On the Death of My Husband: A Message from Matushka Yuliya Mikhailovna Sysoeva, Widow of Fr Daniil Sysoev

Matushka Yuliya Mikhailovna Sysoeva and her daughters Iustina Daniilovna Sysoeva and Dorofei Daniilovna Sysoeva laying flowers on the grave of her husband, the murdered Fr Daniil Sysoev.

Thank you, dear ones, for your support and prayers. I can’t express my pain in words. It’s like the pain of standing by the Cross of the Saviour. Yet, it’s also a joy that you can’t convey by mere speech… it’s the joy of coming to the empty tomb. Where is thy victory, O death? Fr Daniil foresaw his demise several years before the crime.

He always wanted to be found worthy of martyrdom, and the Lord granted him this crown. Those who shot him, wanted to spit on the face of the Church, as once they spat on the face of Christ, but, they have not achieved what they wanted, because they failed to spit on the Church. Fr Daniil ascended his Golgotha right inside the church that he built and where he committed all his time and strength. They killed him as though he was an ancient prophet, between the altar and the place of sacrifice, and he rightly earned the title of a martyr. He died for Christ, Whom he served with all his might.

Very often, he told me that he was afraid that he wouldn’t make it; he thought that he wasn’t good enough. As a human being, he had his excesses and distortions, he stumbled and made mistakes, but, he was not mistaken in the main, his life was devoted entirely to HIM.

I didn’t understand why he was in a hurry. In the last three years, he worked constantly, without a break for weekends or holidays. I grumbled; I wished, just sometimes, that I would have the simple happiness of having my husband and the father of my children with me and the kids. However, he was called to walk another road.

He said that he’d be killed. I asked him with whom he would leave us with, that is, my three children and me. He replied that he’d leave us in good hands. “I’ll leave you with the Mother of God; she’ll take care of you”.

Over time, I forgot those words. He specified the vestments he wished to be dressed in for his burial. At the time, I joked that we shouldn’t talk about it, for we didn’t know who was going to bury whom. He said that I was going to bury him. Once we were talking about funerals, I don’t remember this conversation completely, but, I said that I had never been to a priest’s funeral. He replied, “Don’t worry about it, you can come to mine”.

I remember so many of our words together and I realise that I only now found out what they really meant. Now, my doubts are resolved; my misunderstandings are dispelled.

We didn’t say goodbye in this life, we didn’t ask each other’s forgiveness, we didn’t hug each other. It was a normal day… he went to serve the morning liturgy, and that was the last time that I saw him.

Why didn’t I go that day to meet him in the church? Indeed, I had thought I would, but, I decided that I should cook dinner and put the kids to bed. I didn’t go… I had to take care of the kids… it was as if a hand was holding me back. Often enough before, I went and met him in the church. I felt like clouds were looming over us. Over the last few days, I tried to be with him as often as possible. Last week, I thought only of death and of the life beyond the grave. I really couldn’t concentrate on either one. On that day, thoughts whirled in my head, “death blows to the head”. Last week was so difficult for me; it felt like a ton of bricks had fallen on me.

I didn’t break down. He supports me; I feel that he is near me. At that time, we so many tender words to each other, more than we spoke in the rest of our lives together. Only now, do I realise how much we loved one another.

The Fortieth Day {Editor’s note: Special prayers are served 40 days after a death, we believe that is the time when the soul stands before God’s judgement.} of Fr Daniil falls on the eve of his nameday and the patronal feast of the future temple, 29 and 30 December, the feastday of the Holy Prophet Daniel. As prophesied by an old woman, the church would be built, but, Fr Daniil wouldn’t be there to serve in it. The second part is now accomplished.

23 November 2009

Matushka Yuliya Sysoeva

Missionersky Portal Khrama Proroka Daniila (Missionary Portal of Holy Prophet Daniel Church)

As quoted in Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=radio&div=1211

On the Death of a Priest: In Memory of Fr Daniil Sysoev

The body of Fr Daniil Sysoev (1974-2009) laid out for the Last Farewell. Vechnaya yemu pamyat!

