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Two Baptist Leaders Jailed for 15 Days, Ten Foreigners Face Deportation Order
by Barbara G. Baker
Compass Direct, 9 September 1999
Azerbaijani police and KGB officers forced their way into a legally registered church in Baku last Sunday, disrupting the worship service and arresting some 60 Christians in the congregation.
The local pastoral team of Baku Baptist Church, together with at least a dozen foreigners, were among those taken to the police station for interrogations over the next two days. Several young people and children were also arrested.
The detained Azeri Christians were reportedly all asked to sign a paper stating they had been attending an "illegal meeting" and promising not to attend the church again. "Some did under duress," a Baku source told Compass by telephone today, "but most did not. Those who did not alleged that the 'confessions' were filled out and signed [forged] on their behalf."
After being released overnight and returning for questioning on Monday and again on Tuesday, both the pastor and his assistant were sentenced Tuesday afternoon to 15 days in prison on administrative charges of "resisting the police."
The two church leaders were charged, tried and convicted in a half-hour court hearing, and then "hustled right off to the Black City Prison," the Baku source reported. They have since been allowed visitors, who reported that there were no indications of physical abuse.
According to an Azeri Christian who spoke with Compass today, the jailed church leaders must be released after 15 days, unless authorities charge them with violation of criminal laws.
Two Americans among those detained were released Sunday night and not recalled for more questioning, the U.S. Embassy in Baku confirmed. However, a total of 10 citizens of Finland, Norway, Korea, Iran, Colombia and Mexico were charged with "engaging in religious propaganda" and "propagating against the Muslim religion."
A vague statute appended in 1996 to Azerbaijan's religious freedom law declares, "Carrying out of religious propaganda by aliens and stateless persons is forbidden." However, the Constitution guarantees freedom of religious confession and worship to all citizens.
"The available evidence does not support either of those charges," the Baku source said. "In fact, the judge reaffirmed that under Azeri law, foreigners have the right to attend and participate in any religious services they choose."
Yesterday, the court ordered eight of the foreign citizens deported, and two others with student visas were ordered to pay a fine to remain in the country. All 10 foreigners are said to have rejected the ruling and have appealed the court's decision through the prosecutor's office.
Reports could not be confirmed that an additional eight foreign citizens also had been told their deportation orders were pending before the courts.
"In Azerbaijan there's been a lot of low-level harassment," the Baku source admitted. "But nothing of this nature in the past. This is the first time they've gone after a registered church." In several other incidents in the past month, he said, "The excuse [the authorities] have given is that the organization in question is not registered. But the point is, they haven't allowed them to register."
During the past month, at least two unregistered church groups have reported police raids on their worship meetings, with members of the congregations detained and interrogated by KGB authorities. "Believers were kept at police offices for a few hours," an Azeri Christian reported, "and demanded to believe in Mohammed instead of Jesus, because they are Azeris."
One of the expatriate Christians detained last Sunday reported that a recent television program had attacked the pastors and congregations of the Sumgait Pentecostal Church and Lokbaton Greater Grace Church. Both TV and newspaper reports routinely condemn Azeris for changing their religion.
Some 80 percent of Azerbaijan's 7.5 million people are of Muslim heritage, although many Azeris who have become Christians in this decade insist they were previously atheists, not Muslims. According to research compiled this summer, there are 2,250 ethnic Azerbaijani Christians regularly attending evangelical churches in the country. Before 1993, there were less than 50 known Azeri Christians worldwide, many of whom lived abroad.
Only the Roman Catholic Church has been granted formal registration status with the Azerbaijan government in the past six years, although the Baptist, Adventist and Greater Grace churches had previous status. A number of other churches have been either refused or delayed in their attempts to gain legal registration. These include the Pentecostal Church, Word of Life, the Unregistered Baptists, Ichthus, and several small church-planting groups. Jehovah's Witnesses have also been denied registration.
Started nearly a century ago in the Central Asian nation's capital, the Baku Baptist Church now conducts worship services in both the Azerbaijani and Russian languages. Although registered with the Committee on Religious Affairs of the Cabinet of Ministers, it has been unable to regain possession of its original 1908 church building on Azadlyq Avenue, confiscated during the Soviet period and now used as a cinema.
This week's arrests and pending deportations are reportedly being closely monitored by the U.S. and Norwegian embassies, both of which sent observers to the court proceedings against the local and foreign Christians.
An observer at the Baptist church's regular mid-week service last night reported that the congregation had assembled without incident, with no evidence of any type of police presence.
