The above photo is of the Russian Orthodox Church Society meeting in Juneau AK on 5 May 1924. The event included society members from Juneau and Hoonah. Pictured is a large group of adults and children, including Fr Kashevaroff, beside the entrance to the church.
28 August 2012
Juneau (AK) Empire
http://juneauempire.com/local/2012-08-28/russian-orthodox-church-society#.UD3SosFlRA0
Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias (1946- )
Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev, the First Hierarch of the Patriarchate of Moscow and all the Russias, said at a meeting with US Ambassador Michael McFaul in Moscow on 30 March, “Resetting the relations between our countries is impossible without our changing our attitudes to each other. Today, we must think how we could add a humanitarian and spiritual dimension to the relations between Russia and the USA”. Such meetings with ambassadors from around the world are everyday routine for Patriarch Kirill… often, he has several such meetings a week. However, we could consider this one symbolic as it took place during the 145th anniversary of the sale of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands by Tsar Aleksandr Nikolaevich to the US government.
His Holiness emphasised that the deal, signed in 1867, gave a strong impetus to the development of cultural and spiritual ties between our nations, saying, “The Russian Church was the first to undertake an Orthodox mission on US territory, beginning with Alaska, followed by California and Fort Ross. Later, the Russian bishop’s residence moved to New York. In fact, the first Orthodox parishes in America were Russian. Greek and Arab parishes only appeared later. Today, the Orthodox Church in America (sic), which has Russian roots, is autocephalous, but we maintain good relations with it, and we note that our Russian ancestors stood at its foundation and were the first missionaries in America. This can’t be said about any other country of the world”.
Patriarch Kirill said that there were different periods in the history of Russian-American relations. There was active economic cooperation in the 19th century and cold estrangement in the middle of the 20th century. However, no matter what politicians said, there’s never been any strong anti-American feeling in Russia. It’s important to preserve good relations between the people of our two countries. His Holiness thought that the Church could play a certain role in this respect, saying, “The duty of the Church is to promote peace amongst people, to change the situation for the better, and to help to overcome any confrontation. When I met with President Obama in Moscow, we agreed that the Church should try to add to a humanitarian and spiritual dimension to the resetting of relations between our two countries. It’s counterproductive to rub salt into a wound, to instigate negative attitudes to each other. We should carry out political and economic cooperation, the struggle against terrorism, and cooperation in the international arena in the context of the people’s trust; otherwise, they would criticise or completely reject this policy. Apparently, this is true for both Russia and the USA”.
In turn, Ambassador McFaul emphasised that the USA is doing everything possible to find a balance between the political realities and civil relations between our countries, saying, “When we speak about resetting relations with Russia, we mean establishing relations with both state and civil organisations, including, of course, the Russian Orthodox Church. President Obama believes that both these aspects are important, and will continue to provide an opportunity of finding a balance in case of disagreement between the governments. After all, if there’s a balance in relations with civil organisations, our political relations will also be durable”. Ambassador McFaul also promised that the White House would “take a more objective attitude” when preparing its annual reports on freedom of religion in Russia. Recently, the US government published a report in which they recommended that the US State Department should put Russia on a list of countries requiring special attention due to the situation of freedom of religion. Many people in Russia considered that report unwarranted and prejudiced.
Patriarch Kirill said that when he was the head of the MP Department for External Church Relations he repeatedly addressed the US Secretary of State and the US Ambassador with suggestions of extending the range of sources for the compilation of such documents, to guarantee a more objective understanding of the situation. The Americans seem to have honoured Patriarch Kirill’s request. At present, the US Embassy and the MP DECR are preparing a meeting at which both sides could analyse the religious situation in Russia.
30 March 2012
Milena FaustovaVoice of Russia World Service
http://rus.ruvr.ru/2012_03_30/70134506/
Editor’s Note:
NO mention of this meeting on oca.org, even though His Holiness said some “nice” things about the supposedly-autocephalous OCA… it appears that the Centre left Syosset out of the loop. Or, it could simply be laziness on the part of Jillions and Lil’ Mizz Ginny. Actually, I think it was a little bit of both, with some hutsky-klutsky incompetence from Fathausen and Bobby thrown in for good measure. In any case, why’s the Centre making a big deal over a hum-drum workaday meeting with a known hostile foreign figure?
Here’s why, kids… on 4 February, the Phanar sent a letter to the Church of Czechia and Slovakia, but only released it publicly today (click here for the Greek original). Two Greek friends helped me out… basically, it’s a nastygram from the EP to the First Hierarch of the Czech and Slovak Church telling him to stop celebrating the anniversary of the granting of his church’s autocephaly from the MP. The EP doesn’t recognise that act of granting of autocephaly as legitimate. The autocephaly granted from the EP is the only one that they should recognise. Failure to heed this would result in the annulment of the autocephaly granted by the EP, and the EP would only consider the Czech and Slovak Church an autonomous body. It appears that the Phanar doesn’t recognise that the MP’s action in 1951 that granted it autocephaly was legitimate.