I knew Fr Daniil, I interviewed him for Foma in 2004, and, after that, chatted with him on the phone. We held diametrically opposed points of view… on Christian literature, on the literal interpretation of the six days of Genesis, on the fate in the afterlife of non-Orthodox, and on the relationship between science and religion. Until yesterday, it seemed to me that all of this was very important. However, death, not just a simple death, but, a martyrdom, put all of it into perspective. I have NOT changed my views on these issues, but, now, I have a very different understanding of the motivation of Fr Daniil. He had a youthful and passionate faith, not a dull dogmatic conservatism. With all the forces of his fervent soul, Fr Daniil threw himself totally into the defence of his views because he really wanted to do good for his opponents, as their salvation was very important to him. Sometimes, he looked ridiculous, sometimes, he was naïve, and, sometimes, it backfired on him, but, he was always honest and sincere. Yet, I don’t remember a single case where he took anything thrown at him personally; he didn’t dwell on it. Now, I am ashamed that I often laughed at his “mulish stubbornness”… indeed, in this regard, I lacked love. He had a real love for everybody… it was GENUINE.

Now, many are horrified… a terrible death, what a horrible death. I think that taking this attitude to Fr Daniel is rather strange… after all, it was the death of a soldier of Christ, who died at his post. I can’t even say that I’m terribly sorry for him… I’m sure that he has now entered into the joy of Christ. I’m terribly sorry for his widow and daughters, though. Their pain is real, and we can and must pray for them. Well, let’s think about practical things. Of course, his widow and children will receive a pension, but, we all understand that it’s little enough to live on. Therefore, they may need our financial assistance, and it would be good if someone undertook to organise fundraising for them.

Yet, it’s necessary to understand what happened in a Christian way. Firstly, speaking of his death, Fr Daniil once stated that the Christian faith is not just a set of views, not just discussions in Live Journal comboxes, nor just an automatic response to tired rituals. Rather, it’s a very serious and very dangerous thing. We’re all at risk… more precisely, we become at risk at the moment when faith becomes the core of our lives. They can murder, they can maim, they can distort, they can taunt, and they can harass. Do not look for conspiracy in my words… I’m not talking about some mysterious dark organisation (I don’t know if there is or isn’t such a group, frankly). Nevertheless, the forces of evil, the demonic forces, are real, and real Christians (not the nominal sort) are intolerable to them. They seek to strike at them, and the instruments of their revenge, as a rule, are people who are possessed in the fullest sense of the word (this is rare and exceptional), or, simply, those afflicted with an obsessive passion that fuses with their sins (this is more often the case). Most often, their affliction rules them, and the reasons for their misfortune are understandable.

I think that it makes no sense to go into arguments about Providence, free will, and of bearing one’s cross. It’s important that all Christians should ask themselves, once again, what does our faith mean to us? Are we willing to pay the price? We all need to do that, in our own way, of course. There are those who are our keen opponents, and they are a very diverse lot. Immediately after the assassination, it was not surprising that one saw people on the internet forum ru_antirelidzhn rowdily celebrating what happened. These are regular folks we pass in the street, sit next to on public transport, and those whom we smile at every day. Of course, very, very few of them will take a gun and go on a killing spree, but, they form a social set where the killing of believers wins applause and respect.

Now, it’s very easy to turn our grief at Fr Daniil’s death into a senseless hatred of Islam. Hatred is a feeling foreign to the Christian faith. “’Forgive them, Father’, the Lord said of his tormenters, but, for us, human nature tends to more often say, ‘we won’t forget and we won’t forgive’”. All right, in this case, we must overcome human nature. This does not mean that the police should not search for the murderer. This does not mean that the murderer and sponsors of the crime (for, logically, someone sponsored it) should not be punished under the law. Nevertheless, one thing is beyond the pale… the hysterical cries about every Muslim being to blame (like they’re all guilty). Yes, the so-called “Islamic trail” exists… it may be the most probable scenario; it isn’t the only version of the crime. You can’t expand the guilt of one person, or of a small faction, to extend to all Muslims. I’m not saying that we should mince about spouting mealy-mouthed political correctness… we needn’t bow and scrape before Muslims, and we Christians don’t need to make any doctrinal compromises with them! However, we should show a truly Christian attitude toward people.

