RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS

Monitoring news media reports about religion in Russia and other countries of CIS 
Copyrighted material. For private use only. 
If you quote material, please credit the publication from which it came. It is not necessary to credit this Web page for any print use of the material.
If any electronic reproduction is made, please acknowledge the URL: http:www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/


Archive of News Items


Abbreviations

Links to Useful

Information

This website  is not a publication of Stetson University and has not been edited or examined
for content by Stetson University. The authors of the website are solely responsible for the content.



Russia Religion News Current News Items

Moscow oriented clergy support renegade elections

UPTsMP METROPOLITAN PARTICIPATES IN INAUGURATION OF "HEAD OF LUHANSK PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC"

RISU, 10 November 2014

 

Metropolitan Ioanniky, who until 2012 ruled the Luhansk and Alchevsk diocese and was a member of the Holy Synod of UPTsMP, and now is retired with the appointment as rector of the St. Nicholas Transfiguration cathedral of Luhansk, participated in the ceremony of the inauguration of the head of the self-proclaimed "Luhansk People's Republic," Igor Plotnitsky, to whom he gave a prelate's blessing, Religiia v Ukraine reports, referring to photo reporting of Uainfo.org.

 

Another rector from the St. Nicholas Transfiguration cathedral, Archpriest Bogdan Fedkiv, came to support the head of LPR along with Metropolitan Ioanniky.

 

On 4 November, in the Hall of Columns of the Luhansk provincial council, which had been seized by militants, both clergymen congratulated Igor Plotnitsky, who took the oath on the Bible and pledged loyalty to the LPR.

 

Former activists of the Party of Regions, communists, and representatives of the local pro-Russian militia participated in the ceremonies along with clergy of the Luhansk and Alchevsk diocese of the UPTsMP.

 

On 4 November, the inauguration of the leader of another self-proclaimed entity, the "Donetsk People's Republic," Alexander Zakharchenko, was held; he also took the oath on the Bible. (tr. by PDS, posted 10 November 2014)


Russia Religion News Current News Items


Orthodox priest serves in combat area

SOLDIERS DEMAND KNOWLEDGE OF "OUR FATHER" IN UKRAINIAN BY UPTsMP PRIESTS WISHING TO ENTER ATO ZONE

Religiia v Ukraine, 7 November 2014

 

Archpriest Zakhary Kerstiuk, a priest of the UPTs (Moscow patriarchate), who delivers humanitarian aid under the aegis of the mission Compassion without Borders to cities liberated during the conduct of the Antiterrorist Operation [ATO] in the east of Ukraine, described the impediments he faces on his travels, a correspondent of the portal Religiia v Ukraine reports.

 

"The guys in the checkpoints in the ATO zone have a new trick," the priest writes on 6 November in Facebook. "They check all 'Moscow priests' for their knowledge of the 'Our Father' in the Ukrainian language. The soldiers approach this question quite seriously. If you do not recite they do not let you pass and they force you to learn it right there at the checkpoint and only then do they let you pass. The company commander was very surprised when I recite the 'Our Father' for him the first time. He said that he finally has met a genuine, Ukrainian, Moscow priest and patriot of Ukraine. In confirmation of what he said we provided the boys at this checkpoint new, warm boots, thermal underwear, socks, down jackets, and food. This completely 'slay them.' We are continuing to destroy the stereotypes of the bad 'Moscow church'"

 

It should be noted that this incident coincided with the events slated for the Day of Ukrainian Literature and Language, which is celebrated on 9 November. Since the beginning of this week, event have been conducted in cities and districts of the Donetsk province that are aimed at popularizing Ukrainian culture—contests of experts in the Ukrainian language, meetings with writers and linguists, exhibits in libraries, academic conferences, round tables, cultural and artistic festivals, and the like.

 

We recall that divine liturgies in the Ukrainian language were sanctioned by the Holy Synod of UPTsMP back in the last century, although in practice they were not welcomed in the Kiev metropolia and were mainly scattered about the western dioceses of Ukraine. Thus, more than 25% of parishes in the Volyn diocese of UPTsMP conduct services in Ukrainian or in blended languages.