Copyright 1999 Compass Direct; received from Human Rights Without Frontiers
(posted 11 September 1999)
. . . Dagestan, too, is in serious crisis, with rampant corruption undermining state structures and social services. Amid the turmoil, some Dagestanis have found refuge among Islamic fundamentalists (known as Wahhabis), whose strict social mores, revolutionary camaraderie, and regular wage payments provide a support structure that the state does not.
About 4 percent of Dagestan's 2 million people are Wahhabis. Most Wahhabis in Dagestan are from two of the largest of the republic's more than 32 ethnic groups: the Avars, who make up 28 percent of the population, and the Dargins, who account for about 21 percent. The most aggressive wing of the Dagestani Wahhabi movement is headed by Bagaudin Magomedov, a well-known Islamic scholar who leads the militants of the Tsumada region, one of two Wahhabi enclaves in Dagestan's western mountains. . . .
Although several hundred Dagestanis joined the militants after the invasion, the vast majority resisted, despite the appeals of Khattab and Shamil Basaev, the head of Chechnya's Islamic Shura. Not only did Dagestanis volunteer to fight against the invaders, but many of them tormented local Wahhabis with insults and beatings, holding some under house arrest and ransacking mosques and religious schools. Such behavior had been common in the area before former Russian Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin visited the region a month ago and pleaded for tolerance.
One reason Dagestanis were so unsympathetic to the idea of independence was that it came from the Chechens, the largest ethnic group in the North Caucasus. Chechens began returning en masse to the Caucasus only a decade ago. They were deported to the steppes of Kazakhstan by Josef Stalin in 1943 where they lived in virtual isolation. The Chechens' clearly defined ethnicity leaves other ethnic groups in the region suspicious and hostile toward "Chechenism. . . ."
Another issue is the Islamic rhetoric used by the invaders. In multinational and multiconfessional Dagestan, even the Wahhabis have until recently enjoyed religious freedom. "Dagestan has been famous for centuries for its outstanding religious scholars and we don't want the international criminal rabble to educate us," Dagestani Mufti Akhmed-Hadji Abdullaev said recently. The head of the State Council of Dagestan claimed that authorities had previously been too tolerant toward Wahhabis, and that the time had come to crack down. The animosity toward that group may cause moderate Wahhabis to join the movement's more aggressive wing. . . .
BELLIGERENT ISLAMISM SPREADING ALL OVER RUSSIA
by Nikolai Gritchen
Izvestia, September 4. Abridged.
In the east of the Stavropol territory where the Nogais live, a process is underway resembling the one observed in Dagestan only a few years ago. The former trainees of Chechen camps training militants belonging to the more radical trend in Islam - Wahhabism - are gradually concentrating here.
There are about a hundred Wahhabi in the Stavropol territory now. Anyway, according to the data provided by security services, approximately 50 Wahhabi from among persons of the Nogai nationality took part in the march of Basayev and Hattab on Dagestan. For this, the Stavropol Nogais first moved to Chechnya, where they joined the international units of militants. As many residents of the territory professing the radical trend of Islam intended to join the vanguard of Nogais but failed to do so for various reasons. All of them had undergone training in the militants' camps in Chechnya, and lived in the Stavropol territory as reservists waiting for the H-hour.
It stands to reason that in the Stavropol territory there are much less Wahhabi than in Dagestan. However, they are very active and consistent in reaching their goal. The first thing they managed to do is to seize the control of several mosques in large villages densely populated by Nogais. The radicals are not interested in elderly people - supporters of traditional Islam - who stopped going to mosques. They are conditioning young people.
Their style is the same as in Dagestan. Where the Stavropol Wahhabi settled, leaflets urging Russians out of the Caucasus started to appear 18 months ago. Later the traces of extremists from the east of the territory were found during an attack by Islamic fighters on a military unit in Dagestan's Buinaksk.
Characteristically, none of the religious extremists in the Stavropol territory has been punished for his crimes. The criminals wanted by the police are hiding in Chechnya. Three inquiries launched last year following the facts of spreading leaflets containing calls for national hatred never led to the traces of those who authored and spread them.
The measures being taken by the territorial administration are clearly not enough. Partly, this is due the lack of the requisite legal norms, which hamstrings the authorities' initiative. Law does not ban Wahhabism as an extremist trend. Moreover, in the opinion of the staff of prosecutor's offices, even the fighters trained in subversive activities in Chechen militants' camps cannot be brought to account. Under existing legislation, there are not enough legal grounds for that - one may study anything and anywhere.
Meanwhile, according to acting head of the territorial department of the interior Nikolai Mamontov, a regiment of Nogai militants is being formed in Chechnya. Its mission is to make armed raids into the adjacent territories. According to the general, volunteers from Stavropol villages have already signed up with this regiment.
Stavropol territory.