Instead of raising a “witch-hunt” (including a “virtual” one), let’s just pray for the murdered Servant of God the Priest Daniil and his family. The Lord will deal with the dregs.

November 2009

Vitaly Kaplan

Foma.ru

As quoted in Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=radio&div=1210

Concert of Contemporary Orthodox Choral Music Set for Moscow Conservatoire on Thursday

The Vesnianka Youth Choir on stage at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatoire (they are not scheduled to perform at this recital; I wished to show you how the Conservatoire stage looks when set up for a choral group).

On Thursday, at the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, a concert entitled Pyesn Voskozhdeniya (The Song of Ascents) is set for performance. “We will present the best Orthodox choral compositions of recent years at this concert, showcasing works created in Russia, the Ukraine, and Belarus”, Aleksei Puzakov, choir-director at the Church of St Nicholas at the Tretyakov Gallery and Honoured Artist of Russia, told our Interfax-Religion correspondent on Tuesday. The works presented are by such well-known composers as Roman Ledenyov, Kirill Volkov, Andrei Mikita, and Viktoria Polevaya. These musicians are not only famous all over the CIS, but, in Europe, as well. The organisers dedicated this performance to the creativity of Archbishop Hilarion Alfeyev of Volokolamsk, the head of the MP Department for External Church Relations. Archbishop Hilarion’s pioneering of a new genre in Russian music, the “Orthodox Passion”, is a significant development in our cultural life. “Orthodox listeners so often hear ‘old friends’ as settings for the liturgical chants… it’s worn a rut in their minds. We wish to uplift the listeners of this concert. If their thoughts about God were hitherto vague and murky, perhaps, we can help them reflect on God, eternity, truth, and beauty”, Maestro Puzakov said. The Choir of the Tretyakov Gallery, which many consider the finest interpreters of sacred music in Russia, and the Moscow Symphony Orchestra, will participate in the concert.

24 November 2009

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=33054

Yuliya Sysoeva: “My Husband had a Premonition of His Death”

Yuliya Mikhailovna Sysoeva, the widow of Fr Daniil Sysoev (1974-2009)

According to the widow of Fr Daniil Sysoev, he knew about the impending attempt on his life. Fr Daniil had prepared himself for death at any moment. He constantly received death threats at his home. “He received threats by both phone and e-mail, ‘Sysoev, we’ll kill you!’”, his now-widowed wife Yuliya Mikhailovna said, with tears in her eyes. “I knew about this”.

On that fateful evening, Yuliya Mikhailovna was waiting for her husband to come to dinner and she had laid the table. 40 minutes before the shooting, she phoned him on his mobile. “He said that he’d come soon, told me to wait and not to worry, but, after a while, I decided to phone again, but, only heard beeps”, his wife recalled. “Then, the investigators phoned me and said what had happened was something terrible”.

When he was alive, in spite of everything, Fr Daniil always preached Christianity. “I do not know with whom he talked. He talked with so very many people. I don’t know whether they threatened him in person or not”, Yuliya said. “He met so many people and he had debates with the leaders of extremist groups. However, many of his efforts bore fruit. Why, he even baptised a fellow who had been a terrorist”.

After the assassination of Fr Daniil, his three daughters were left orphaned. “14-year-old Iustina and 9-year-old Dorofei cry, they know that they lost their father. But, little Angelina, she’s only two, she doesn’t understand what happened”, Yuliya said. “I feared the worst, both he and I did… we both knew that it would happen sooner or later, he would be killed. However, he could not leave his mission. He went to a martyr’s death; he suffered for Christ. It is an altogether brazen thing… to kill a priest in church, right at the altar. Well, was he supposed to hide out and wear a helmet and flak jacket?!”

Fr Daniil left many unfinished manuscripts and papers at the time of his death, but, so far, the detectives are keeping them confidential whilst they look over them.

