Friday, February 6, 2009

ROCOR and the Moscow Patriarchate, United for How Long?

10/30/1970:
The Moscow Patriarchate in its present form consists of persons selected by the atheist state and is absolutely controlled by the latter and imprisoned. The main feature of this imprisonment of the Patriarchate is that it not only does not glorify the countless New Martyrs of the Russian Church, but even mocks their memory, stating that there are no persecutions of the Church in the USSR and that there have been no such persecutions.
ROCOR, or the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, reunited with the Russian Orthodox Church on May 17, 2007. ROCOR waited a long time to end this schism, for a long time not trusting the Russian state to be substantially different from its Soviet past; or to keep out of the affairs of the church.

Present at the ceremony? Vladimir Putin:
Russian President Vladimir Putin, who played a key role in facilitating reunification, also spoke at the ceremony.

"The split in the church was caused by an extremely deep political split within Russian society itself," said Putin, who has attended Orthodox services.

"We have realized that national revival and development in Russia are impossible without reliance on the historical and spiritual experience of our people," Putin added.

"We understand well, and value, the power of pastoral words which unite the people of Russia. That is why restoring the unity of the church serves our common goals."
Our common goals... To me, that is a chilling phrase. What common goals do the Orthodox Church and the Criminal Fascist State share? Will Putin ensure that the Church has the state's goals?
Reunification has been a controversial issue within the church abroad, with opponents arguing that the hierarchy in Moscow still has not properly addressed the issue of KGB infiltration of the church hierarchy during the Soviet period.

Konstantin Preobrazhensky
, a former KGB officer turned Kremlin critic who now lives in the U.S. said Thursday in a telephone interview from Washington that he believes the church outside Russia would lose its independence and that eventually priests with loyalties to the Russian government would be sent to work in the United States.
The picture above is the criminal Putin present at the elevation of a new Patriarch over the Russian Orthodox Church (both home and Abroad): Kyrill.

In a recent article entitled "Putin's Espionage Church," Preobrazhensky begins:
On May 17, 2007, Russia has gained a historical victory over America. It has opened its province here, which is called the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Of Russia (ROCOR). On this day it has recognized Moscow’s superiority over itself by signing an Act of Canonical Community with the Moscow Patriarchate (MP). But in Russia the Church and state separated only on paper. In fact, the Moscow Patriarchate (MP) is controlled by the Russian neo-KGB state and has always been the pawn of the Russian intelligence.
Preobrazhensky exaggerates greatly, but he is to be taken seriously. For those who attend a ROCOR churches it should be positively chilling.

From Preobrazhensky, also read:
Does Putin believe in God?
An interview with Washington Profile