St Panteleimon Monastery… the Russikon… the seat of Russian monasticism on the Mountain for 1,000 years
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HH and VVP with the Brotherhood of St Panteleimon Monastery… most of them are younger men now
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President Putin standing in a place of honour during services
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HH and VVP on the monastery grounds
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President Putin speaking inside the monastery katholikon
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Greek President Prokopis Pavlopouos and VVP with Athonite fathers
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President Putin and HH went to the Mountain to celebrate the millennium of the Russian presence there. The holy fathers greeted VVP enthusiastically, as they did on his earlier visit in 2005. Methinks that they prefer Russia to the USA in the current imbroglio over the “Ukraine”. It’s also clear that they don’t share the POV of the Washington apparat that Putin is a “peckerwood” (even more reasonable members/former members of the apparat have to repeat that line chapter-and-verse… typical Anglo bullshit, no?). Like it or not, HH and VVP are the leaders of the Orthosphere… most Orthodox (both Oriental and Eastern) accept them as such. It’s the old New Roman duopoly reestablished. Emperor and Patriarch stand together, each in their own sphere, each wielding their own power, holding the other up. The so-called “monarchists” amongst us are chock fulla shit. Vladimir Vladimirovich is a tsar in all but name… labels don’t interest him (he’s the polar opposite of such prancing poseurs as Chilly Hilly and Trump the Chump).
As late as ten years ago, the majority of pilgrims to the Mountain were Greek. Now, Russians make up 50 percent of those coming. The Russikon has built a new guest hostel with 500 beds… Russia has put right the post-1917 disrepair, as the photos testify. It sure looks like that the Pre-Revolutionary situation is returning to the Mountain… that is, the majority of the monks and pilgrims will be Russian in due course. The Phanar has little actual control over the Mountain… it’s clear from the photos what the Mountain thinks of the Centre’s place in Orthodoxy. This wasn’t just celebrating the millennium of Russian monasticism on the Mountain, it was a gambit in the continuing Great Game between the MP and the EP… it sure doesn’t look good for the Phanar from this vantage point…
America hates both VVP and HH and wants to take them down… for they stand in the way of American crapitalist hegemony. I stand with VVP and HH… NOT the Washington/Western media apparat. I’m not alone…
BMD
Voices from Russia 
Putin… the New Orthodox Tsar… “He Who Restrains”
Tags: ancient monasteries, Athos, Byzantine, Byzantine Empire, Christian, Christianity, church-state relations, church-state separation, Constantinople New Rome, Eastern Orthodox Church, Ecumenical Patriarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, EP, Holy Mountain, monasteries, Monastery, monks, Moscow Patriarchate, Mount Athos, New Roman, New Rome, Orthodox, Orthodox monks, Orthodoxy, political commentary, politics, Religion, Religion and Spirituality, Russia, Russian, Russian Orthodox Church, Vladimir Putin
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The Abbots of Mount Athos insisted that President V V Putin stand where the Emperor of New Rome stood; they’re right. As a man, Putin is a truly devout Orthodox believer; as a statesman, Vladimir Vladimirovich devotes himself to the security (not physical expansion) of his country. He’s the head of the most powerful Orthodox country. By this, they sent out a powerful message. The Athonite Fathers know what sort of man they look at… the Defender of Holy Orthodoxy.
29 May 2016
This is Christian Syria
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Editor:
By this, the Athonite Fathers aren’t only making a political statement… they’re making a theological one as well. Only the Christian Emperor can call an Ecumenical Council. No Patriarch can do so… no local synod can do so… no assemblage of bishops, clergy, or lay believers can do so. Only the Christian Emperor can do so according to our practise. Thorough this, I think that the Athonite Fathers commented upon the upcoming “Council” in Crete (really, nothing but a talk-shop meeting) and about him who called it. If only the Christian Emperor can call a Council, and V V Putin is the current “emperor”, what does that say about the legitimacy of the upcoming meeting? After all, VVP didn’t call it and he’s the only person who can do so, according to our customary usage.
The Mountain speaks… shall we listen? Shall we attend to their advice and standpoint? I think that the MP and its allies shall… they have the Mountain on their side. What does that tell us about the EP and its machinations? Nothing good, I’d warrant…
BMD