20 November 2009

Lifenews.ru

As quoted in Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=radio&div=1209

Fr Daniil Sysoev Buried in Moscow

Funeral Procession for Fr Daniil Sysoev (1974-2009)

The burial of Fr Daniil Sysoev, murdered in his church on the evening of 19 November by a masked gunman, took place in Moscow. A large gathering of Orthodox believers attended the services. Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias, First Hierarch of the MP, served a Memorial Litiya.

On Monday morning, the funeral service for Fr Daniil Sysoev began at Ss Peter and Paul church in the Yasenevo district of Moscow. Literally, the people packed the not so large building so tightly that an apple that fell from the ceiling wouldn’t hit the floor. There were several hundred Orthodox clergy in white-coloured vestments and parishioners in solemn mourning attire from many different Moscow parishes. One saw ordinary believers, who, like many people, this murder struck to the utmost depths of their souls. Even before the funeral service began, there was a religious procession of many thousands led by the clergy in memory of Fr Daniil. It went to the church where his father, Archpriest Aleksei Sysoev, serves as rector. Today, the coffin with the body of the slain Fr Daniil lies in the church.

Patriarch Kirill said in his remarks, “Fr Daniel is a powerful symbol of our times, a proof of God’s word and of God’s truth. Anger and violence rain down on those who proclaim God’s truth, from those who have no other arguments, whose anger has dimmed their eyes. Not being able to confront the word of the priest with reason, these people pummel the pastor with streams of slander and malicious words, or even raise their hands in violence. Fr Daniil did much to uphold God’s truth. He participated in various debates and discussions, defending the truth to the best of his ability. However, the strongest word he uttered is what we see here today. If a man is killed for the sake of God’s truth, then, if the people accept this truth and admit it, it has vast power. Every new drop of blood shed for Christ abundantly sows the seeds of faith. This podvig of the life and death of Fr Daniil is a great, very great seed, which, having been planted in fertile soil shall bring forth its fruit”.

The Burial of Fr Daniil Sysoev (1974-2009)

The murder of Fr Daniil Sysoev was the first killing of a clergyman in Moscow in recent times. There have been no Orthodox clergymen shot dead in Moscow for more than half a century… from the time of Stalin’s repressions. Fr Daniel Sysoev was the 25^th Orthodox priest murdered in Russia over the past 19 years. Fr Aleksandr Men was the first in this tragic number. Today, there are many motives posited for this murder, including resentment of his missionary work, or a backlash from sectarians. The Investigative Committee of the RF Procurator is thoroughly examining every possible explanation for the crime. Whatever the reason for his murder, Fr Daniil Sysoev not only dedicated all his life to his faith and Christianity, but, he died for Jesus Christ. That is why Orthodox Russians consider it necessary to not only continue his work, but, also, realise all of his dreams. Amongst them is assigning missionary status to St Thomas parish (where he served as rector), the continuation of his missionary schools, and to transform them into a missionary institute. However, the most important one is to start construction of a church complex dedicated to the Holy Prophet Daniel, a compound where the late Fr Daniil wanted to create an Orthodox missionary centre.

After the funeral ceremony, Fr Daniil Sysoev’s burial took place at Kuntsevo Cemetery in Moscow. Several thousand Orthodox believers came to give their last respects to this well-known Moscow clergyman.

23 November 2009

Milena Faustova

Voice of Russia World Service

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2009/11/23/2385468.html

Farewells and Memorials to Fr Daniil Sysoev

A scene from the funeral of the murdered Fr Daniil… is he a New Martyr and Confessor of Russia… is he the last of that line as Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev was the first?

Last Saturday, hundreds of people came to St Thomas church in Moscow to say goodbye to Fr Daniil Sysoev, shot and murdered in that very church. As reported by our Interfax-Religion correspondent, the coffin with Fr Daniil’s body was brought from the morgue to the church in the afternoon. Many of those who came to pay their respects were dressed in black and weeping. There was a Pannikhida for the slain priest served in the church and it was broadcast through loudspeakers for the crowds gathered outside the church on the street. A queue formed for the funeral bouquets by a vendor’s tent set up near the Kantemirovskaya metro stop. Flowers surrounded the fences and walls of the church, as people constantly came and placed new bouquets in memory of Fr Daniil.