 

On 16 September, Archpriest Zakhary Kerstiuk described another interesting episode that happened to him during a humanitarian mission: "Checkpoint of the Right Sector. The column was stopped. Came out, showed all documents. Checked the first vehicle. A man approaches with a stern look. Turns out to be the commander and he looks at me and asks: 'Which patriarchate are you from? Kiev or Moscow?' And he sees. Alongside them are another 10 persons with weapons in their hands. I do not say that I did not expect such a question. I expected it. They often ask them at the checkpoints. But the reaction to the correct answer is not always clear. So he is somewhat embarrassed and confused. I answer: 'What's the problem. We have all the documents and permits for traveling in the ATO.'  I do not know why, but the words and phrases have stayed in my head a long time. The commander responded to my reply: 'Are you Filaretites or UPTs?' Such a phrasing of the question caught me even more off guard. I did not expect such a formulation from a Right Sector commander. Of course I told him that I was a UPTs priest. He handed his weapon to a soldier, took off his helmet, drew closer to me, and asked for a blessing. About 12 persons did the same thing. It turned out he was a profound believer and parishioner of UPTs. He said that he tried to form his own company with these guys. My conversation with UPTs parishioners who are members of Right Sector turned out very interesting." (tr. by PDS, posted 9 November 2014)

 
Russia Religion News Current News Items


Putin promotes Russian nationalism with patriarch

PUTIN AND PATRIARCH KIRILL VISIT EXHIBIT FORUM "PRAVOSLAVNAIA RUS"

Interfax-Religiia, 5 November 2014

 

Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill on Tuesday, the Day of National Unity, opened the 13th church and public exhibit forum "Orthodox Rus. My History. The Riurikovichi," in the Manezh Central Exhibition Hall.

 

"This year the exhibit is devoted to the Riurikovichi, the first dynasty that consolidated Rus and did everything so that the disparate and feudally fragmented Russian principalities would unite into one mighty state, beat back foreign raiders, and place it on the path of spiritual and material development," the patriarch said at the ceremony.

 

He urged that "the spiritual unity of Sacred Rus be preserved and that the peoples prosper by forming this Sacred Rus, and that today, while living in independent states, peace, prosperity, and brotherhood will exist in the expanses of historic Rus."

 

President Vladimir Putin also visited the exhibit. The patriarch conducted an excursion for him. He showed the head of state 18 rooms into which the Manezh is now divided. Here the most brilliant moments of the rule of the princes from the family of Riurikovichi are displayed, from the founder of the dynasty up to Fedor Ivanovich, who ruled from 1584 to 1598.

 

The patriarch told the president several stories connected with the family of the Riurikovichi, about the curses of the clan and miracles that accompanied many of them and the wisdom and greed of some of its representatives.

 

The head of state lit a candle before the icon of Sergius of Radonezh which had been especially transported to the Manezh from the Holy Trinity St. Sergius lavra.

 

The president, who a year ago visited a similar exhibit devoted to the Romanov dynasty, left a note in the Book of Distinguished Guests. In V. Putin's opinion, "exhibits devoted to the dynasties of the Romanovs and Riurikovichi make an enormous contribution to the enlightenment and education of citizens of our country in the spirit of love for the fatherland and they have enormous significance."

 

The exhibit will last until 20 November. It is expected that 300 thousand people will visit the exposition. The seven-century history of Ancient Rus is presented in the 18 large halls, occupying 4,000 square meters. Historical subjects "come to life" with the help of several hundred multi-media stands and displays. The Moscow Department of Education is organizing visits at the exhibit for groups of schoolchildren (352 groups in all).

 

After being displayed in Moscow, the exhibit will be displayed in 2014-2015 in St. Petersburg, Tiumen, and Crimea. After the exhibit returns to Moscow it will be integrated with the exhibit of 2013 devoted to the dynasty of the Romanovs and become the foundation for creating the "History of the Fatherland" Moscow Center in pavilion No. 57 at VDNKh. The opening is scheduled for September 2015. (tr. by PDS, posted 6 November 2014)


PATRIARCH KIRILL CONTINUES TO CULTIVATE IDEOLOGY OF "RUSSIAN WORLD"

Religiia v Ukraine, 5 November 2014

 

Patriarch Kirill addressed official greetings to participants in the 8th Assembly of the Russian World which was held on 3-4 November in Sochi. The annual Assembly of the Russian World, which is conducted by the foundation of the same name, traditionally is timed to coincide with the Day of National Unity, which is celebrated in RF on 4 November, and for the first time it is being conducted in circumstances of armed conflict involving the power structures of Russia and Ukraine, Religiia v Ukraine reports, with a reference to Portal-credo.ru.

