Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko (1954- ) with Patriarch Bartholomew of Istanbul (1940- ) of the EP. Is this an incipient schism in the offing? God help us all, these two are Uniates in all but name.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko asked the Ecumenical Patriarch on Saturday to give his blessing his plans for a national church independent of the MP. The president’s request to Bartholomew, who is in Kiev for celebrations marking the 1,020th anniversary of the adoption of Orthodox Christianity in Kievan Russia, is likely to further anger Russia, which has resisted the plans of some in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to break away from the MP.
“I believe that a national self-governing church will emerge in the Ukraine, and I ask your holiness for your blessing for our dreams, for truth, for hope, for our country”, Yushchenko told the Orthodox spiritual leader (sic) at a service in the capital. The patriarch did not directly comment on the issue, but spoke of “maintaining church unity”. A rival Ukrainian church was formed after the break-up of the Soviet Union. However, only the Ukrainian Autonomous Orthodox Church (MP), which is part of the MP, is recognised in world Orthodoxy.
Russia has been angered by attempts to sideline the MP in the present celebrations in the Ukraine, and the removal of posters depicting Patriarch Aleksei II of Moscow and all Russia, who will be arriving in Kiev later on Saturday. On Friday, the Foreign Ministry summoned the Ukrainian ambassador to protest against the “lack of respect” being shown in the Ukraine to the MP and its millions of believers. Kiev Patriarchy (a rebel schismatic body led by a deposed and anathematised MP cleric: editor’s note) officials have recently stepped up contacts with the EP, seeking “to return the Ukraine to the Mother Church”. The drive has been actively backed by President Yushchenko and other top officials against a backdrop of tensions in relations with Russia.
The Christianisation of Kiev dates from late 988, when Prince St Vladimir the Great was baptised at Chersonesos, in the Crimea. He then baptised his family and people in Kiev and destroyed the wooden statues of Slavic pagan gods.
26 July 2008
http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080726/114982557.html (in English)
Editor’s Note:
It is still too early in the game for any optimism. As Yogi Berra said, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over”. It is not over yet. This is a good first move, but, Bart is on Yushchenko’s home court. As another saying has it, “It ain’t over until the fat lady sings”. I am waiting for the final aria…