On Saturday, several hundred Orthodox activists carried out a procession in the centre of Moscow in memory of the slain Fr Daniil Sysoev. As they told our Interfax-Religion correspondent, participants of the event went from Assumption of the Virgin church in Putinki to Pushkin Square. As they marched, they carried photos of Fr Daniil. After the procession ended, Fr Aleksei Gomonov, the rector of Assumption of the Virgin parish and Hieromonk Roman Koshelev of the Optina Pustyn monastery served Pannikhida for the repose of Fr Daniil’s soul. Kirill Frolov, the head of the Association of Orthodox Experts and friend of Fr Daniil, participated in the procession, and he said to our correspondent, “It seems that someone wants to paint the Russian Church into a corner, to scare our Orthodox missionaries so that they would run away and hide behind the fences of our churches. To this, we, who are marching today, answer in Stolypin’s words, ‘We won’t be intimidated!’” He expressed the hope that the death of Fr Daniil, and the fame of his missionary zeal, “would awaken those who are still asleep, and would goad many priests and lay missionaries into zealous action”.

On Monday, at 10.00 MSK (07.00 UTC 02.00 EST 23.00 Sunday 22 November PST), the funeral of Orthodox priest Fr Daniil Sysoev was at Ss Peter and Paul church took place in the Moscow district of Yasenevo. “Archbishop Arseny Epifanov of Istra, a Vicar Bishop of the Diocese of Moscow, will serve the funeral as the delegate of Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias. Towards the end of the funeral proper, at about noon, Patriarch Kirill shall come to the church and serve a Litiya for Fr Daniil”, Deacon Aleksandr Volkov, a spokesman for the Patriarchal press service told Interfax-Religion earlier. Then, he said, Fr Daniil’s burial would follow at Kuntsevo Cemetery.

Fr Daniil Sysoev (1974-2009)

On Monday morning, more than two thousand people gathered in the courtyard of Ss Peter and Paul church in the Yasenevo district of Moscow for the funeral service of the assassinated priest, Fr Daniel Sysoev, according to our Interfax-Religion correspondent. Archbishop Arseny Epifanov of Istra served the funeral service for Fr Daniil, and several dozen Moscow clergy concelebrated wearing white vestments. From the very beginning of the Pannikhida, there was no space left for more people in the church, so, a dense crowd of believers gathered in the courtyard in front of a large video monitor carrying a simultaneous broadcast of the service. Most brought bouquets of flowers, many brought their young children to the funeral. At the end of the service proper, Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias arrived. He went to the altar of the church, then, from the pulpit, he spoke to the family and friends of Fr Daniil, as well as giving all present a pastoral talk.

Patriarch Kirill called on all believers to think about the importance of the missionary podvig in the lives of all people in connection with the murder of Fr Daniil Sysoev. “Fr Daniil did much to uphold God’s truth. He participated in various debates and discussions, defending the truth to the best of his ability. However, the strongest word he uttered is what we see here today”, His Holiness said standing before the coffin of Fr Daniil after the funeral service in Ss Peter and Paul church. According to Patriarch Kirill, “If a man is killed for the sake of God’s truth, then, if the people accept this truth and admit it, it has vast power”. Vladyki Kirill reminded us that over the two thousand years of Christian history, those who hated the truth shed the blood of the martyrs many times. “Both in the past and today, all too often, human malice was poured out against those who testify to God’s truth, even to the point of violence. This is nothing new in human history”, he said. However, “every new drop of blood shed for Christ abundantly sows the seeds of faith. This podvig of the life and death of Fr Daniil is a great, very great seed, which, having been planted in fertile soil shall bring forth its fruit”, Patriarch Kirill considered. In his words, the death of Fr Daniil should encourage all believers to think deeply “about the importance of serving God, so that every word reaches the heart and mind of every listener. He was faithful to Him (God) even unto death, and an eternal prayer in memory of the murdered Servant of God, the Priest Daniil, will remain in our hearts”, Patriarch Kirill said.

