INTERVIEW: Metropolitan Vladimir and Suzdal Valentine, First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church, the lessons history of the ROCOR, his church experiences and current situation of "fragments»
"Portal-Credo.Ru": 90 years in Constantinople, was organized by the Russian bishops Higher overseas church governance, which effectively marked the beginning of the existence of ROCA. How can we evaluate this event in the context of the history of the Orthodox Church?
Metropolitan Valentin: God's ways are inscrutable and His destiny unexplored. At the same time around we see His divine guidance. The Lord Himself said: "Without Me you can not tvoriti nichesozhe" and gave the promise that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His Church. The Lord has not indicated which of Churches stand in his truth against the forces of hell to the end of the historical existence of the modern world, before their entry into a new heaven and new earth, did not say where and in what place it will happen.
event on Nov. 19, 1920, to put it in modern terms, a landmark event. The organization of the Orthodox Center (PSCA Abroad), in the which included representatives not only clergy but also of different classes of Russian society then thrown out the revolution in foreign countries caused concern that time the atheist regime, its pressure on Patriarch Tikhon in this regard has been unprecedented. And although later PSEA has been dissolved, the Holy Confessor Russian land had to take this very wise decision. He issued the famous historical document that gives legal status for the subsequent canonical order as the ROCOR and the Catacomb Church in the captive within the militant atheism of their historical homeland. The document entitled as follows: "Resolution of the Patriarch, the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council from 7 / 20 November 1920, № 362".
As testified eyewitness of the events the bishop Bishop Gregory (Grabbe), in Constantinople had to happen and the first Sobor what permission was obtained Ecumenical Patriarch. But there have been changes in the plan view of the fact that the senior bishop by consecration, who headed the Council of Russian bishops, Metropolitan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), received an invitation to the then primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Barnabas to settle down in Yugoslavia. Invite was accepted and moved to the Russian colony in Sremska Karlovci. In November 1921goda there occurred the first Diaspora Church Council.
Later work and the writings of the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church, its clergy, representatives of the White movement, the Russian intelligentsia and ordinary Russian people have contributed the fact that non-Orthodox world saw firsthand Russian Orthodoxy and Russian piety, became guardian of the Divine preservation of the dogmatic teachings of the Church the purity of the patristic tradition. This ROCA resisted spiritual onslaught on Orthodoxy by non-Orthodox world has already started in his environment modernism and the advancing time series of ecumenism. And this momentum will benefit the both the outer and the inner sides of the church life.
In connection with the change of generations of Orthodox people born outside their historic homeland, it became more and clerics with the old pre-revolutionary experience less and less. At the same time in the Russian diaspora around the world is changing rapidly, and much in it that seemed unacceptable, unthinkable, surely take their places, changing not only the map of the world, but also national and political foundations of social life of a country. At the same time with this new generation of children of the ROCOR did not lose their spiritual threads and his love for the orthodox past, and, overcoming all sorts of spiritual and material obstacles, made him his present, buying at the same time, and their practical experience, which in 1920-30-ies lacked their fathers and grandfathers. They had little happy to hear from enslaved atheism of Russia, but information about the hardness of many in the profession of faith inspired them. Renovationism, Sergianist allegiance compromise with the godless authorities, the fascination with modernism and ecumenism - all these problems of church life get phased and proper assessment of the canonical from the leadership of the ROCA.
ROCA returned to Russia a canonical succession of episcopal authority in the Church. In fact, based on the apostolic decree that if the bishop had used the worldly power, seduced by power of the bishop in the Church, he ejaculated, as well as those who reported to him. Since these rule has not been canceled, even ignoring their MP, we can assume that at some time in Russia there was no canonical bishop, as evidenced by serves as a bitter church humor that existed at the time: "The Apostle says:" Go to the Holy Spirit and to us, and we now say: "Go on the KGB and for us." The official Russian church hierarchy in its cooperation with authorities is not only not repented, but even failed to give him a proper canonical evaluation. Therefore, we can and now assume that canonical apostolic succession she lost and broken. A scourge of the country and the Church is largely a consequence of uncorrected repentance of sin.
- O Lord, tell me what you think, brings the experience of the existence of the free Russian Church outside Russia in the hierarchy general historical experience of the Russian Church?