 

The complete text of the greetings was published on the official website of the Moscow patriarchate. In the opinion of the head of RPTs, the formation of Russian culture, "which unites the peoples of historic Rus," "to a great extent was facilitated by the choice made by the holy equal-to-the-apostles Prince Vladimir, who in 988 baptized the Russes, as the Greeks then called our people, in the waters of the Dnepr." This event "for centuries determined the vector of the spiritual and cultural development of the people, who were joined to the treasury of Byzantine-Greek civilization and it was the foundation at the base of the Russian World," Patriarch Kirill said.

 

"The Russian World is not limited by state boundaries," the RPTs primate declared. "It is not a political phenomenon and not a social project, but a centuries-old experience for our peoples' understanding of the foundations of existence and search for higher truth and striving for the establishment of traditional moral bases in personal and social life."

 

In his greetings the patriarch refrained from any mention of the events in the east of Ukraine, where one of the sides is fighting specifically under the slogans of the "Russian World."

 

We recall that from the time of his election as head of RPTs, Patriarch Kirill has tried to introduce the doctrine of the "Russian World" into church circles. The Russian people, Russian language, and Russian national values have been advanced to the "special," leading role in the "Russian World." Ideologues of the "Russian World" have spoken about this: Patriarch Kirill in a report on 3 November 2009 at the 3rd Assembly of the Russian World and the vice-chairman of OVTsS of the Moscow patriarchate, Hegumen Filipp, in a report on 17 June 2010 in the Center for Socially Conservative Policies in Moscow before an audience of the "School of Russian Politics" project. The geography of the "Russian World" suggested in 2012 by Patriarch Kirill includes countries of the former Soviet Union—Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, "and other countries."

 

In January 2014 the head of the synodal Department of Relations between Church and Society of the Moscow patriarchate, Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, guided by ideas of the "Russian World," called Russia and its allies to intervene in the affairs of Ukraine.

 

In the spring of 2014, Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula and started military and information support of pro-Russian separatists in the Donbass.  (tr. by PDS, posted 6 November 2014)


PUTIN LAYS FLOWERS AT MONUMENT TO MININ AND POZHARSKII ALONG WITH RELIGIOUS LEADERS

Interfax-Religiia, 5 November 2014

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin, along with representatives of the clergy on Tuesday laid flowers in honor of the holiday Day of National Unity at the monument to Minin and Pozharskii on Red Square.

 

The head of state was accompanied to the monument by Patriarch Kirill, Old Believer Metropolitan Kornily, muftis Talgat Tajuddin, Ravil Gainutdin, and Ismail Berdiev, Chief Rabbi of Russia Berl Lazar, leader of the Buddhists, Damba Ayusheev, Catholic Metropolitan Paolo Pecci, and the head of Pentecostals, Sergei Riakhovskii.

 

After laying the flowers, the president briefly conversed with the religious leaders and was photographed with youth from construction and patriotic military squads. (tr. by PDS, posted 6 November 2014)



Russia Religion News Current News Items


Crimean religious organizations threatened

ALL CATHOLIC PRIESTS MUST LEAVE CRIMEA BY END OF 2014

Portal-Credo.ru, 4 November 2014

 

All Catholic priests will have to leave the territory of Crimea before the end of 2014, CWN reported on 3 November, citing Forum 18.

 

After the annexation of Crimea by Russia, the government, in accordance with the laws of RF, demanded of religious organizations that they undergo registration in order to receive permission for continuation of their activity. According to information of Forum 18, as of the present not one religious society in the region has been registered.

 

Since only registered religious organizations are permitted to have clergy who are foreign citizens, Catholic priests and monks from neighboring countries will have to leave the country.