To add a cherry to this merry little sundae, on 29 March, the Phanar sent a letter to the Church of Greece, in which Patriarch Bartholomew Archontonis reproached various bishops of the Church of Greece for speaking out against ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue. The Phanar said that recent statements against ecumenism have reached what appear to them to be “unacceptable levels”. Patriarch Bartholomew demanded that the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece should condemn these tendencies.
In short, there’s a good game of ecclesial hardball going on here, and the Centre is using McFaul. That’s rich and delicious, as McFaul’s one of those “democracy advocates” who sticks his thumb in every pie within reach. Apparently, His Nibs has checkmated him, and the Russians have his number. Boy oh boy, is McFaul going to be pissed when he finds out that the Centre used him to take a jab at Langley’s lickspittles in the Phanar. Here’s a colloquy between me and a friend (I’m in italics):
There IS a serious fight… over the USA. The EP’s serious when it claims the USA as its own. The Centre’s not going to stand for that, and that may be the pretext for it shutting down the OCA (St Fagomyr’s has been leaning towards the EP ever since the Schmemanndorff days).
I know it’s serious, but the MP was here first… in Sitka, Alaska! So, the EP doesn’t have a claim… it’s all about money, Barbara. The Phanar’s broke; they need American money… badly.
The GOAA IS the EP… full stop. That’s why it’ll NEVER allow an “autocephalous” Church in the USA… the OCA wasn’t an autocephalous Church, it’s nothing but an MP dependency with big ideas (which caused its downfall and demise). 99% of the EP’s money comes from rich Greeks in the USA, and rich and/or influential Greek-Americans transmit Washington’s orders to the Phanar… I think that one would be the Stephanopoulos family… think of the kafuffle in the ROCOR caused by a nun in the ROCOR from that family, but who left it after the ’07 reconciliation.
In short, the pot’s bubbling away merrily on the front burner, and the cooks are arguing over the contents. In short, it bids fair to be a real Donnybrook… I’m putting my money on Kirill… bet on RED, kids…
Oh, one last thing… there was NO report on patriarchia.ru on this meeting, but there was a post on Interfax here.
BMD
Editor’s Foreword:
I’m in plain type; my interlocutors are in italics.
BMD
I wasn’t “approving”… I found it “interesting”… quite another thing, wot? I’m old enough to have NO “enthusiasms” for anyone or anything. So are you… we’re not the ELDERS, but we’re “on deck”… we’re next. We need to be level-headed for the young’uns (who WILL get carried away… but that’s normal… we did, didn’t we?).
My conclusion is that some of these WASP converts (usually from well-moneyed backgrounds in Episcopalianism) just want the Church for themselves, for their ego-trip, without any nasty foreigners.
Have you seen this? Oliver Herbel, the OCA convert priest and “historian”, who’s the darling of the OCA ex-Protestant crowd, says that St Peter the Aleut didn’t exist, and that he was a myth! How completely and totally offensive… these people are out of control and they need to be stopped. Funny, though, his Frontier Orthodoxy blog is password protected, you have to be a “member” to read his rancid crap.
It’s time for the Alaska Native Orthodox to contact the Russians… the Anglos won’t help them… they’re thieving liars and grasping rapers of nature. Herbel’s blog being “private” doesn’t surprise me… we’re not “good enough” for his wisdom. Then again, oca.org won’t tell us about Velencia’s suspension or the whereabouts of Dickie Wood. We’re not supposed to know! It’s time for the Alaska Native elders to quietly confer, go off to Vladivostok, and ask for canonical protection from the Mother Church. Otherwise, there’ll be no Church in 20 years time.
Barbara-Marie DrezhloTuesday 21 February 2012
Albany NY
Theme: Rubric. Blog at WordPress.com.
Meeting of Native American Chiefs of the USA and Canada to Take Place in Moscow
Tags: Alaska, Alaska Native, Alaska Natives, Alberta, Black Hills, Bolivia, Canada, Cree, Evo Morales, First Nations, Great Sioux Nation, indigenous peoples of Russia, indigenous peoples of the Americas, Lake Baikal, Lakota, Moscow, Pe' Sla, political commentary, politics, poster, RF Public Chamber, Russia, Russian, Russian Far East, Russian North, Siberia, Sioux, United States, USA, Willie Littlechild
Pe’ Sla in the Black Hills is one of the most significant cultural/spiritual sites of the Sioux Nation. Recently, its greedy owners put it up for sale, but the Sioux Nation was able to redeem it by buying it outright.
