Fr Vsevolod Chaplin (1968- ), Deputy Head of the MP DECR, prominent MP spokesman
The religious leaders of Russia issued a call for the parties in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict to come to their senses and stop the mindless bloodshed in the region. The current events in South Ossetia are upsetting to all the religious confessions in Russia. Patriarch Aleksei II of Moscow and all Russia urged immediate negotiations between the various sides involved in the war. “On the night of 8 August 2008, sorrow, death, and destruction came down upon the earth. We saw numerous innocent civilian victims; we saw the destruction of populated areas and the infrastructure of [South Ossetia]. Stop this immediately! Do not spill any more blood; do not enlarge the present conflict!” the patriarch’s encyclical on the subject read.
Sources in the Moscow Patriarchate believe that it is necessary for all the sides involved to immediately proclaim a ceasefire and return to reasoned dialogue on the problem. Indeed, what is worse is that those who are attacking one another are fellow Orthodox Christians. Moreover, they are neighbouring Orthodox peoples, called by Our Lord Himself to live in brotherhood and love. “To use warfare and fighting… this is in contradiction to the Christian principles of peaceful coexistence”, said Fr Vsevolod Chaplin, a representative of the MP.
“Our church is ready to combine efforts with those of the Georgian church to make a serious effort at peacemaking. I think that if we turn to the peaceful spirit of the Gospel, listening to the voices of the wise pastors of the church, of the two wise First Hierarchs of two Local Churches, His Holiness Patriarch Aleksei and His Holiness Patriarch Ilya, it will help us to turn away from conflict and bloodshed so that it does not spread into other regions. We know how dangerous the spread of international conflicts can be. We know that the world wars began because of the escalation of local conflicts. Therefore, today, it is very important, in the light of our common Christian heritage, to reflect on the fact that the majority of Ossetians and virtually all Georgians are Orthodox Christians. We should sit down at the negotiation table to thrash out our differences, to stop the bloodshed, and to ensure that the feelings of all sides would be respected and all sides would feel safe living together”.
Today, all Christian confessions of Russia call for an end to the invasion, as do the organisations representing Jews and Buddhists. The Council of Muftis of Russia consider that such an invasion shall lead to no good, but, all that it will do is separate the peoples of all the sides involved. “It is impossible to measure the price of a human life! There is nothing equivalent to this gift of God! Some may believe that is good to kill to conquer a land, to win glory as a conqueror, and to top it all, say that it is part of the faith! Then… look into the eyes of the widow, of the orphan, and the mother who buried her son! When you stand in judgement before Almighty God, the blood of those you killed will cry out against you! Their cry is also our prayer and cry. People, realise what you are doing! You will make [your own judgement]!” a statement of the muftis said.
8 August 2008
Milena Faustova
Voice of Russia World Service
http://www.ruvr.ru/main.php?lng=rus&q=79613&cid=22&p=08.08.2008