MOSLEM TRUMPS IN ELECTION POKER
Islamic Factor Becomes Prominent in Russian Politics
Alexei MALASHENKO, PhD (History),director of research programmes at
the Moscow Carnegie Center
Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August 25. Abridged
Two elements of the Russian pre-election scene are worthy of special mention: one is the alliance of Yuri Luzhkov's Otechestvo, or Fatherland, and Mintimer Shaimiyev's All Russia; the other is the critical situation in the North Caucasus. Both elements testify, albeit differently, to the growing role of Moslems as the largest religious minority and of Islam as an instrument of political struggle.
It looks as if Islam has not been mentioned when Fatherland and All Russia formed an alliance. The two leaders shy religious sentiments: winning seats on the Duma is their sole goal.
On the other hand, one can hardly surmise that a person the caliber of Luzhkov has never given a thought to the fact that he is forming a union with the most cunning and influential politician of a key region of Russia and a Moslem, rather than just another Governor, at a time which is crucial for himself and the country.
As to Shaimiyev, he is thus becoming a member of the national elite. His religious affiliation is "beyond the point," of course. Luzhkov has approached Shaimiyev the secular politician, not Shaimiyev the Moslem. Which was only natural: to start with, Shaimiyev's authority is largely based on the accord between Russians and Tatars and between Christian Orthodoxy and Islam in Tataria which is far from easy to run. Secondly, he is certainly the most influential man in the second largest ethnic group in Russia, i.e. Tatars. Thirdly, he enjoys the sympathy of people living in the North Caucasus. Lastly, Shaimiyev has been and is a Moslem, although admittedly not too zealous.
Importantly, other Moslem national leaders, in particular Ruslan Aushev and Murtaza Rakhimov, seem to recognise Shaimiyev's leadership. Meanwhile, the local electorates tend to heed their opinion.
I think Luzhkov has not failed to take the above into consideration. Be as it may, the sympathies of a majority of Moslems may be riveted onto the super-bloc formed in early August.
Incidentally, political organisations based on Islam have not been too visible thus far. Nor are they likely to become noticeable in the future: their electorate will vote for the Luzhkov-Shaimiyev tandem.
No interest in Islamic parties and movements is offset, in a sense, by the support which the Islamic clergy is and will continue giving to the super-bloc. This cooperation is mutually beneficial and, most importantly, promotes social stability.
And then again, there is a precious few religious conflicts in the huge metropolis of Moscow, a latter-day Babylon. The number of Moslems in Moscow and its environs has probably topped a million. Who is building new Mosques in Moscow? The same person who is building the church of Christ the Saviour.
That Luzhkov is a keen administrator is well known. We'll see whether he is a keen politician. But he should be praised for having realised that Mother Moscow is a cosmopolitan city, his Sebastopol and Baltija "escapades" notwithstanding.
Being all-secular political union, Fatherland-All Russia symbolises, as it were, the unity of the two largest confessions' interests. If the super-bloc proves to be a long-liver, this unity will certainly be played up by its staff ideologists and the media.
Everything would have been hunky-dory, were it not for the Chechen sally of the Dagestani border. I think that the reason behind it is Shamil Basayev's inferiority complex: he has not made a civilian politician in Chechnya, has failed to build an independent state, and has not managed to oust Maskhadov. All that is left to him is try and boost his authority "with the Koran in his head, and a gun in his hand." But this is the "Chechen explanation" of the war. Is there a "Moscow explanation"? They say that the Kremlin has been aware of plans to raid Dagestan. A person very close to the president has reportedly had a meeting with Basayev on the eve of the attack.
But that's not important. What is most important today is that the trumps in the Russian election poker are Moslem. Who stands to profit from the August battles for a half-dozen Dagestani villages? To whose mill do the "Islamic extremists" bring their grist? (The inverted commas are not fortuitous: Basayev and his men are clearly speculating on Islam and treat it solely as a weapon.) What with the domestic political situation, the Kremlin is the one to gain from the terrorist attack. It provides an additional incentive for society's consolidation. It is a threat from without which necessitates tougher steps from the authorities and a more active stance of the "power structures." It is a search for an enemy at home. It is a chance to distract people's attention from election intrigues and incriminating materials.
Lastly, it is a chance to introduce a state of emergency which can be tacitly spread not only to the North Caucasus. A couple of smaller acts of terrorism would help in this context.
In short, Basayev the jihad (holy war) leader is a trump card in the Russian election poker. Not an ace, but still...