 

To Forum 18's question about how things will be for Catholics and other religious communities of Crimea for whom a mass of problems have arisen because the peninsula now lives in accordance with the legislation of RF, the Russian bureaucrat of the migration service answered: "I do not know. That's not my problem." (tr. by PDS, posted 5 November 2014)



Russia Religion News Current News Items


Ukrainian patriotism invades Orthodox worship

UPTsMP PARISH TRANSFERS TO KIEV PATRIARCHATE IN CHERKASSY AREA

RISU, 4 November 2014

 

In the Monastyrishchena district of Cherkassy province, the parish of the UPTsMP church of the Dormition of the Holy Mother of God of the village of Kniazhia Krinitsa transferred under the jurisdiction of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev patriarchate.

 

As the official website of UPTsKP notes, love for the fatherland, their own people, and Ukrainian soldiers, who at the cost of their own life are defending Ukraine from Russian occupiers, inspired the Orthodox parish led by the rector, Archpriest Vladimir Yavorsky, to unite with and establish a local Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

 

On 1 November, the Saturday memorial of St. Dimitry, Metropolitan Ioann made an archpastoral visit to the Holy Dormition parish of the village of Kniazhia Krinitsa and performed the Divine Liturgy, after which a panikhida was conducted for all Christians who died in the century, especially for troops who perished for the freedom and unity of Ukraine. The rector of the parish, Archpriest Vladimir Yavorsky, and priests of the Monastyrishchena and Khristinovo deaneries concelebrated with the vladyka.

 

After the conclusion of the liturgy, according to the report, Metropolitan Ioann addressed the parish with a homily devoting special attention to debunking the false propaganda of the Moscow patriarchate against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev patriarchate. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 November 2014)

 
Russia Religion News Current News Items


Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia mostly unofficial

DOCUMENT: MANIFESTATIONS OF RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE TOWARD JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES IN RUSSIA, 1 TO 30 OCTOBER 2014

Administrative Center of JW in Russia, 3 November 2014

 

We have identified the following:

 

3 arrests by police during witnessing ministry: Moscow, Surazh (Briansk province), Voskresensk (Moscow province);

 

1 incident of hindering religious activity committed by officials: Ugor (Vladimir province);

 

4 incidents of hindering religious active committed by aggressively minded people: St.Petersburg, Ussuriisk (Primore territory)—three cases;

 

9 incidents of attack causing harm to health or threat to life, committed by aggressively minded people: Moscow (2 incidents), Saianogorsk (Khakasia), Orenburg, St. Petersburg, Novodereviankovskaia (Krasnodar territory), Cheliabinsk, Izhevsk, Petrozavodsk;

 

3 incidents of vandalism: Kovrov (Vladimir province) (building), Novodereviankovskaia (Krasnodar territory) (stand), Cheliabinsk (stand);

 

13 articles in news media and one video, impugning the honor and dignity of Jehovah's Witnsses: "Sectarians recruit residents of Arkhangelsk" (IA REGNUM, 3 October 2014, 4 responses to article), "Measures for combating the destructive sect of Jehovah's Witnesses in Riazan province discussed today in House of Public Organizations" (Riazanskie Vedomosti, 2 October 2014, 7 responses both Internet and local news media), "Sects continue to recruit new adherents" (GTRK Oka, 21 October 2014).

 

Description of several incidents:

 

1. 1 October 2014, St. Petersburg. An elderly woman (68 years) Jehovah's Witness was standing beside an information stand. A man approached her and tried to seize all the literature. Judging from the man's conduct, the believer understood that he intended to destroy the stand and thus she grasped the stand firmly with two hands. Trying to tear the stand out of the woman's hands, the man pushed her with such force that the believer fell to the pavement, hurting her elbow and scraping her hands. The woman had to go to an emergency room for treatment

 