- remain at large, regardless of their enslaved historic homeland, and taking advantage of this freedom, the ROCOR was for many decades Church's conscience, not tainted by any canonical violations. Orthodox people, who were under the yoke of atheism in Russia, they believed that ran from the Red Dragon in the desert heterodoxy, a woman clothed in light, have their Orthodox Church. She saves and prays for their spiritual chadah, in the throes of its born, for their eternal life in Christ. This was evidenced by many catacomb confessors who have lived up to the political changes in the last decade, abundant in its bloodletting of the twentieth century.
therefore natural, and that was hated and slandered ROCA what only epithets called her bishops, and what only the labels are not hung up on her clean clothes, and with what just dirt not water her good name. This is done by those who once changed his priestly duty, went through compromise on issues is not only a political dialogue with the atheist government, but also in defiance of the dogmatic and canonical order church life, replacing it with other alien to the Russian Orthodox tradition forms. Here, first of all, I mean destroying the Church and parish life practice of frequent movement of clergy from parish to parish, acting in a magnetic field to this day. This has contributed to the fact that the clergy developed a dispassionate to the problems of parochial life: why did something to create, if not today then tomorrow will translate? Pre-revolutionary Russian Orthodox church did not know such abuse. More frequent in the synodal period were less likely to move bishops and superiors of individual monasteries, parish clergy of the same firmly seated in their parishes, handing them to their children. More than one generation of priests served in his parish church, and none of them had called him his fiefdom. But these frequent movements are known to excite the parish life, contribute to the destruction of the parish cohesion and develop over time indifference with respect to both doctrinal truth, and to earnest respect among members of the parish, where reigns no peace and harmony, and veiled hypocrisy hypocrisy.
- What is the most valuable from the experience of the ROCOR to the Russian Church today?
- Fully idealize the life of the ROCOR, I think not. Undoubtedly, in human weaknesses in it, or rather, her children were among the deficiencies that exposed and condemned, and corrected. They have always caused not only critical observations, but also a desire to correct them. They do not become the norm, as it was in the MP, but were rather the exception, for the Holy Apostle says in church life may be differences of opinion, that were skillful.
the questions you raise say that St. Filaret, the famous confessor of our Church, such as said that the ROCOR, with more than three hundred parishes do not like churches so-called "world Orthodoxy." She is not loved, not because the information gathered New Martyrs of the victims and first witnessed the sanctity and generous martyr of the last Russian tsar and his royal family, not because that denounced and condemned ecumenism and the church of modernism, and not because they printed a lot of spiritual literature. Even if all this she would not have been, and she doing nothing would be, that is silent, it would have continued to hate, because by its very silent presence is castigated by their conscience. Therefore, today hate MP and all those who have it is in communion, congregations, communities and believers with the clergy, who did not want to share their common "joy" to those who destroyed the holy Orthodox Church, and to plant atheism, and now presents a more frightening and insidious spiritual surrogate - a new religion of Antichrist - ecumenism.
last most significant event in the ROCOR was Lesna Council, which adopted many useful for Russia, the church decrees, which are beneficial impact would have on the lives of the ROCOR in its scattering if they were implemented. Metropolitan Vitaly announced then that the agreement reached at the Council, is a miracle St. John Maksimovic, but recollecting himself opponents of these decisions, and it is now known around the world the main initiator of ecclesiastical coup the parishes, did their best to manipulate, Metropolitan, to remove obstacles in the form of Russian ROCOR parishes in the way of their rapprochement with the MP. One из тех, кому было поручено провести первые шаги по развалу достигнутого церковного единства на Соборе в Лесне, был епископ Евтихий (Курочкин), заявивший верующим and the clergy that he preferred the opinions and decrees of the bishops of living than the deceased and tortured by godless bishops. He implemented the first steps to uncoupling Church unity, and only then to the beaten track and joined sinodaly headed by Archbishop Laurus. Everything else, we can assume that This accession was previously planned. After signing the agreement on church unity with the MP reporters asked Metropolitan Laurus, how long he wanted to this unity, and at what time he intended to do so. The question posed by Metropolitan Laurus said that the desire for this, he has appeared already in the 80 years of the last century, ie during the life of St. Metropolitan Filaret. Hence, this group is planned church conspirators did everything possible to survive from the ROCA all her loyal and sincere children.
- You have become one of the first bishops of the ROCOR in Russia. What you saw a future of the Russian Church then, 20 years ago? All I get as desired?