Of course, Islam of Tataria and Bashkiria is not that of Chechnya. Islamic radicals are anything but influential in Kazan and Ufa. Still, Luzhkov's allies are true Moslems. Shaimiyev, for one, clearly indicated that as he sees it Russia's policy in Yugoslavia is fallacious. It certainly irritates Russia's Moslems, influential muftis and imams included. Moscow has well-nigh openly appealed to the idea of Orthodox Christian solidarity with Serbs. Is Islamic solidarity with Albanians any worse than Christian solidarity? Or take Ruslan Aushev who has introduced polygamy in Ingushetia. Personally, I have nothing against it. But the general has been in too great a hurry and could have waited until after the elections, lest somebody says that Luzhkov has formed a coalition with polygamists.
Luzhkov's policy is not based on his love of Islam, of course. Simply, Moslem members of the post-Soviet nomenklatura have become weightier. Thanks to them and the moderate clergy who are cooperating with them and adding to their authority, Russian society and political establishment may appreciate that Russia is a state of many confessions, and that Islam can be Russian, rather than simply Tatar, Bashkir or Caucasian.
It looks as if the Moscow Mayor appreciates this better than others.
(posted 10 September 1999)
The decision of the Holy Synod of 19 July regarding the removal from his see of Bishop Nikon of Ekaterinburg and Verkhoture and the appointment to this post of Archbishop Vikenty of Abakan was a complete surprise for the diocese. Everyone, even the parishioners and clergy who were protesting, had become used to the idea that this question would be settled no earlier than autumn. That is the time when the election campaign for a new governor should end. After all it was no secret that a change of bishop is an event not only of religious life but of political life as well. Very many of the lavish programs were begun by Ekaterinburg's Governor Rossel with the blessing of Bishop Nikon. That the decision regarding Nikon's retirement was made without taking into account the regional political circumstance suggests the conclusion that perhaps the church in Russia really is slightly separate from the state.
Back on the eve of the Holy Synod's session it was unclear to whose side the votes were leaning. At the beginning of July the priests from Nizhny Tagil, Foma Abel and Gennady, were received at the patriarchate extremely sternly. They had brought to Moscow a letter with hundreds of signatures of people who demanded the removal of the bishop, accusing him of the sin of sodomy. Then they brought information showing that a criminal case had been opened with regard to Nikon. At the beginning of June, Svetlana Sitkovskaia, the chief of the investigative division of the city administration of internal affairs of Syserti (the diocese' dacha is located near Syserti, where according to eyewitnesses extremely "strange" things had been done) opened a criminal case with regard to Bishop Nikon on the basis of article 133 of the criminal code: sexual harassment. A statement had been given by a seminarian, Dmitry U. Preliminary investigation, which was conducted by investigators of the Ekaterinburg administration of internal affairs (inspection of the dacha, questioning of the one who gave the statement, and his indication of several intimate details about the bishop's body) provided strong basis for instigating the case.
The investigation had already begun when the priests from Nizhny Tagil went to Moscow with the official information. But just as soon as the existence of the criminal case was learned about in Moscow, Svetlana Sitkovskaia was called on the carpet and the chief of the provincial administration of internal affairs demanded to take the case. Soon it was officially declared that a decision had been made to rescind the order that opened the case. Nevertheless the seminarian's attorney, who had accused the bishop of harassment, has still not seen the stamped and notarized order regarding the cancelling of the case. If in the near future this document is shown to him, then he will submit a new statement to the investigator from the victim. If the order is kept secret, then State Duma deputy Anatoly Kotkov intends to intervene with an inquiry and demand for initiating investigative proceedings.
The persistence of the protesting side in this matter is understandable. Bishop Nikon has just gone into retirement and what will be the fate of those clergy who protested against him is still not known. At the time of the visit at the patriarchate by fathers Foma and Gennady, they were required to give written repentance for their actions in exchange for a promise that Bishop Nikon would be removed from the Ekaterinburg see. In the event of their refusal, they were threatened with dismissal and banning from ministry. But fathers Foma and Gennady refused the suggestion. Immediately afterward they gave an interview to the program "Scandal of the Week." Materials about the scandal came out in the New York Times. The story was elevated to an international plane. The second time in a year an uproar over the leadership of Bishop Nikon in the Ekaterinburg diocese had been presented to the international public (the first time when he gave the order to burn books of famous theologians). Undoubtedly this influenced the Holy Synod's decision. Even before Bishop Nikon was summoned to Moscow he was asked to write a voluntary request to be relieved of his responsibilities and to go into a monastery. He brought this request to the Holy Synod's session.
