25 May 2010… The Commboxes are Closed for the Time Being

As of today, I’m not allowing “comments”, at least for the foreseeable future. I’m in the process of disabling “comments” as we speak. The OCA disintegration has reached a point where “discussion” is no longer feasible. In any case, accusations that one is “not being nice” don’t cut it. The SVSniki and the Renovationists have used innuendo, character assassination, name-calling, and gossip for years. When they get a smidgen of it back… oh, dear! “They’re such GOOD people!” Reflect on this… none of the powers-that-be protested the payoff to Bobby. NONE. None of them protested the inaction towards Ray Velencia. NONE. None of them protested Iggy’s “mislaying” of church records. NONE. I’m supposed to be silent… I’m supposed to be “nice”… I’m supposed to be polite and grovel before JP…

No… that’s not the Orthodox way. It’s not what happened when Terlecky signed the iniquitous Unia… it’s not what happened when the Iconoclasts burned the icons… it’s not what happened when there was a bad bishop in Yekaterinburg in ’99… it’s NOT what we should do now. The death of the OCA shall not be painless or without rancour. It shall not be neat. It shall scandalise many (as it’s doing at present…). God willing, after the death of the OCA, I’ll be able to open up the comboxes again. We all have work to do, I fear.

Barbara-Marie Drezhlo

Tuesday 25 May 2010

Albany NY

A Comment from a True Friend:

I received this as a private e-mail from a friend:

Thanks… and thank you for your courage. They consider me persona non grata too, and the only thing that I can do is to watch and wait until people decide to wake up and see what’s going on… until then, I keep the Faith. Cappy warned me a long time ago about what I should expect from these people, she told me about the attacks both she and Melanie endured (and still endure) from the likes of Tikhon Fitzgerald and others, and how it can be emotionally and spiritually exhausting.

This is humbling. There be dragons… do take a care.

BMD

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A Photo Essay: A Tale of Two Patriarchs… Trinity Sunday and Spirit Monday in Moscow

Prior to the arrival of Bartholomew, Patriarch Kirill celebrated liturgy for the Translation of the Relics of St Nicholas of Myra. Here, the saint’s icon is accompanied by a military honour guard.

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Patriarchs Kirill and Bartholomew greet the crowd at Vnukovo Airport

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Patriarchs Kirill and Bartholomew at their first official meeting. Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev (1966- ) is to the right of Bartholomew, in the white klobuk

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Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev of Moscow and all the Russias (1946- ) arrives at the Holy Trinity-St Sergius Lavra for Trinity services

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Faithful at the Holy Trinity-St Sergius Lavra on Trinity

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Faithful at the Holy Trinity-St Sergius Lavra on Trinity

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Patriarch Bartholomew Archontonis of Constantinople (1940- ) at the Holy Trinity-St Sergius Lavra on Trinity

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Patriarchs Bartholomew and Kirill concelebrating Trinity liturgy at the Holy Trinity-St Sergius Lavra

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Patriarchs Bartholomew and Kirill enthroned at the Trinity liturgy at the Holy Trinity-St Sergius Lavra

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The Trinity liturgy at the Holy Trinity-St Sergius Lavra

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Patriarch Bartholomew at Christ the Saviour Cathedral on Spirit Monday

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Patriarchs Bartholomew and Kirill at Christ the Saviour Cathedral on Spirit Monday

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Patriarchs Bartholomew and Kirill concelebrating liturgy at Christ the Saviour Cathedral on Spirit Monday

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Patriarchs Bartholomew and Kirill concelebrating liturgy at Christ the Saviour Cathedral on Spirit Monday

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Patriarchs Bartholomew and Kirill enthroned at liturgy at Christ the Saviour Cathedral on Spirit Monday

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Procession for Days of Slavic Culture in Moscow on Monday 24 May 2010

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Procession for Days of Slavic Culture in Moscow on Monday 24 May 2010

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Procession for Days of Slavic Culture in Moscow on Monday 24 May 2010. Mayor Yuri Luzhkov of Moscow (1936- ) is to the right of Patriarch Kirill, slightly to the rear.

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President and Mrs Medvedev give nameday greetings to Patriarch Kirill at the Patriarchal Chambers at Christ the Saviour Cathedral on 24 May 2010

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Svetlana Medvedeva (1965- ), Patriarch Kirill, and President Dmitri Medvedev (1965- ) at the Patriarchal Chmabers at Christ the Savour Cathedral after extending nameday greetings to the Patriarch.

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Bartholomew was snubbed when the Medvedevs gave their nameday greetings to Patriarch Kirill. Not only have the Medevedevs refused to meet with him so far, so has Prime Minister Putin. In short, Kirill has treated him like a relatively-minor bishop… oh, he’s being QUITE polite and deferential on the surface. It’s rather obvious the two men don’t like each other. The smiles are a bit TOO wide. The only secular politician to meet with and be photographed with Bart is Mayor Luzhkov.

The Boy Wonder has been out of photos since Saturday. That’s nothing sinister… he’s probably just preparing the ground at Valaam for the major confab. However… I’ve never known the photogenic little weasel to miss a photo op before… interesting, no? On second thought… he’s GOT to be in there somewhere… but he’s not being given as top a billing as he normally gets.

Those speculating about a Pan-Orthodox Council in 2012 or ’13 should put such notions to rest. Bart has been treated with the barest possible courtesy… do note well, as I said, that neither President Medvedev or Prime Minister Putin met him or sent greetings on his arrival (is this payback for Bart’s interference in the Ukraine and the Baltics?). Also note that the Medvedevs were not photographed with him. They have extended an invitation for Bart to meet with them on Tuesday (the announcement was not made until 18.00 Monday… the last possible minute)… but they didn’t meet with him on Monday when they and he were at the Cathedral. Mark it down well that the President and Prime Minister did not go to meet Bart… Bart has to come and meet them… it’s not a fine distinction. I refuse to speculate without more information, but that’s not how you treat a superior… it’s how you treat a suppliant.

BMD