Tag: orthodox church

Kiev Cross Procession unites thousands of supporters of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine

Photo: RIA Novosti

The Procession of the parishioners and priests of the Ukraine Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) held on July 27 in Kiev to mark the 1033th anniversary of Christianization of Rus’ gathered about 100 thousand of participants.

According to journalists covering the event, there were actually a lot more people. This only shows that most Ukrainians support and recognize the Moscow Patriarchate Orthodox Church of Ukraine, not the Kiev Patriarchate Church, which many experts consider as self-proclaimed.

Meanwhile, the journalists also reported that some Procession participants carried posters criticizing Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who founded the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, causing the schism in the Orthdox Church Institution in Ukraine.

Earlier, during the briefing, Archpriest Igor Yakimchuk, the Secretary for Inter-Orthodox Relations of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, said that this year the procession would be dedicated to the “idea of loyalty to the Church”. According to him, for the Ukraine Orthox Church “this is a very important issue today,” since the canonical Church in Ukraine “is being discriminated by the authorities and attacks of extremists who are trying to tear away parishes from it and seize churches.”

The Christianization of Russia took place in 988. Today, it is celebrated among Russian Orthodox believers on July 28. In the Orthodox church calendar, this is the day of remembrance of the Great Prince Vladimir (960-1015), who initiated the Christianization of Russia.

August 5, 2021
Ukraine’s another Church dissent is on edge

Photo credit: press-office of Vladimir Zelensky

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church has blamed Volodymyr Zelensky for pressure by the authorities. Its followers hoped to end persecution with the new Ukrainian President coming to power. Yet, Zelensky who stayed away from the Church affairs during the first months of his presidential term is taking on the course on further Church dissent started by the former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko.

Back in 2019, 49 parliamentarians requested from the Constitutional Court of Ukraine to cancel the controversial draft law “On renaming the Ukrainian Orthodox Church”. This religious organization was obliged to change its name to “Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine” in order to indicate that it was allegedly “governed by an aggressor country”.

This bill was passed two years ago. The document was part of a larger strategic plan by President Petro Poroshenko to create an “independent church.” He won the support of Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople and then gathered the dissenters together, promising them the role of the leading religious group in the country. This explains why the Orthodox Church of Ukraine has become so powerful.

But the majority of Ukrainians, followers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, did not want to join the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, so the government organized persecutions against them and the canonical church. Moreover, it legalized the takeover of its temples widely known in the world.

In October 2020, Volodymyr Zelensky with his spouse made a visit to Istanbul to hold a meeting with Bartholomew I of Constantinople. The Ukrainian President made it clear that the Ukrainian authorities will support further expansion of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. The reaction of dissenters was swift: they announced a new wave of temple seizure making everyone believe that the power was again on their side. The courage that Ukraine has not seen since Poroshenko’s days in the office.

According to local Ukrainian experts, Bartholomew, who officially calls himself a peacemaker of all Christian world is in fact supporting the religious dissent in Ukraine.

The Ukrainian authorities, who claimed that the index of religious freedom in the country is equal to the one in Belgium (according to Andrei Yurash, the head of the Religion Division of the Ministry of Culture, this indicator was 3,2 in February, 2021, that points to the high level of religious tolerance), are also fueling the national protests in the country with their hypocritical and at times irrational policy.

April 14, 2021
Ukraine’s struggle for “independent” church: is the deal really worth it?

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church continues a struggle for becoming fully self-governing, or autocephalous, and is seeking the support of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

Yet, Ecumenical Patriarch Dimitri Bartholomew said he was not happy with the failure of Ukraine President Pytro Poroshenko to invite 25 ruling bishops to join a new formation of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine. So far, there is only one Metropolitan Simeon (Shostatsky) of Vinnitsa and Bar who has joined the newly-formed Church structure. According to the Poroshenko’s proposal to Bartholomew, the new Church would unite 43 parishes including 33 parishes of Kiev Patriarchate, 9 parishes of Ukrainian Autocephalous Church and 1 parish of Moscow Patriarchate.