2.  4 October 2014, Novodereviankovskaia (Krasnodar territory). A male Jehovah's Witness was standing beside an information stand on the street. A man of about 55 to 60 years approached and asked which religion the believer represented. After receiving an answer, the man tipped the stand over and tried to strike the Witness. The believer decided to leave, taking the stand with him, although the man followed him, threatening violence. To protect himself the believer decided to go into the nearby open city market. Seeing this, the attacker began calling people to seize the believer so that he could administer vigilante justice. The man also picked up a brick and threw it at the believer, after which he again threw the stand to the ground and began to trample it. When the believer tried to raise the stand, the man pounced on him and grabbed his clothing. People, observing what was happening, acted for the believer, who called police after being released. The man also made a phone call and after a time an auto approached him, from which two cossacks in uniform, with whips in their hands, emerged. They went at the believer with the intention of "investigating." First they asked him to make the sign of the cross and then they said that "they will flog the believer so that he will not show up here," and the attacker declared that "all Jehovists must be destroyed." After some time an investigation group arrived and the precinct captain approached. It was determined that the assailant was Sergei Korban and he is associated with cossacks. He was himself a hetman previously and his wife is the sister of a local priest. The police who arrived composed two reports, one on the incident of causing physical damage (the broken stand), and the second on the threat of murder. After talking with the assailant, the police told the believer that "he intends to persecute you in the future, and if that happens, call 02."

 

22 October 2014, Petrozavodsk. An elderly woman (73 years) Jehovah's Witness arrived to share her religious convictions in a store located not far from her home. The administration of the store consented to this and the saleswomen also were not opposed One customer, a very large man of middle age, saw that the believer was conversing with another elderly woman and had given her a biblical leaflet. The man began shouting: "Throw out the sectarians. There is no place for her here." At the same time he began beating the believer with a stick which he had in his hand, grabbed her by the collar, and dragged her to the exit. Along the way he threw her to the floor and continued beating her while prostrate. As a result of the beating the believer had a broken finger. The woman submitted a statement to the police.

 

Supplement to information for September 2014:

 

4 September 2014, Kovrov (Vladimir province). An attack on the local Kingdom Hall was made during the night. A man, who had previously attended Jehovah's Witnesses' religious meetings, threw a rock through a window of the building, breaking a double glass. After the event, an alarm sounded, and the man was arrested on the grounds attached to the building. Believers submitted a statement to the police but they refused to open a criminal case.

 

13 September 2014, Moscow. A police officer, Captain Alexander Zinenko, approached two women Jehovah's Witnesses who were standing on the street with an information stand. He began calling the women "sectarians," and saying that they do not have the right to stand here since it is "forbidden." At the same time, he was unable to explain by whom and where it was forbidden. Then the police officer threw the stand to the sidewalk and scattered the literature. A bit later he picked it up but he did not permit the believer to collect the literature, claiming that the believers were committing an administrative violation of law and this literature was subject to confiscation. After this the policeman tried to take away the woman's passport. He accompanied all these actions with threats, insults, and shouts against the women. Since what was happening attracted the attention of passersby, a large group of people gathered around the believers. The policeman asked one elderly woman to act as a witness to the arrest of the believers, to which she consented. When a police squad he had summoned arrived, the believers were shoved into a police car without having been given any reason for their arrest. At the police department, one of the believers (64 years old) became ill, although no medical care was given to him. The commander of the department conducted himself respectfully with regard to the believers. After he investigated the situation, he apologized for the actions of Captain Zinenko and returned the stand and let the believers go home.

 

15 September 2014, Saianogorsk (Khakasiia). Two Jehovah's Witnesses were sharing their religious views with residents of an apartment building. One of the residents, who climbed the staircase, approached the believers and, determining that he was dealing with Jehovah's Witnesses, said that they must immediately leave the lobby. The believers had not managed to leave when a man, entering his apartment, came out with a pistol. He approached the believers and said that "he hates Witnesses." The believers managed to leave the building, but the man chased them, and put the pistol to the head of one of them and threatened violence After this he tried to strike a believer on the head with the pistol, but he dodged it. The Witnesses called the police, after which the man hid the gun and left. A criminal case was opened on the event on the basis of article 2,119 of the Criminal Code of the Russian federation, "Threatening murder."