At the farewell service for Bishop Nikon, which was held in the cathedral of St. John the Forerunner in Ekaterinburg on 24 July, there were no more than 150 persons. This was enough to fill the small cathedral, which was cramped by construction scaffolding. Mostly elderly women came. They asked for the bishop's blessing and they wept, saying they did not believe what was being said and written about the bishop. Bishop Nikon was carefully guarded by Cossacks and young people in black clothing with swastikas on their sleeves. Members of Russian National Unity (RNE) had declared their allegiance to the accused bishop back in the spring of this year. The leader of the local cell of RNE, Varyvdin, was even received and blessed by Nikon personally. The black shirts guarded the diocese during all protest demonstrations but they tried not to display emblems that looked like swastikas. On Saturday the swastikas were obvious. This somewhat bothered the older folks, but they tried not to give it any attention. The service lasted three hours. At the very beginning some old man shouted loudly to the whole church: "Punish, Lord! I ask God, Christ, punish!" Cossacks sprang into action and ran to catch the old man, but he already had been taken out by priests and sent far beyond the church fence. This was really the only incident that marred the parishioners' farewell to the bishop. In prayer Master Nikon asked that he be forgiven and "covered with love," promising to pray in the monastery for forgiveness and love for his Ekaterinburg parishes. Towards the end Bishop Nikon was photographed with everyone who came to see him off. Here everyone received a printed "Farewell sermon to the beloved flock of the humble Bishop Nikon" (a very extensive sermon; the printed text ran four pages). "I humbly ask of my flock forgiveness for the confusion and experiences into which I dragged it through recent events . . . " the letter says, and at the end an instruction is given: "Welcome with honor and love your legal archpastor, his beatitude Archbishop Vikenty. Be obedient to him unto death, even the death of the cross."
A full four paragraphs of the "farewell sermon" are devoted to Governor Eduard Rossel and to praise of his activity. True, the governor did not publicly say farewell to the bishop. It is possible that the visit of Prime Minister Stepashin interfered. Rossel will maintain good church affairs with Bishop Vikenty. This will include the restoration of Verkhoture; on 19 August, on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the official opening of the largest church in the Asiatic part of Russia, the church of the Elevation of the Cross, is scheduled in Verkhoture.
But the secular, even though unofficial, structures did not abandon the disgraced bishop. Before his retirement, he was decorated. The Russian Assembly of Nobility gave the bishop on the feast of Kazan icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, 21 July, a commemorative medal "Zealot for the memory of Emperor Nicholas II and the royal martyrs." In Ekaterinburg members of the tsarist family are recognized as "local" martyrs, for the time being.
After the departure of Bishop Nikon from the Ekaterinburg diocese, the scandal has not completely died out. A commission of the Holy Synod is coming to Ekaterinburg, headed by Archbishop Alexander of Kostroma and Galich, which is supposed to review the spiritual situation and audit the financial condition of the diocese. Already rumors now are spreading in the diocese that Nikon did not depart from the Urals empty handed but that he sent a full two containers of things to his dacha in the suburbs of Moscow. The commission will begin its work in order to put a stop to such rumors and to answer precisely where several items of churchware disappeared to. It is possible that it also will investigate the priests who have not let the scandal fade away. As the former father superior of the monastery of the Savior, the disgraced Hegumen Avraam, told a NG reporter: "We are not afraid of this examination. We even want it in order to get rid of all the gossip which appeared during this confrontation. As regards Bishop Nikon, let him repent and cleanse his soul; we will not dance on his grave. We have worked for the purity of Orthodoxy."
Incidentally, the public movement "For the Purity of Orthodoxy," which was recently created by and is headed by Hegumen Avraam, does not intend to suspend its work. Having achieved the observance of cleansing from Father Nikon, the movement intends to expand its charitable activity. Of course, the Moscow patriarchate is concerned that the spirit of free thinking has become deeply rooted in the hearts and minds of the residents of the Urals and so it is important to do everything to see that nobody begins wanting to overthrow the new bishop. But we have learned that those priests who worked against Nikon already have sent a letter to Bishop Vikenty of Ekaterinburg and Verkhoture, assuring him that they submit to his authority completely and they have no thoughts about any hostility or schism. In leaving the diocese, Bishop Nikon sent to the new archbishop of Ekaterinburg and Verkhoture a telegram in which he called the Ekaterinburg diocese "very complicated" and promised to pray at the shrines of the Pskov cave monastery for divine mercy for Bishop Vikenty. (tr. by PDS)
(posted 6 September 1999)
One of the problems of Russia's new-born spirituality
by Nikolai Buzin
Nezavismaia gazeta--religii, 1 September 1999
The word "paganism" evokes various thoughts. Some recall ancient sculpture and the Acropolis of Athens and some recall cruel rituals, temple prostitution, and human sacrifices. Unfortunately, both in imperial Russia and in our contemporary homeland the phenomenon of "pagan" people in Orthodox churches has become rather widespread, who act like pagans in their psychology and worldview but mistakenly consider themselves Orthodox. Such people are found among both laity and monastics. The likelihood of someone's become "pagan" without noticing it is not slight. If, for example, I dream about a restoration of the Russian monarchy and the triumph of the "Russian idea," then I should be careful that my dreams do not become for me more important than Christ. I do not have the right to allow into my heart hostility toward those who do not share my dreams, since Christ expects from us love toward people and not hostility.