- So it was destined by Divine Providence that the arrival in Suzdal, believers Tsarekonstantinovskogo church with the clergy, were adopted in the jurisdiction ROCA. This decision was not spontaneous or ambitious, as it wants at this time to provide our enemies. Like, a passionate desire to become a bishop has prompted настоятеля взбунтоваться, а затем подбить неразумную, темную, невежественную паству, и вместе с ними ринуться в "объятия американской церкви". Конечно, it is not true. Care of the MP was preceded by many events that I believe were sent to the Lord that not only I got my baby, and can be say, adolescent education among Christians tihonovtsev, but parishioners saw the light, seeing what the MP. They are - common grandmother - knocked at doors of the administrative buildings in the Clear lane, looking for the truth and protect those who separated himself from his flock a police escort. Then the question one suzdalyanki: "Is that a guard Patriarch? "The policeman on duty said:" Security, security, it is very true. That you are belts with "live help" and "Let God" to protect - Your patriarch prefers a more reliable protection. "
I have until the end of my days I will never forget, as the venerable Synod of Metropolitans requested from me a written renunciation от верующих города Суздаля, обещали мне даже некий "карьерный рост", если я выполню это "святое послушание", указывая мне на пример архиепископа Владимира (Kotlyarov) - they say, and it was hard to write a renunciation of the Krasnodar flock. But he carried out showed him obedience, and now it is waiting for an appropriate remuneration and career growth. I remember the scales fell from my eyes: in this organization must constantly perform a betrayal! With career increases the degree of betrayal. How to Metropolitan Sergius: first, the "Declaration", then - a direct slander of Martyrs, and then open the temples and monasteries, and then autograph their closure. This is supposedly done at the request of the faithful who wished to pozakryvat their temples and monasteries.
from me is no longer required a simple voluntary transfer to another parish or diocese to which I in principle and was willing, but the written renunciation of his flock. These people I have had in please MP calls them "okolotserkovnoy informal grouping, slander, giving them a description as" hooliganism. " I refused to do so, on that and heard: "my dear sir, what kind of mind you we are talking about? You ordered you to perform ".
but to fulfill the commandment of the "holy obedience" of which the bishops are fond of saying MPs - say, it is higher fasting and prayer - I could not. We left open, not hiding, not hiding, the believers and said: "We're going to a foreign Church. " And them came the reply: "Come on all four sides, who do you want it!" But when we left, we were "the worst and worthless." And I asked yourself: "If I'm such a useless, why do you hang my medals, for what you handed me your blessings credentials?" This situation has helped me make reassessment of those spiritual values which I lived while in MP, believing that working for the good of Mother Church.
the synod RPZTS first addressed the faithful parishioners затем духовенство. Все мы были приняты через покаяние в сергианстве и экуменизме, видеозапись обращения и чин покаяния верующих были посланы в Синод. На Благовещение 1990 for the first time during the liturgy to proclaim the name of the Primate of the Church Abroad, Metropolitan Vitaly. I must say, the congregation at that time was still many of those who remember or who were living memories of the pre-revolutionary Church. Then we began to visit many of the catacomb Christians, among whom were those who could talk about persecution, about the present historical Sergianism and the preservation of the holy Orthodox faith. It was a live communication between people, those who lived Life in persecutions, with those by whom they were persecuted.
It is why the current government waited almost twenty years to expel us from the temples? Probably expected to become extinct over the years by those who could stand fully behind through suffering of the Holy Orthodox Church. As in the thirties, in Khrushchev's 60-e, so and still act "to justice and fairness," and then requires that seventy years later was followed by some kind of rehabilitation. Why did not stand a posthumous condemnation of those who then "stood guard over the constitutional rights and their vessels rot hundreds of thousands of people in prisons and camps, deprived of maternal and child paternal care, dooming them to stray orphan's life, he himself had enjoyed the perks and benefits? Yet none of them made no verdict but hundreds of thousands of people have paper certificates of rehabilitation of the unjustly slain relatives.
A year after our accession to the decision of the ROCOR Synod of Bishops was my chosen and ordained me to the bishop of Suzdal. Subsequently, Metropolitan Vitaly showed I am not one hundred kinds of securities, defaming me and I asked him: "Lord, here as" blackmail ", how did you decided on my ordination in bishop ordained? "Metropolitan Vitaly replied:" It would be strange if these libel would not be. You rebelled against the forces of hell, and here we have learned a lot read between the lines, so if such a campaign of compromising, then you are really someone prevented. "
the more surprising for me was that after two, three , the Metropolitan began to act differently. To my surprise Anastasia G. Shatilova (the former long-term employee of the Office of the Synod ROCOR) responded that often the first solutions Bishop Vitaly are correct, but when there is opposition, the Metropolitan she concedes, but to the casual observer his actions seem strange.