The burial of Fr Daniil Sysoev, shot by an unknown assailant on 19 November in southern Moscow, took place at Kuntsevo Cemetery. Archpriest Georgi Studenov, Dean of the Mikailovsky District of Moscow, served the Burial Service. After the lowering of the coffin into the grave, the choir sang, “Christ is Risen!” The clergy and the people greeted each other with the Easter greeting. The grave of Fr Daniel is located behind the altar of the church of the Saviour, an area that also contains the graves of other well-known priests. A blanket of colourful flowers covered the path from the cemetery entrance to the grave. Hundreds of people attended the funeral, including parishioners from St Thomas church, where Fr Daniil was the rector, and Orthodox Christians from other parishes who had converted to the Orthodox faith because of his preaching.

Fr Vsevolod Chaplin (1968- ), Head of the Synodal Department for Cooperation of Church and Society (created from the DECR on 31 March 2009). He is one of the closest intellectual confrères of Patriarch Kirill and a friend of V V Putin. Note well that the konvertsy know nothing about this powerful and important clergyman, who, probably, wields much more influence than their hero, the Boy Wonder, Hilarion Alfeyev, does.

Fr Vsevolod Chaplin, the Head of the Synodal Department for Cooperation of Church and Society, called on believers to build a new church in the south of Moscow according to the plans of the late Fr Daniil Sysoev. “The best memorial we could give the late priest Daniil would be to carry out his dream… to build a large and imposing church in Kantemirov, the place where he carried out his ministry”, Fr Vsevolod told Interfax-Religion on Monday. He noted that many Orthodox Christians lived where Fr Daniil served as priest, and that one of the works of Fr Daniil was the erection of a temporary wooden church dedicated to the Apostle Thomas. “He zealously served and patiently endured everything so that he could give himself entirely over to the strengthening of God, the Church, and the people. Nearby, there is a place where you can build a new church that would accommodate very many people. I am convinced that to properly memorialise Fr Daniil, Orthodox Christians from all over the world must help to build this church”, Fr Vsevolod added.

In Moscow, Orthodox activists are gathering signatures for an appeal to Patriarch Kirill to continue the missionary works of the late Fr Daniil Sysoev. “We ask you to ensure the continuation of the Orthodox mission that was initiated by Fr Daniil”, the appeal said. The authors consider it important to carry out one of the most recent petitions of Fr Daniil… assigning missionary status to his parish, stressing that after the tragic murder of Fr Daniil occurred here, this place was a “newly-revealed Orthodox holy site of the city of Moscow”. In addition, supporters of the late priest now advocate the continuation of his missionary schools and ask His Holiness to transform them into a missionary institute, according to the stated wishes of Fr Daniil. Finally, they consider it necessary to expedite the construction of the planned church complex dedicated to the Holy Prophet Daniel, where the late Fr Daniil wanted to create an Orthodox missionary centre. The authors also request the Patriarch, in his role as the ruling archpastor of the city of Moscow, to name a new rector of St Thomas parish from one of the disciples of Fr Daniil, so that his missionary cause can continue in future and bear further fruit. Furthermore, both the parish community of St Thomas and the family of Fr Daniil believe, “Since this was the place of the murdered Fr Daniil’s martyric podvig, in future, it should be his place of burial”.

The Council of Muftis of Russia said that, in the light of the murder of Fr Daniil Sysoev, there was a need to maintain the present friendly relations between Muslims and Orthodox Christians. “We must resist any attempt to turn this crime into an opportunity to worsen relations between Muslims and Orthodox Christians in Russia”, said a statement of the Council of Muftis, published on their official website. The Muftis emphasised, “Islam forbids killing any innocent person, and it equates such to the killing of all mankind. Muslims and Orthodox Christians must redouble their efforts and do everything possible to maintain their friendship and partnership”, the statement said.