 

21 September 2014, Surazh (Briansk province). Two women Jehovah's Witnesses were sharing their religious convictions with residents of a private home. After the conclusion of the conversation, a police vehicle approached them and the believers were asked to go to the police station on the basis of the claim that all Jehovah's Witnesses witnessing in the city of Surazh were held to account. At the police station, documents and religious literature were taken from the believers. The police also wanted to take fingerprints, claiming that it was possible that the believers "are members of Al-Qaeda," but, the women refused this, citing their rights. The believers were released after having spent two and a half hours in the police station. They were refused copies of the protocols.

 

23 September 2014, Voskresensk (Moscow province). Police officers, who arrived by police car, arrested three women Jehovah's Witnesses (two had been standing with an information stand and a third arrived in order to replace one of them). The women were given no explanation of the reason for the arrest, although in a rude manner, with threats of handcuffing, they were forced to get into the vehicle and to go to the police department. At the police department the women were accused of imposing their beliefs and also they wanted to take fingerprints, but the women flatly refused. No protocols about the arrest were composed.

 

26 September 2014, Moscow. Two women Jehovah's Witnesses were sharing their religious views with residents of an apartment building. A man (50-60 years old) came out of one apartment. Learning that he was facing Jehovah's Witnesses, he began shouting at them and demanding that they leave the building. The man said that he had previously worked as a judge and that thanks to his connections with the police he would be able "to hang any case on the believers." After this the man began punching and kicking the women. He hit one of the believers with his fist on the face, drawing blood from her lips. The women had to leave the building immediately.

 

27 September 2014, Ugor (Vladimir province). Two women Jehovah's Witnesses arrived in the village in order to share their religious views with its residents. On the street they approached a man in civilian clothing who turned out to be a local officer. He demanded from them documents and, he said, that they immediately leave the village and not appear in it any more. After taking the women's documents, the officer called the criminal investigation unit and dictated their information. The believers said that he was violating their constitutional rights by such prohibitions, but he advised them "to consult the prosecutor's office on this matter." The believers were forced to leave the village. (tr. by PDS, posted 4 November 2014)


Russian original posted on Portal-Credo.ru, 3 November 2014


Russia Religion News Current News Items



Support for Moscow-oriented Ukrainian Orthodox slipping

HEAD OF UPTsMP PRESS SERVICE: WE HAD PROTECTION IN PARLIAMENT EARLIER—PARTY OF REGIONS AND COMMUNISTS--BUT IN NEW RADA NOTHING GOOD AWAITS US

Portal-Credo.ru, 3 November 2014

 

Vasily Anisimov, the director of the "press service" of UPTsMP, which is not one of the officials institutions of this church, expressed once again on the eve of parliamentary elections in Ukraine skepticism regarding the new government in the country, under which Orthodox parishes frequently change their jurisdiction, not in the UPTsMP's favor, Religiia v Ukraine reports on 3 November with reference to RIA Novosti/"Russia Today."

 

"In our society the words 'Russkii' [Russian] and 'Rossiiskii' [of Russia] are understood as the same in Ukrainian. Our television channels harp from morning to night that the troops of Russia [Rossiiskii] are killing and capturing, and the church of Russia also is here. This is the backdrop for saying that there is 'our' church and the other is the one of predatory and aggressive Russia," Vasily Anisimov told the news agency of Russia.

 

"In Russia the church has the status of legal person, but in Ukraine it does not exist. Therefore there is the possibility of the 'migration' of parishes. The schismatics intimidate priests and arrange meetings and pose to believers the question: do they want to worship God in the church of Russia [Rossiiskaia]? Many, under pressure of information from the news media, answer that they do not want to, and the Orthodox church building becomes a Uniate, 'Filaretite,' or Autocephalous church," the head of the UPTsMP "press service" explained.

 

Great concerns are evoked in Anisimov by the elections to the Supreme Soviet of Ukraine. "For us it was traditionally thus: while the election campaign is going on, schismatics refrain from any seizures [of churches]," Vasily Anisimov explained. "But when the government has been formed, somebody in it may declare that Ukraine needs its own church, and the seizures of churches begin to escalate."

 

"We previously has protection in parliament—the Party of Regions and communists, who always supported us. But according to predictions, against the background of general hysteria, in the new Rada nothing good awaits us," Vasily Anisimov concluded.

