for Izvestiia by the vice-chairman of the synod's Department for Cooperation of Church and Society of the Russian Orthodox Church (RPTs), the priest Roman Bogdasarov. He said that such papers may be left in the church of the Joy of all the Sorrowing Icon of the Mother of God (on Bolshaia Ordynka), the church of St. Nicholas on Three Hills (on Novovagan Lane), the church of the Renewal of the Holy Sepulchre (on Briusov Lane), and the church of the Live-Giving Trinity (on Kosygin St.), whose rector is Father Andrei Novikov, a priest who recently fled from persecution by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Odessa. Parishioners are leaving pleas for the salvation not only of those who reside in the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic, but also for citizens of western Ukraine.

 

We recall that in accordance with the blessing of Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill, since the beginning of 2015 a special prayer for peace in Ukraine is read in every liturgy.

 

Bogdasarov explained that since the beginning of the year, churches of the capital have also begun accepting oral requests and letters from Russians who sympathize with the fates of people in Ukraine.

 

"Some prayer papers briefly describe the stories of the needy. They ask God for reconciliation in Ukraine, rejection of threats from parties hostile to civilians, and help for those against whom criminal cases have been opened in Ukraine whom the SBU is covertly persecuting," Bogdasarov says. "In the fraternal but now splintered country, people often fear even to write their own names in churches because radicals use physical force on some who praise the RPTs (this despite the fact that in any church all rituals remain confidential). Therefore at their request, Orthodox relatives of Ukrainian citizens who are living in Russia come to pray for them in Moscow churches.

 

The priest also described how even in traditional prayer papers "For health" parishioners may add the notation "located in circumstances" in Ukraine (that is, in difficult conditions) or "persecuted for faith," and they then enumerate the names of those who need God's help.

 

In addition, Russian churches have begun in 2015 to accept prayer notes "for help for mortgagees" and "applicants for university admission."

 

As Izvestiia reported previously, in the summer of 2015 priests intend to watch in Moscow churches within universities in order to give a blessing to applicants for university admission and students taking exams during the session. Also beginning in March, prayers have been said in the church of St. Nicholas on Three Hills for bestowal of God's help to mortgagees, which were begun by RPTs at the request of Russians suffering from the crisis. Earlier the synod's Department for Cooperation of Church and Society also stated that prayers will be started for help for farmers in the development of import-replacement products in Russia. (tr. by PDS, posted 6 July 2015)


Ukrainian-edited version of same article

RPTs INTRODUCES NEW FORM OF COMMEMORATION "FOR SALVATION IN UKRAINE" FOR THOSE WHOM UKRAINIAN AUTHORITIES PERSECUTE

RISU, 6 July 2015 (excerpts)

 

Along with traditional prayer notes "For health" and "For repose," a new form of commemoration has appeared in churches of the Moscow diocese, which Patriarch Kirill rules: "For salvation in Ukraine" (for the health of people located in the zone of armed conflicts, for salvation of "those persecuted for their faith," persecuted by SBU, etc.), Religiia v Ukraine reports with reference to Izvestiia. [. . .]

 

Such papers may be left in the church of the Joy of all the Sorrowing Icon of the Mother of God on Bolshaia Ordynka (the rector of the church is Metropolitan Ilarion, chairman of OVTsS of the Moscow patriarchate), the church of St. Nicholas on Three Hills in Novovagan Lane (the rector is Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, head of the synod's Department for Cooperation with Church and Society), the church of the Renewal of the Holy Sepulchre on Briusov Lane (the rector of the church in Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, vice-chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow patriarchate), and the church of the Life-Giving Trinity on Kosygin St. (the rector is Archpriest Andrei Novikov, who fled from the SBU from Odessa diocese and now arranges educational events in the church at which "the myth of Ukrainianism is debunked," and "the state service of Russian motorcyclists and the struggle for Novorossia" are taught, etc.).

 

The editors of the portal Religiia v Ukraine are interested in the innovation in the Moscow diocese of RPTs and they sent an inquiry to the Kiev metropolia of the UPTsMP as to whether the new form of commemoration prayer papers has been considered in the diocese of Kiev, for the salvation of Ukrainian citizens who are being persecuted in Russia. In particular, the Ukrainian pilot Nadezhda Savchenko, whom Metropolitan Onufrey recently praised and asked to cease her hunger strike in a Russian SIZO [investigative cell]. (tr. by PDS, posted 6 July 2015)



Russia Religion News Current News Items

Editorial disclaimer: RRN does not intend to certify the accuracy of information presented in articles. RRN simply intends to certify the accuracy of the English translation of the contents of the articles as they appeared in news media of countries of the former USSR.

If material is quoted, please give credit to the publication from which it came. It is not necessary to credit this Web page. If material is transmitted electronically, please include reference to the URL, http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/.