23 November 2009

Interfax-Religion

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=33005

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=33006

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=33008

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=33011

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=33013

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=33014

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=33019

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=33021

http://www.interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=33025

Experts say a Professional Killer May Have Shot Fr Daniil Sysoev

Fr Daniil Sysoev (1974-2009)

Experts do not rule out the possibility that a professional killer may have shot Fr Daniel Sysoev. They came to that conclusion after examining the facts surrounding his death, the website Life.ru wrote. Firstly, the assassin’s bullet struck him almost precisely in the heart. Experts believe that only a professional marksman could make such a shot in a dark church from a distance of six metres (19.685 feet). A detail in favour of this version is the fact that the shooter made the shot reflexively, almost without taking aim. The killer broke into the church, shouted, “Where is Sysoev?”, and immediately pulled the trigger. Such a hit from a distance of 6 metres in the region of the heart without striking the cross on his chest was not an easy task, said FSO Major-General Boris Ratnikov, a former presidential advisor on security, according to a report from Rosbalt.

22 November 2009

Voice of Russia World Service

http://rus.ruvr.ru/2009/11/22/2377195.html

Editor’s Note:

If the assassin was a pro, the chances of it being a Muslim hit are very slim. If this scenario is correct, the most plausible conclusion is that the perp was a marksman under contract to one of the Western special services trying to foment trouble and strife between Orthodox and Muslims in Russia. Note well that witnesses say that the gunman had a heavy accent… hmm… that smells like an American or Western European, for a Central Asian or Caucasian would have a better command of Russian. As the facts roll in, it looks less and less like a Muslim “revenge killing”. Ask yourself the question, “Cui bono?” I have… one of the answers makes me ashamed to be an American citizen.

Barbara-Marie Drezhlo

Monday 23 November 2009

Albany NY

Video: Памяти иерея Даниила Сысоева (In Memoriam: Fr Daniil Sysoev)

This video in honour of Fr Daniil is backed by a male chorus singing Russian Orthodox chant.

Video: Прощание с о.Даниилом Сысоевым (Farewell to Fr Daniil Sysoev)

Ignore the music track in this… it’s taken from live Russian TV coverage of the farewell to Fr Daniil Sysoev. Many thanks to Sasha Ressetar for providing this link.

Apples Ain’t Oranges… What This Site is Not

Some people seem to be disappointed that I’m not focusing on “theological” or “spiritual” matters. Firstly, I am NOT a theologian. To put it clearly, neither are most of the other posters on the internet, including clergy. In the sense that I am using, a “theologian” is someone with advanced training in theology and proficient in the ancient theological languages (Greek, Latin, Syriac, or Hebrew will do). Canonists are a similar breed, and all of the real ones have the ability to read the canons in the original Greek (none of the konvertsy commentary on the Canons is legit, as it comes from the reading of poor and unofficial translations of the Pedalion (The Rudder)). Very few have either kind of knowledge, and most priests only have enough theology to enable them to do their jobs competently. That is to say, I know of no actual and solid academic theologian or canonist who is posting on the Net (the only exception to the rule is Fr Alexander Lebedeff, who is an accomplished canonist).

Secondly, I am not an elder. Nope, nada, nichevo, no way José. Neither are any of the other posters on the internet (none of the married priests on the net are elders, despite their status as “internet gurus” amongst the konvertsy). That is to say, be careful of any “spiritual advice” found on the net. Those who are, in the main, gropers in the dark themselves are dispensing it… so, caveat lector! A sweet nun (who is in the OCA, incidentally) told me that there are very, very few real elders in the USA and Canada, and that none of the married priests who were posing as such were the Real McCoy. She told me that I was lucky to be corresponding with a real eldress in Russia. Indeed, I am writing this piece in obedience to one of Mother’s ideas. She never “orders”… she never pretends to be a “fool in Christ”… she is very ordinary and straightforward in her expression… as an elder should be, I might add! “Why don’t you write an essay on what you are not?” Now, that’s a wise suggestion!