I still can not simply that it was with my blessing protopresviter Vladimir Shishkov rescued Metropolitan Vitali from the synodal captivity in 2001. And now, that whatever is said about me, would have recognized me or not, I am satisfied that I had at that time to be near with Metropolitan Vitaly. Neither the Archbishop Lazarus, nor Bishop Benjamin, one of today's clergy jurisdictions, linking themselves to his name, did not go to the ill-fated for the ROCOR Cathedral. I personally had to appear in America in the circumvention of the rules. I had to go to Germany, then to Geneva, then to Colorado and only then, almost no matter chaise having passed through much of America, to come into the house to his father, Vladimir Shishkov. Where they were drafted, the canonical reconstruction of the ROCOR.
a pity that many of the drafts have not been implemented. The Metropolitan Vitaly was the reason for allowing to excuse him - he was over 90. And he had a strong shock from the realization that all whom he considered his supporters and faithful children of the ROCOR, betrayed him and the entire historical ROCOR mission. In one of the revelations seen martyred brother Joseph Munoz, custodian myrrh-streaming icon of the Iberian Mother of God, was caught seen them - the crucified and outraged at the cross, Metropolitan Vitaly.
- Today, 90 years - is history, many unknown. What did you feel then, 20 years ago?
- Of course, early 90's was a time of interesting and exciting. People, languishing atheism, snapped taking any religious literature. We in the church boxes, as missionary campaign, handing out free gospel, and other literature. We still do that. In any case, the constants our members can get this or that religious literature. For example, I appealed to parish leaflets, published at the Church of St. John the Baptist in Washington.
Today we opportunities also print ballots and deliver them to our pilgrims. I have always liked open parish life at some temples ROCA. In Russia, parishioners often needed only for the quantity and the tithes, and they must execute only orders, and their wishes are completely ignored. Of course, wanted to create among the people of God is what these people lived before the revolution. But in pre-revolutionary glorious past was not all smooth.
should not be forgotten that we all live in a world tempted by Satan, and that we all face a choice. In Scripture, the Lord said: "Life and death I tell you, blessing and curse - Choose life. " If so it would be simple and easy, we would not have been so much maligned, tortured, executed. Suffice it to recall the life of St John Chrysostom. After his exile, and many mourning the untimely death from exhaustion, it is not the machinations, some barbarian pagans, and targeted actions are quite decent Christian believers. Among which not only pious empress Eudoxia, but representatives of both the highest lower clergy and those lay people who supported the persecution of the great saint in order to please the powers that be. Name gonitelnitsy Empress Eudoxia is mentioned in history, but the names of most high-ranking persecutors are already covered with the darkness of oblivion.
- And 20 years after the life of your congregation in Suzdal has changed?
- We see that, despite all technological progress, the story is constantly repeated, and humanity comes to the same rake, which fully and the same force they beat him on the brain. Therefore, what we've got a good - it's the grace of God, and that there was not manifest on our part that blessed determination mentioned by the Seraphim, to answer the question of their contemporaries as to why none of them is a manifestation of God's grace, about which many painted in spiritual books. At a Seraphim, and answered: because there is no commitment when would be the determination, there would be plenty of God's grace.
Soviet government for its 70 years has brought more than one generation of people with rider inclinations and needs, and therefore all develop the concept, that someone must do something to him just like that, nothing. Less work - more benefits. Everyone who could work hard and show determination, having a sense of faith, conscience, honesty and responsibility, all of which were destroyed physically. We - the descendants of those who managed to survive, more or less adapted to the conditions that were in our country. Today is no longer the cry: "stand up for the house of the Blessed Virgin!" In our situation more effectively patristic instruction "is not encroached his feeble hand to stop the apostasy, but Explore the zeitgeist and to remove himself and, if possible, help to do his neighbors. " From what and that while in the human heart shall find no need for inner spiritual renewal, no external demonstration results will never be reluctant themselves.
world has been hardened, and in spite of the open churches, all sorts of religious radio and television channels have different faiths, more the degree of the Orthodox, the moral climate has not improved. The Company is not just terrorism criminals, but itself becomes a criminal, which together as a team and 'brother', and their spiritual "Batko".
- now part of the ROCA has joined MPs, and is divided into several independent and often do not recognize each other Synods. How do you assess this situation? Are there any of it any way out?