 

According to information from the Ukrainian Central Election Commission, in the elections for the Ukrainian parliament held on 26 October, nobody from the communists was elected. At the same time, about a third of the newly elected deputies are from the Party of Regions.

 

It was reported earlier that financial support of Anisimov's "press service" was produced in its time thanks to the embassy of the Russian federation in Ukraine and the Communist Party of Ukraine. (tr. by PDS, posted 4 November 2014)


Russia Religion News Current News Items


Ukraine needs to resolve problem of church property

UGKTs HEAD ADVOCATES "FULL REHABILITATION OF UGKTs AND RESTITUTION OF ILLEGALLY TAKEN PROPERTY"

Religiia v Ukraine, 3 November 2014

 

During the festive celebration of the 25th anniversary of the emergence of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church [UGKTs] from out of the underground, the head of UGKTs, Major Archbishop Sviatoslav, noted that the receipt of legal status, which occurred 25 years ago, was just the first step to a full-fledged revival of its activity after the prohibition of 1946. Subsequent steps should be full rehabilitation of UGKTs and restitution of the illegally expropriated property.

 

However, despite numerous appeals of the leadership of UGKTs to governmental authorities, up to the present this question has remained open, His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted, Religiia v Ukraine reports, referring to the UGKTs website and RISU.

 

"Despite numerous attempts of believers and clergy of UGKTs, which have been supported by several politicians and public leaders, the authorities of independent Ukraine have still not resolved the question of the rehabilitation of UGKTs and other Ukrainian churches that were repressed by the communist regime, and they have not taken appropriate steps for overcoming other consequences of the totalitarian violence against freedom of conscience, as historic justice demands," he said. On the basis of the law on rehabilitation of victims of political repressions in Ukraine, which was adopted in April 1991, single individuals have been rehabilitated, but not the church as an institution.

 

In the opinion of the UGKTs head, rehabilitation includes three key elements. First, recognition of the fact of repressions with respect to the church as an institution (not just certain persons) and recognition that UGKTs, which came out of the underground, is the legal successor of the UGKTs that was liquidated in 1946. Second, confirmation that these repressions were illegal and unjust. Third, return to the church of all rights of which it was deprived as a result of these repressions. The latter includes the right to ownership of all property that was illegally confiscated and, as a consequence, the opening of a process of return (restitution) of this property.

 

Without going into judicial details, His Beatitude Sviatoslav noted that the resolution of the question of the return to churches and religious organizations of property expropriated by the totalitarian regime of the past should be approached comprehensively in accordance with the obligations of Ukraine before the Council of Europe, which Ukraine joined in 1995.

 

"Gross violations of justice and mistreatment of churches and religious organizations that were manifested during the forced liquidation by the communist regime demands the return of illegally seized property to its owner and the European integration of our state provides for the implementation of international legal norms in our legislation. And so, historically and in accordance with justice, property should be handed over to its real owners and just compensation mechanisms for property which it is impossible to return should be established," he explained.

 

There now exist several unresolved questions on the legislative level. In the normative legal acts there are no criteria for defining religious property; the majority of "houses of worship and property" have been returned to religious organizations not as something owned but for use without charge, which really is not the restoration of rights to the church. In addition, the church as a religious association is denied the right of legal person in Ukraine, and consequently it does not have even the theoretical possibility of receiving the status of legal entity.

 

"It is sad that the Soviet Union, which destroyed our church, made did for us in the plan of legalization and legitimization of our activity more than independent Ukraine has done in all the years of its existence. Actually, Gorbachev's permitting the registration of our community was the only step of concession to the UGKTs in all 25 years. I think that we must raise these questions before the new government with new force," the head of UGKTs expressed his hopes, adding that now lawyers are working on writing a new draft of a law on restitution of church property. (tr. by PDS, posted 3 November 2014)


Russia Religion News Current News Items



Editorial disclaimer: RRN does not intend to certify the accuracy of information presented in articles. RRN simply intends to certify the accuracy of the English translation of the contents of the articles as they appeared in news media of countries of the former USSR.


If material is quoted, please give credit to the publication from which it came.

It is not necessary to credit this Web page. If material is transmitted electronically, please include reference to the URL, http://www.stetson.edu/~psteeves/relnews/.