However, the majority of our "pagans of Orthodoxy" are not excited about the "Russian idea." Most often they are enticed by everyday prosperity and spiritual comfort. They baptize their children not so that from infancy they will be trained as church members but so that the children will not get sick and will be successful in life. They eagerly observe the formal rules of church life, but from this they hope to attain a more comfortable existence after death. I am not opposed to physical prosperity. I do not want children to become ill. But I am concerned that for the "pagans" all of this is the most important matter and Christ, at best, is only a means. Among such people there are many who are concerned with issues of eternal life. But among them the main concern is not Christ. Instead of following Christ they seek out other paths. Most often the important thing is scrupulous observance of ritualistic rules and habits. For them among the extremely important rules and habits there often are things which the church considers of little importance or even harmful superstitions (not crossing the church's threshold with the left foot, not passing a candle over the left shoulder, not putting a cup with holy water on the ground, etc.). Many of the laity try to copy the external forms of the behavior of monks and even hermits, although such behavior that is "not fitting for the secular class" is not approved by the church. Some have hastily adopted monasticism while being driven not by love for Christ but by the mistaken conviction that the "monastic state" guarantees entry into the heavenly kingdom. Some have decided that the most important thing is the "struggle with a demon" and in keeping with the spirit of paganism have begun looking for magical procedures that would permit then to "drive out the demon." Some have taken up extreme asceticism and self-proclaimed fasting that has led to complete physical exhaustion and stomach diseases. These people understand "mortification of the flesh" quite literally, not knowing that the church considers "mortification of the flesh" to be the restraint of the baser instincts of our being.
The lack of a proper conversion to Christ naturally leads the "pagans" to genuine polytheism. They begin viewing shrines and saints of the Orthodox church as stand-alone "gods,' independent of Christ. In some villages it is even possible to hear phrases of the type "I have many gods in my hut" (meaning, many icons). There are people who explicitly call saints "gods." Just like in polytheism, each "god" is ascribed a specific type of activity. The ignorance of such discussions is startling. For example, the icon of the Mother of God of the type of the "bush that cannot be burnt" is considered to mean that it will serve for prayers to prevent fires.
Quite curious incidents are known. Somebody drops by a hut and turns an icon around to face the wall. What for? "The icon is being punished; it is a bad icon; it does not answer prayers." Such incidents frequently provoke protestant criticism of veneration of icons. The Orthodox then respond to this criticism by accusing protestants of iconoclasm. They should not be offended; it would be better not to permit such a substitution of paganism for veneration of icons. Here it is important not to confuse veneration with worship. Worship is a special feeling which expresses the thought: "You are God."
A number of the conceptions that exist in Russian Orthodoxy can be easily explained by simply recalling the influence of the "pagans." Why, for example, despite the experience of saints, do some of our people consider praying in their own words to be useless? The pagan views prayer as a formula and asserts that without knowledge of magical secrets the formula cannot be composed; it can be received only in the established form. Why are there people who are convinced of the special power of some "secret" prayers? Simply because the "secret" prayer is a formula that acts, they think, more powerfully the fewer people there are who know it. The formula is considered to be unchangeable, and so there is a superstitious fear of any, even the most necessary, changes in the texts of the divine liturgy. It is not required that the formula be comprehensible; as a result there are people who assert that "there is no need to understand the prayer."
The pagan thinks that the chief virtue of one or another religious idea is its antiquity. Preachers from the Society of Krishna Consciousness have succeeded in winning over to their side some of our "pagans" by asserting that they are following a doctrine that is more ancient than Christianity. Meanwhile, it would help to know that the Society of Krishna Consciousness is a quite young religious movement and that its claim of antiquity is based on the antiquity of Hinduism, to which it appeals, while genuine Hindus are very little like the American and European "Krishnaists."
The "pagans of Orthodoxy" have poor understanding of our divine liturgy. For them it is a kind of magical action which is necessary for some reason that they do not understand. They especially like the rituals such as the prayer service. This is most often something like "may my will be done." Everything seems clear and specific: you define your desire and then figure out which of the "gods" should be supplicated about this desire; and so forth. When they receive prayer requests, the clergy of churches frequently hear: "I am not asking for prayer to Christ. There is no need to pray to Christ; I need a prayer to the martyr Trifon." People do not understand that thereby they are insulting both Christ and Christ's martyr Trifon.