- Before us is the sad reality of what happened, in fulfillment of prophecy Revelation of St.. St. John the Divine, that given the power of the dragon war with the saints and to conquer them. Apparently, what happened the union of the ROCOR (L) and ROC popuscheno God ... At the historic space with bright light shone Carthage Church, and where is she now? Was the Persian Church. What is it today? Left concourse of the martyrs mesyatseslove in the church. A Church of Caucasian Albania, Mesopotamia and other places - only part of the glorious history of the past centuries. With what joyous awe and inspiration languishing in the soulless space, people were expecting the return of Exile Church to their homeland! Come as those who can already be considered now agents of the infidels, who carried out their instructions, sowing dissension between the Russian bishops, clergy and faithful. It is a pity that many people believed them and went on about those who subsequently led to the signing of the ROCOR unfortunate act of reunification. Desired unity of the Orthodox, as is evident from the following the signing of the years, there has been any significant results, and this unity is not visible, except photographs of overseas bishops in the church calendar MP. It and can not be, because "something the addition of the Church with idols?
pity that befell the misfortune not to unite those who have not followed hazarded spiritual mission RPZTS. All this can find their reasons. But the most important of them - lack of love for truth and the presence of jealousy is not on reason, jealousy, blinding, and awakens a devastating fury that drew delight in their learning who believed that only he and no one else can carry the light of Orthodoxy. Ultimately, most of these zealots back to those who gave birth to their MP.
is on one side. On the other hand, all we do have unity at least in the fact that we separated from consuming heresy, going follow her into the different degrees of spiritual beauty, which result-destruction of the soul. According Optina elders, the ship of the Russian Church in the sea everyday crashed, but also dispersed in this worldly sea, its chips are saved. To recreate this ship does not need fat wallets to large cash amounts that are mnogoglagolanie about other people's deeds and sanctity, and the acquisition of these exploits, and this holiness through the acquisition of the love which is "Saux perfection." Scripture says that from an excess of feeling the mouth speaks. When you read or hear what the mouth speaks the Orthodox, then another and wonder how our Lord is slow to anger and plenteous. How many people spend hours in these "pious" sparring that sometimes it seems that they have forgotten that once said Ven. Arseny Great. When he was an influential courtier at Constantinople, he had a lot of talk about the many, and often it is on this regret, but one thing he was not sorry when his lips were silent. If the time it takes to rest on the Internet, was spent in prayer for the reconstruction of broken storm the ship of the Russian Orthodox Church! So today our unity in our division. One of the holy fathers said: better separation of pious than profane unity.
- Can I say that RPZTS already played a role in the story or her story is still going on?
- I always feel kind of embarrassed by the question "what played a role. " Although it is often a phrase common. But with him personally I disagree. The Church can not play a role, because she did not litsedeyka, not an actress who has a major role, successful, and there are secondary. Every game still involves some kind of artificially veiled insincerity. Church - philoprogenitive mother, and her concern for their chadah sincere, not simulated. She - the pillar and ground of the truth, what is there may be a game? That MP could play namely the role - just scroll through all the filings of its official publication of the JMP and marvel at its great art great game. Who just not played it, someone just not attracted to, someone just not oblige, but not the Lord, not only for the salvation of souls are in its enclosure. Now the scope of its activities significantly expanded: it is enough to view TV "Soyuz" and "Christ." You look and you rejoice in what we blissful and peaceful country living, and most importantly, What we have a comprehensive regeneration. And there is no place here Kushchevskaya village, some sort of ethnic conflicts. Just like in the old old days - Peace and quiet. Earthquakes then passed "with little damage", the aircraft broke up and the train went off the rails "without any casualties," and so natural disasters in general and was not.
So I do not agree that the ROCA "played a role," I think she lived in holiness and purity, keeping faithful to the canonical his heavenly Bridegroom Christ, dignity and righteousness.
Those in the ROCOR, who went on to union with the MP, probably also will continue to live, but with new concepts and new the joys of those who seduced them to join a community of dubious unity. Time will tell. I personally do not see the fruits worthy of this alliance and the more no apparent results. Yes, and society as a whole is little that has brought, but the believers ROAC were not bypassed attention - both IP and power structures. We have been deprived churches, the glory of God, even though the wall had not yet set, but, apparently, and these times will come. After all, Christ's words, "whosoever piously zhiti longing, driven by the will," has not been canceled.
Interviewed by Archpriest Alexei Lebedev,
for "Portal-Credo.Ru"
0 comments:
Post a Comment