Bishop Evlogy of Kremenchug Believes that the Catholic West Stands Behind Demands for Ukrainian Autocephaly

Faithful of the canonical UOC/MP, pray for them, they under assault today. They need our help now!

Bishop Evlogy of Kremenchug and Khorol believes that Catholic factions are behind the idea of autocephaly for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. “The Catholic West supports Ukrainian autocephaly. Please, remember, the very idea of the so-called ‘Patriarchate of Kiev‘ belonged to the Uniates, who understand the union of the Churches as subordination to Rome“, Vladyki Evlogy said in an interview in the newspaper Kremenchug Pravoslavny (Orthodox Kremenchug).

He sees a “direct interest” for the Uniate Catholics in an autocephalous status for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. According to Bishop Evlogy, the Uniates “understand well that an attempt to introduce autocephaly shall do no good for Ukrainian Orthodoxy, and, more likely, it’ll cause a new, more monstrous, schism within it. It (schism: Interfax) will suit the Uniates well, as they’ll try to dramatically improve their position, not only in the western regions, but, in the whole Ukraine”, Vladyki Evlogy said. He also reminded us that Philaret Denisenko, the head of the schismatical so-called “Patriarchate of Kiev” once voiced his consent to prayerful unity with Rome. However, Bishop Evlogy thinks that Ukrainian Orthodox believers “consider autocephaly a deviation from the faith of their fathers, they don’t want it, and they’ll protect their faith and the unity of the Church”.

Vladyki Evlogy noted, “Instead of working with us for the creative salvation of our people, they’re involved in actions that are specifically directed to provoke a schism. Autocephaly shall being no benefit to the long-suffering Ukraine, only thoroughgoing repentance and a correct spiritual life in Christ in the grace-bearing, canonical, and true Church shall do so”.

26 November 2008

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/catholicism/?act=news&div=27487

Editor’s Note:

Are you sensing… yes, you’re absolutely correct. The Interfax English translator earns yet another Big Green Weenie Award. The last paragraph is missing in the Interfax English translation. They’re always trying to soften the words of Orthodox concerning the Catholics. I’m against hatred. I believe that we can get on well with Latin Catholics as neighbours. They’re what they are. They have notions about the importance of the Pope of Rome that we don’t share and are never going to share. We can cooperate in works of good will and live in peace. However, the Uniates are a dagger poised at our heart, in existence to seduce Orthodox into the bosom of the Church of Rome. Don’t forget 1612 and don’t forget how the Catholics starved Patriarch St Germogen to death.

There’s no “Eastern Church”; there’s no “Byzantine Church”. These are Western constructs. There is the Orthodox Church, and there is the Church of Rome. They’re what they are, and we’re what we are. Why can’t the Church of Rome see that and be content with good neighbourly relations? That’s in our grasp, we should cultivate such. Unity? That’s an impossible pipe-dream, best relegated to the rubbish-tip.

BMD

 

French Philosopher Alain de Benoist Believes that the EU is more Atheist than the Former USSR

Alain de Benoist (1943- ), cutting-edge French conservative thinker, philosopher, and activist

Renowned French traditionalist philosopher, geopolitical thinker, and founder of the intellectual movement Nouvelle Droite (French for “New Right”: Interfax) Alain de Benoist believes that modern Europe “has beaten the record of the USSR” in the depths of its mass atheism. “Now, Europe has reached a level of atheism higher than that found in Russia, even after the forced totalitarian policy of the Soviet period”, M de Benoist said at a meeting with Russian scholars at the Conservative Studies Centre of the Sociology Faculty of Moscow State University (MGU). In his observation, today, religious values “are good for Russia, but, not for Europe. Indeed, I believe that a political party based on religious values would win absolutely no votes in elections in the EU”, he said. In particular, he said that 30 years ago France had a law providing punishment for the advocacy of homosexuality, but, today, it has another law that “bans saying anything critical concerning homosexuality”. For instance, French schools are using textbooks entitled Against Homophobia. Professor Valery Rastorguyev, the Head of the MGU Political Theory Department, concluded, “Conservatism is possible only in Russia, for true conservatism should answer the question, ‘Is there a place for God in this ideology?’”