Here's a quite recent curious incident. A conversation of two elderly women in the line at the candle booth: "This is a matter not for Christ but for the prophet Nahum." (The issue was the need to bring an indolent pupil "to his senses.")
Among the ideas that are characteristic for polytheism dark forces occupy a substantial place. Many "pagans of Orthodoxy" display an unhealthy interest in such forces. Some are simply curious, but others willingly join the performance of Christian rituals with a conscious appeal to the forces of evil for the success of one or another matter. Still others are concerned to find protection against demonic designs, forgetting that Christ is the best protection. In any case, an appeal to darkness is superfluous. The saints have warned us how dangerous it is; the center of our attention must be Christ. Unfortunately, our people have not been sufficiently warned about the appeal to demons, and there even is literature on sale in church stands that promotes an unhealthy interest in the sphere of evil. Such a combination of demonology, occultism, extrasensory activity, and esotericism increases the "pagans." Often these people exaggerate visions and revelations and assign excessive meaning to dreams, signs, and miracles. This is an obvious departure from Orthodoxy, which calls people not to seek revelations, to practice sober caution in interpreting dreams and visions, and to remember the possibility of false signs and miracles.
The thirst for visions, extreme attention to darkness, and ignorant mysticism easily lead people either to "charms" (demonic enticement) or to psychological illness. Many of our people are not able to distinguish one from the other and as a result, when a believing psychiatrist could help, they often seek help from entirely different people who give no help to the patient but rather harm.
The spiritual failures which have come about by departure from Christ and an underevaluation of Christ's live have made many "pagans of Orthodoxy" cruel people. For them their neighbor is simply a hindrance who interferes with their "salvation." While they fail to understand the danger of their own spiritual condition, these people are more dangerous than those who have less faith in Christ.
While they consider themselves Orthodox, they do not have the love of Christ. Some "pagans of Orthodoxy" attack Christians of other confessions with a hatred that is incompatible with Orthodoxy. From ancient times various nations, cultures, and religious traditions have intermingled in our country. During the soviet regime national and cultural mixing became especially intense. After such mixing we should not be surprised that people who consider themselves Russian Christians are drawn not to Orthodoxy but to Christianity of a different tradition, either protestantism or Catholicism. It is good that they are Christian. It is worse if such people become pagan. Sometimes criticism of the "pagans" are treated as attacks upon national beliefs and traditions. But not all folk beliefs and traditions of the church can be approved. While avoiding disputes and insults on the basis of religious differences, I think nevertheless that it would be quite good if the pagans will learn that they are pagan, and Christians of all confessions will try to understand more clearly where the line between their faith and paganism runs. I even hope that an awareness of their unchristian spiritual condition will help some "pagans" to become genuine Christians. (tr. by PDS)
(posted 5 September 1999)
A delegation of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox church was in Moscow from 16 to 24 August 1999 on an official visit to the Russian Orthodox church. The delegation coprised members of the Metropolitan Council of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox church, Archpriest Justin Yamaguchi, Archpriest Savva Onami, and Archpriest Job Baba, as well as clergy who came in order to take monastic vows, Archpriest Kirill Arikara, Archpriest Judah Nashiro, and Priest Andrei Sui. The translator with the delegation was a clergyman of the Russian Orthodox church's residence in Tokyo, Archpriest Ioann Nagaia.
INFORMATION: After the death of His Beautitude Archbishop Feodosy Nagashima of Tokyo, who was metropolitan of all Japan, and because there were no bishops in the Japanese Orthodox church, the administration of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox church (YaAPTs) accepted the most holy patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus, Alexis II, as the primate of the mother church, until there was a conciliar election of a new primate. By a decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox church of 4 June 1999, Bishop Innokenty of Chita and Transbaikal was authorized in the name of the patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus to assume archpastoral responsibility for parished of the YaAPTs and to conduct the liturgy in them until a new primate assumed the administration of the church.
On the evening of 16 August the delegation from YaAPTs arrived at Sheremetevo II airport. On the same day, there was a meeting of the delegation's members with the chairman of the Department of External Church Relations (OVTsS), Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, in the Silver Forest. Participants in the meeting included the vice chairman of OVVTsS, Archbishop Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk and Bishop Innokenty of Chita and Transbaikal. On 17 August clergy of the Japanese Autonomous Orthodox church conducted a pilgrimage to sacred places of the city of Moscow. The first was the church in honor of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God on Red Square, after which the Japanese priests venerated the revered copy of the miracle working icon of the Iverian Mother of God, located in the chapel at the Voskresensky gates. In the afternoon, members of the YaAPTs delegation were received at the patriarchal residence in the Saint Daniel's monastery by His Holiness Patriarch Alexis II. After the reception the delegation visited the church of Christ the Savior which is being restored, where they learned about the history of the construction, destruction, and reconstruction of the church. On the same day, in the evening, the delegation visited the church of the holy martyr George the Conqueror on Poklonnaia hill.