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Pavel Sulandziga, chairman of the working group for Development of the North, Siberia, and the Far East in the RF Public Chamber, announced that in mid-January 2013, for the first time, a meeting of the chiefs of Native American tribes of Canada and the USA with worldwide indigenous leaders would take place in Russia. In the light of all the noise raised by the international and Russian mass media in relation to the notorious end of the world bruited for 21 December, Sulandziga’s assessment of the upcoming international conference to take place in Bolivia, entitled The Beginning of the Era of Harmony and Becoming One with Nature, appears quite à propos.
Pavel Sulandziga
In the last few years, Bolivia has become one of the main actors in the movement to defend Mother Earth, which in spirit is very close to what indigenous people worldwide believe in… becoming one with nature, being part of the environment. The meetings in Bolivia that President Evo Morales initiated are of great importance because, in the long run, the economics of our globalised world plays a dominant role. However, it shouldn’t be that way. Besides economics, there’s much else related to the life and activity of people. Of course, economics isn’t the only criterion; people value other values as well.
VOR
Pavel Vasliyevich, you were invited to the conference in Bolivia, but you accepted another invitation and chose to attend a different event. Please, tell us about that.
Pavel Sulandziga
Yes, we’re talking about the annual meeting of the Sioux tribe chiefs, which is one of the largest Native American tribes in the USA. Our association of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East have sought contact with them for a long time in order to work together. Now, for the first time ever, they’ve invited an outsider to their Chief’s Council, which takes place on 21-22 December.
VOR
Will you speak at that Council?
Pavel Sulandziga
Yes, I plan to speak on two themes. Firstly, I plan to touch upon establishing cooperation and joint action between us. I’m currently the chairman of the working group on the international cooperation between the indigenous peoples of Russia and other countries in the RF Public Chamber. Our group works with a number of areas related with the development of indigenous peoples. This includes education, youth culture, self-government, cultural development, and other matters. That’s why I’d like to raise these issues in a joint discussion. Secondly, I’ll talk about the Evenk people, for the Sioux Chiefs’ Council voiced its support for them. This, by the way, was one of the reasons for my invitation. The problem is that Evenk lands attracted the attention of high-ranking officials and legal structures, which decided to grab them…
I’m currently working on the visit to Russia of a number of Native American chiefs from the USA and Canada, as well as the leaders of indigenous people from other countries. Willie Littlechild, the Honorary Chief of the Crees from Alberta in Canada, Aali Kirskitaua, vice president of the Sámi parliament, and Henry Harrison, chief of the Thabas tribe from Alaska, have already confirmed their participation. They’ll come to Russia in mid-January, for a meeting of indigenous peoples for a joint discussion of problems and cooperation. We’re planning a press conference in Moscow, and, then, we’ll go to Lake Baikal.
12 December 2010
Voice of Russia World Service
http://english.ruvr.ru/2012_12_12/The-meeting-of-the-Native-American-chiefs-of-the-USA-and-Canada-to-take-place-in-Moscow/
Addendum on Pe’ Sla:
Born from her core, I know she beats for all that is.
This is where we’re from,
Where we pray,
Where our stories were told back in the day.
My soles stained red as I walk the road around her,
Pointing to the stars and all that surrounds,
This land beats with the power of ten thousand drums.
In my heart of hearts I know this is love I’ve found.
So hear me now —-
You will not destroy her.
No roads will pass,
Nor foundations laid,
Not as long as we’re here…
We will not be swayed.
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Pe’ Sla is the heartland of the Oceti Sakowin (Great Sioux Nation). This land is a part of our creation story; we believe that this land is the centre, the heart, of everything that is.
******
Mitakuye Oyasin
Aho Mitakuye Oyasin….All my relations. I honour you in this circle of life with me today. I am grateful for this opportunity to acknowledge you in this prayer….
To the Creator, for the ultimate gift of life, I thank you.
To the mineral nation that has built and maintained my bones and all foundations of life experience, I thank you.
To the plant nation that sustains my organs and body and gives me healing herbs for sickness, I thank you.
To the animal nation that feeds me from your own flesh and offers your loyal companionship in this walk of life, I thank you.
To the human nation that shares my path as a soul upon the sacred wheel of Earthly life, I thank you.
To the Spirit nation that guides me invisibly through the ups and downs of life and for carrying the torch of light through the Ages, I thank you.
To the Four Winds of Change and Growth, I thank you.
You are all my relations, my relatives, without whom I would not live. We are in the circle of life together, co-existing, co-dependent, co-creating our destiny. One, not more important than the other. One nation evolving from the other and yet each dependent upon the one above and the one below. All of us a part of the Great Mystery.
Thank you for this Life.
http://www.indiegogo.com/PeSla-LakotaHeartland