Earlier this year, Bartholomew requested $20 Million from Poroshenko to support his plan for an independent Church. Bartholomew also demanded that a new autocephalous church would operate in accordance with the Fener law that warrants absolute subjection to Constantinople Patriarchate.

Bartholomew also added that the Istanbul-based Patriarchate granted independence status to the Russian Church in the 16th century and then to the Orthodox churches of the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1998, Istanbul-based Anadolu Agency reported.

However, the deal might not be as good as it seems for Ukraine: after gaining independence Greece will own all 6000 parishes of Kiev Patriarchate leaving Ukrainian Patriarch Filaret empty-handed and with no Russian Orthodox Church support.

December 12, 2018
John Kerry Wants More Seminaries . . . in Turkey

Tristyn K. Bloom | @tristyn_bloom

US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) meets with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, on April 21, 2013, in Istanbul (AFP, Ozan Kose)

AFP:

US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Turkey on Sunday to re-open Orthodox clergy schools near Istanbul that authorities have kept closed for more than 40 years.

“It is our hope that the Halki seminary will open,” Kerry said during a press conference in Istanbul after two days of talks on the Syrian crisis and the Mideast peace process.

Kerry said he discussed religious freedom in overwhelmingly Muslim Turkey and the possible re-opening of the theological schools in talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

The Halki seminary, where Orthodox clergy used to train, is located on an island off Istanbul and was closed in 1971, after Turkey fell out with Greece over Cyprus.

Those wishing to learn more about the state of religious freedom in Turkey can do so here (though I do not endorse HALC on all issues).

On Sunday, Kerry met with His All Holiness, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew. From the transcript:

SECRETARY KERRY: It’s such a privilege to talk with somebody who has been such a voice for tolerance, a voice for interfaith understanding, who most recently visited with His Holiness Pope Francis and was at his investiture, and who has consistently talked out about protecting rights of minorities, protecting religious rights, and who is struggling for larger understanding in the world. . . .

PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW: Thank you, Your Excellency.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you for my reception. And he gave me a beautiful rosary that the Pope gave him that’s been blessed by the Pope and by him, and I will carry that with great, great privilege. . . . Thank you, Patriarch.

PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW: Thank you. So have a nice life.

April 23, 2013
Istanbul mayor: Reconstruction of Bulgarian St. Stephen Church kicked off

Istanbul mayor: Reconstruction of Bulgarian St. Stephen Church kicked off

FOCUS News Agency

Sofia. “Work on the reconstruction of the Bulgarian St. Stephen Church in Istanbul has started,” said Mayor of Istanbul Kadir Topbas said at the meeting with Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.

“We started the work on the reconstruction of one of the first pre-industrial iron constructions in the world, one of the first buildings – this is the Bulgarian St. Stephen Church in Istanbul. We started the work on the reconstruction of this church. I think this is good news for you. This investment will cost EUR 2 million and I think that after the work is done, the church will look much better, because it is of great value both for us and for you,” Topbas remarked.

via Istanbul mayor: Reconstruction of Bulgarian St. Stephen Church kicked off – FOCUS Information Agency.

March 11, 2012
Turkish EU Minister Pays Visit to Assyrian Orthodox Church in Istanbul

Turkey’s State Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU talks Egemen Bagis visited Virgin Mary Assyrian Orthodox Church in Beyoglu district in Istanbul on Sunday.

Bagis said that Turkish citizens of Assyrian origin had always worked for Turkey and its development.

Bagis said that Turkey was passing through a different and brand new era and the country was getting stronger.

Turkey had the 6th largest economy in Europe and it had the potential of the fastest growing economy in Europe, he said.

“Our Assyrian brothers and sisters are also pleased with development and transformation in Turkey,” he said.

Bagis said that they would improve reform process and democratization in the country.

Metropolitan Bishop of the Assyrian Orthodox Church Yusuf Cetin said that representatives of all political parties visited the church ahead of the general elections. “But State Minister Bagis visited us two years ago. He was the first minister to visit us,” he said.

“We always pray for our country’s unity, development and for the world peace,” Cetin said.

May 17, 2011