25 November 2008

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=27465

The Church reminds us that the Blessing of Weapons does not contradict the Commandment “Thou shalt not Murder”

Russian soldier venerating the relics of St Aleksandr Nevsky. The Church prays for “the Christ-loving host”, so should we.

The Orthodox Church sees no contradiction between the commandment, “Thou shalt not murder”, and the old Russian tradition of blessing weapons and naming weapons and military aircraft after saints. “However, when it blesses weapons and names military jets or warships after saints, the Church also prays ‘for the peace of the whole world’ every day, so that there will be no reason to use them”, Fr Mikhail Prokopenko, the secretary of the communications service of the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, was quoted as saying by the newspaper Express-Gazeta.

He pointed up that the commandment, “Thou shalt not murder”, was well-known to the Israelites of the Biblical age, yet, they fought holy wars for the Promised Land, and “King David, who also knew it, led holy wars with God’s blessing, as well as our pious ancestors did, who fought wars to protect our Motherland from invaders. I would not divide weapons into offensive and defensive types. Any army that prepares only for defensive actions will suffer defeat. For instance, what was the Soviet bombing of Berlin in August 1941? Was it aggression or was it defending the Motherland from the enemy? What about ballistic missiles? Are they weapons of aggression or means of deterrence?” Fr Mikhail asked. He reminded us that there was a tank column named after St Dmitri Donskoi, a hero of the Battle of Kulikovo, and an air squadron named after St Aleksandr Nevsky during World War II.

“The tanks and aircraft were bought with funds collected by the Church and they were built by Orthodox believers. No one can hypocritically oppose naming these units after holy saints, because their purpose was to protect the Motherland from its enemies. This is in direct observation of God’s commandment concerning the love we should show for our neighbours”, Fr Mikhail noted. He quoted the words of Christ; There is no greater love than this, that a man would lay down his life for his friends. Fr Mikhail expressed his regret that “the world lies in evil, so, frequently, there are situations where the only way to repel wickedness is through the use of weapons”.

24 November 2008

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=27451

Editor’s Note:

Yes, sir, boys and girls… it’s Big Green Weenie Award time again! The Interfax English translator left out the entire third paragraph. The last sentence truly makes the piece, so, there is no excuse for such laziness and sloth.

Let’s not forget… often, Russians have taken up arms not only in defence of the Motherland, but, in defence of Christ’s Faith at the same time. St Aleksandr Nevsky faced Teutonic Knights who wished to destroy Orthodoxy and replace it with Catholicism. In 1612, the Poles attempted to destroy our culture and ram Uniatism down our throats. I should mention that the good fathers of the Sergievskaya-Troitsa Lavra helped man the walls during the 16-month siege of the monastery by the Polish aggressors. If our ancestors had not taken up arms, we would be Catholics today. We owe their memory a debt we can never repay. Our Orthodox Faith exists because they faced the foe and beat him back. Glory to their memory!

BMD

Pierre Cardin Became an Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts

Pierre Cardin (1922- ), famous Italian-born French fashion designer and beau monde couturier

On Thursday, French fashion designer Pierre Cardin became an honorary member of the Russian Academy of Arts at an awards ceremony in Moscow. The Italian-born couturier, 86, is known for his unisex style and the first prêt-à-porter (ready-to-wear) collection. The Russian Academy of Arts has over 3,000 members and 150 honorary members. The French couturier is expected to create stage decorations for the Russian rock-opera Juno and Avos, composed by Aleksei Rybnikov. The popular opera was the first Soviet work of art to be performed at Cardin’s Theatre in Paris. M Cardin and the president of the Russian Academy of Arts, the Georgian-born sculptor Zurab Tsereteli, will leave for Azerbaijan on Friday to take part in a ceremony marking the 80^th birthday of the painter Tair Salakhov.

A video clip from Juno and Avos

27 November 2008

RIA-Novosti

http://en.rian.ru/culture/20081127/118574677.html