On 18 August the guests became acquainted with the history and tthe churches of the monastery of the Don in Moscow, where they venerated the relics of Saint Patriarch Tikhon, visited the small and large cathedrals, as well as the cell of Patriarch Tikhon which has been restored. On the same day the delegation traveled to the Saint Nicholas Ugresh monastery, where the guests from Japan became acquainted with the enormous restoration and reconstruction work, visited the church, chapel and museum of the revived cloister. In the evening all members of the delegation concelebrated an evening vigil with the most holy patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus in the church of the Transfiguration of the church of Christ the Savior.
On 19 August, on the feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord, the clergy of YaAPTs concelebrated the divine liturgy with Patriarch Alexis II in the Transfiguration cathedral of the Novospassky monastery of Moscow, where the eldest priests of YaAPTs were awarded high honors by His Holiness: Archpriest Justin Yamaguchi was elevated to the rank of protopresbyter and mitres were bestowed on archpriests Savva Onami and Job Baba. In the second half of the day the guests left for the Saint Sergius Holy Trinity lavra.
On 20 August the members of the Japanese delegation became acquainted with the lavra, the largest monastery of RPTs, and they visited the Moscow Ecclesiastical Academy, where they attended a meeting of the church archaeological office and the school of icon painting. In the evening the monastic tonsuring of three episcopal candidates was held: Archpriest Kirill Arikara was named in honor of Metropolitan Peter of Moscow, Archpriest Judah Nashiro, in honor of Saint Daniel of Moscow, and Fr Andrei Sui, in honor of Saint Serafim of Sarov. The tonsuring was attended by Bishop Innokenty of Chita and Transbaikal, the rector of the Moscow Ecclesiastical Seminary and Academy, Bishop Evgeny, the father superior of the lavra, Archimandrite Feognost, and many brothers of the monastery.
After congratulating the newly tonsured monks, members of the metropolitan council of YaAPTs, Protopresbyter Justin Yamaguchi, Archpriest Savva Onami, and Archpriest Job Baba, left for Moscow.
On 21 August members of the metropolitan council visited Saint Andronik's monastery and the Andrei Rublev Museum of Ancient Russian Art, as well as the Bulgarian and Athos residences in the city of Moscow.
In the afternoon, the clergy of YaAPTs has the opportunity of attending a Japanese tea ceremony in the Japanese garden of the Main Botanical Garden, organized by students of the Urasenki tea school of Moscow university. In the evening, at the time of the evening vigil, members of the metropolitan council prayed in the church of the holy fathers of the seven ecumenical councils in Saint Daniel's monastery.
On 22 August, on Sunday, Protopresbyter Justin Yamaguchi, Archpriest Savva Onami and Archpriest Job Baba concelebrated the divine liturgy with the abbot of Saint Daniel's monastery, Archimandrite Alexis, in the church of the holy fathers. In the afternoon the Japanese delegation visited the Tretiakov gallery and the Saint Nicholas church there. In the evening the guests made a pilgrimage to the Savva Storozhevsk monastery hear Zvenigorod, of Moscow province, where they venerated the relics of Saint Savva, the founder of the monastery, and they were received by the superior of the cloister, Archimandrite Feoktist. In is noteworthy that the visit to the monastery occurred on the anniversary of the translation of the relics of Saint Savva from Saint Daniel's monastery to their original location.
On 23 August Protopresbyter Justin Yamaguchi, Archpriest Savva Onami, and Archpriest Job Baba visited the Sofrino art production enterprise, where they became acquainted with the activity of this factory which is the largest in RPTs for production of items that serve the needs of the church.
On 24 August there was a farewell reception for members of the metropolitan
council by his Holiness Alexis II. In the second half of the day,
Protopresbyter Justin Yamaguchi, Archpriest Savva Onami, and Archpriest
Job Baba left for Tokyo, and the newly tonsured monastic priests Peter,
Daniel, Serafim, and Archpriest Ioann Nagaia continued their get-acquainted
trip about the dioceses of RPTs. The first stop on their itinerary
was the Pskov caves monastery and the city of Pskov, and then the monastery
at Optina Pustyn and the Kaluga diocese, after which the guests from Japan
visited Sanaksarai monastery, where they became acquainted with the life
of the Saransk diocese. The last event on their program was a visit
to the Saint Serafim-Diveevo monastery and veneration of the relics of
Serafim of Sarov. (tr. by PDS)
(posted 2 September 1999)
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