Thirdly, I am not a scholar. “Scholar” in this sense has a rather focused meaning. That is, a “scholar” is someone with an advanced degree who is working in academe. Therefore, many very educated and intelligent people aren’t scholars and we wouldn’t find them in academe. Indeed, to be successful in any field of endeavour requires intelligence, drive, and perseverance. One of the people that I respect very highly is Chef Paul Hyatt, who was one of my instructors in culinary school (there… I’ve studied both Russian history and haute cuisine cooking… what a combination!). He’s a consummate craftsman and an excellent instructor… but, he’s not a scholar. Hmm… I think that many would agree with me that the very things lacking in most windy scholars in academe are precisely intelligence, drive, and perseverance!

There must be “truth in advertising”. I am NOT writing on theology or commentary on the Fathers and/or the Canons of the Church. I am NOT writing “spiritual advice” to seekers. I am NOT writing an academic monograph with full scholarly apparatus and footnotes.

What am I, then? I am an internet journalist who covers the Russian Orthodox beat. To do this, I read articles on the Church in the secular Russian press and translate them into English so that you can read them too. There are many other articles that I read that “don’t make the cut”. Quite frankly, I have a limited amount of time, and I spend it on what I feel is informative for my audience. I also write commentary on the institutional Church based on my reading and experience. If you’re looking for “edifying reading”, DON’T stop here. If you’re looking for mawkish “niceness” and trivial “therapeutese”, please, do look elsewhere. This site is a place where adults gather to discuss the Church as it is… warts and all. If there’s a Slim Shady priest who plants an oily smile on his face as he unctuously informs you, “the records simply don’t exist”, I’m gonna give ‘im both barrels and suggest very strongly that you do the same. If there’s a bishop who says, “It’s all over! Everything has changed!” I’m going to inspect the situation, and if the statement doesn’t fit the reality… I’m NOT going to be quiet and “pay, pray, and obey”… and neither should you!

The Church is the Body of Christ. Our Lord Christ is both human and divine… the Church teaches us that… it is something that you MUST believe in order to be a Christian. If the Church is the Body of Christ, and Christ is both human and divine, then, it stands to good reason that His Body, the Church, is both human and divine. That is, the Church’s head is in Heaven whilst it plants it feet firmly on the ground. One of the oddest notions that I have encountered is one that believes that we should attend only to “theology” and avoid “church politics”. I would say that such a fancy is Manichaean… I thought at first that it was unalloyed Monophysitism, but, its hostility to anything earthly and earthy marks it as purely Manichaean and Gnostic. If we need to attend to both body and soul to be healthy people, wouldn’t it be the same for the Church? I think that those who advise us to stick to “theology alone” often have an agenda and they need to be looked at closely… one might find something, nicht wahr?

Tsar, Pope, and Rich Man… the Scourge of the Working Class (Aleksandr Apsit, 1918). “Pope” was an insulting usage for a grasping parish priest. There was a reason why people stood aside when the Church was persecuted… all too often, it was a result of the Church’s own behaviour, like it or not. Therefore, I shall NOT be silent when I see their analogues today.

Our theology must be straight and our earthly dealings should be straight, too. If we wish to keep the soul of the Church clean, we should keep the body of the Church as clean as is humanly possible. If we wink at corrupt clergy, immoral bishops, lying Church spokesmen, and simoniac diocesan officials, we shall have hell to pay… literally. Don’t forget that such nasty behaviour was one of the reasons that the Russian Revolution succeeded. The Church brought some of its persecution upon itself. That is, God cleaned out this noisome and filthy mess the only way that He could… He used the Reds as His instruments. Now… that’s a meaty thing to mull over, isn’t it?

So, what is this site? It’s a place where we look at the news and do our best to make sense of it… nothing more. God willing, it’s been as informative for you as it’s been for me. Remember, apples ain’t oranges… they don’t taste the same, either! Do pass me the jug… this is thirsty work… have a swig yourself… it’s an INTERESTING world out there, isn’t it?

Barbara-Marie Drezhlo

Monday 22 November 2009

Albany NY

Editor’s Postscript:

I must add that my staritsa asked me to sign anything that was “editorial” in nature. She believes that anonymous posting is sinful. To be clear, that’s her opinion, it’s not a Church teaching. However, I find myself in agreement with it… what about you?