A Russian POV on the Nice Tragedy

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There are more than 80 people dead, more than 100 injured. Reportedly, amongst the dead are Russian White émigrés from France, including a Reader at the Russian Orthodox parish in Nice, Igor Sheleshko, and two friends of parish rector Fr Andrei Yeliseyev. Twenty of the dead are parishioners at the local Russian parish; the number of dead and injured includes many children. May God grant rest to the departed and healing to the injured. What’s more, instead of an endless war with Russia, the West should struggle with their real enemies. Why do they show such absurd indulgence in the face of the growing momentum of resurgent Islamic extremism?

Yelena Maler

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St Sergius Orthodox Institute in Paris Might Close Due To Serious Financial Troubles

St Alexandre Nevsky Cathedral in Paris (Region Île-de-France) FRANCE

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St Sergius Orthodox Theological Institute (Institut de théologie orthodoxe Saint-Serge) in Paris is on the verge of bankruptcy. An appeal for assistance appeared in early July on the Institute’s official website. The appeal, signed by the dean of the school, Archpriest Nikolai Ozolin, noted that the institute, which soon shall celebrate the 90th anniversary of its founding, earned recognition not only amongst Orthodox, but also throughout the Christian world {that’s an over-exaggeration, but it’s Portal-Credo, after all: editor}. A galaxy of famous Russian theologians expelled from their homeland in the early twenties of the last century founded the school {no mention of the Renovationism rampant amongst them, is there?: editor}. The appeal stated that the Institute, whilst remaining true to his Russian roots (sic), quickly won well-deserved recognition (?!?) as a centre of inter-Orthodox theological studies.

However, at present, St Sergius, for reasons beyond its control, is experiencing an unprecedented financial crisis that threatens the very existence of this unique spiritual school {gad, one needs stout wellies to wade through such arrant and unashamed shit: editor}. Newsru.com quoted the appeal, “Over the last few months, we weren’t able to pay our teachers and staff. We invite all those who cherish Christian theological thought and theological studies, to help us save the institute. We’ll receive anything with sincere gratitude, even the most modest contribution. Please help us!” The appeal gave details on where contributors could send funds. St Sergius Orthodox Institute opened in Paris in 1925 by leading Russian émigré theologians, after the Second Congress of the Russian Student Christian Movement. Archimandrite Cyprian Kern, Archpriest Georgi Florovsky, Sergei Bulgakov, and Nikolai Afanasyev, Vladimir Lossky, and many others, taught at this school over the years.

3 July 2013

Portal-Credo.ru

http://www.portal-credo.ru/site/?act=news&id=101869

Editor’s Note:

There’s a twofold reason for this development. Firstly, when the French courts transferred St Nick’s in Nice to the MP, it killed the Paris Gang’s cash cow. The Paris Renovationists subsidised their school and their general operations with funds raised by admission charges at St Nick’s. Now, as the church is in the hands of its rightful owner (the MP has made it clear that it’s cancelling admission charges), the Paris Gang is left bereft. Secondly, the MP founded its own seminary in Paris, so, it doesn’t need the heretics at St Sergius or its facilities. Look for a similar appeal for the Rue Daru property soon. The MP doesn’t need that either, as it has a new spiritual centre and church under construction in Central Paris, right near the Eiffel Tower.

The Paris Bunch is in the deep kimchi. Firstly, de Vylder has cancer, and there’s no replacement available. Secondly, St Sergius is running out of funds. Thirdly, it’s clear that the loss of the St Nick’s funds shall make it impossible to operate the Rue Daru Cathedral. Overall, it’s a gigantic shit sandwich. Nina Dimas is an SVS fanatic… one wonder what she’ll do when Crestwood joins St Sergius in the dustbin of history? All of the Blunder’s horses, and all of the Blunder’s men couldn’t put Rue Daru back together again. That’ll be true of Crestwood and Syosset, as well… mark my words…

BMD 

Russian Government Pledges 20 Million Bucks to Renovate Orthodox Cathedral in France

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Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev signed a decree to allocate about 20 million USD (657 million Roubles. 15.4 million Euros. 13.2 million UK Pounds) to renovate St Nicholas Orthodox Cathedral in Nice, the largest Russian Orthodox Cathedral outside Russia. The decree, posted on the Russian government’s official website for legal information on Friday, says the government will hand over the building to the Church for “use without charge” when the renovation is complete. Under the decree, Russia will spend about 2 million USD (65.7 million Roubles. 1.54 million Euros. 1.32 million UK Pounds) for repairs this year, 13.5 million USD (445 million Roubles. 10.4 million Euros. 8.9 million UK Pounds) next year and up to 4.5 million USD (148 million Roubles. 3.5 million Euros. 3 million UK Pounds) in 2015. The Russian Orthodox Association of Nice previously owned the building. In early 2010, the Nice Superior Court declared the Russian government to be the rightful owner of the cathedral, built in 1912.

28 June 2013

RIA-Novosti

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20130628/181942680/Russia-Pledges-20M-to-Renovate-Orthodox-Cathedral-in-Nice.html

Editor’s Note:

Let’s keep this in perspective. Twenty million bucks is more money than the OCA central administration could raise in five years… it’s more money than the ROCOR could raise in ten years… and the EP can’t raise that kind of gelt, full stop. In short, the Centre‘s the REAL “First amongst Equals”… this shows it. It puts the Greek rants and boasts in their proper light, doesn’t it? If you want to ride on to the right destination, get on the Centre’s wagon… not on Langley‘s… not on the Western one. It’s time to go home and stop all the phyletist Americanist nonsense. Our place at table IS waiting…

BMD 

 

Legal Wrangle Over St Nicholas Cathedral in Nice Finally Over

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On Wednesday, Xenia and Nikita Krivoshein, acting as spokesmen for the Russian émigré community in France, told Interfax-Religion that the Russian government finally ended its legal battle concerning the property of St Nicholas Cathedral in Nice, stating, “On 10 April 2013, the Court of Cassation, the highest legal organ of the French Republic, announced that it completely rejected the complaint of the Russian Orthodox Religious Association (ACOR) of Nice (which claimed the cathedral: Interfax)”. Thus, the court ruled that the Russian state is now unequivocally the legal owner of St Nicholas Cathedral in Nice, “the law and simple good-sense prevailed over sectarianism and denial of reality”.

In 1923, ACOR leased the church for 99 years, and, in 1931, it passed into the jurisdiction of the Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe (Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople). On 19 May 2011, a French court confirmed that the Russian state had legal ownership of the church property in Nice. Then, the Russian government decided to hand over the property to MP Diocese of Korsun for its free and unlimited use. However, the Council of the Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe continued to consider itself the lawful possessor of the cathedral. In December 2011, Sergei Bolkhovitin, a mid-level official of the Russian Presidential Administration, handed over the keys of the cathedral in Nice to its new rector, Archpriest Nikolai Ozolin.

Today’s decision by the Court of Cassation in France marks the end of the long litigation over the legal ownership of the Russian cathedral in Nice. Now, members of the Russian émigré community hope that the Russian government will move on its claim to other major church buildings erected in Europe by the Russian Empire. Nikita Krivoshein noted, “Most of them are in poor condition and falling apart due to the poor maintenance done by their present temporary users. One can only hope that the decision concerning Nice will serve as a precedent for the resolution of similar situations in Paris, Biarritz, and other cities”. He emphasised that this year’s Holy Week services “at the Russian cathedral in Nice won’t be overshadowed by any external factors”.

St Nicholas Cathedral is one of the most visited historical attractions on the Côte d’Azur. Built in the early 20th century, the French state added it to its list of protected architectural monuments in 1987. Beginning of restoration work on the building will begin this year, financed by the Russian state and private sponsors. At present, it’s anticipated that the work will take two years to complete.

10 April 2013

Interfax-Religion

http://interfax-religion.ru/?act=news&div=50771

Editor’s Note:

When the Parisian modernists lost the court battle over St Nick’s, it was their death sentence. The funds raised from entrance fees to the church were the backbone of the Parisian budget. Frankly, the Phanar may give the Exarchate parishes a choice… go under Moscow, go under the Greek bishop for their area, or go vagante. Remember, the Phanar rejected all the proposed successors to Gabriel de Vylder. In short, even the EP sees that the Parisian Russians are a bad bet, a rum lot, and “dead men walking”.

SVS kissed the arse of the Parisians since the time of the Schmemann–Meyendorff duopoly. Now, there are noises that SVS wants to go EP if the OCA goes under. If they do, they won’t have the independence that they’ve enjoyed up to now (let’s be frank… ADS & Co took advantage of the spineless-jellyfish poofter weakling Feodosy). The Phanar would make them toe the EP party-line unreservedly and without complaint, and that’s that. Just sayin’… do pass the popcorn, the show isn’t completely over, yet… Rue Daru IS next, after all…

BMD