The first pictures published by the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine are coming in from today’s procession in Kyiv marking the anniversary of the baptism of Kyivan Rus-Ukraine. They show participants sleeping on lawns, as well as small children, the elderly, priests, and monks taking part. Also, the “procession” set up by the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine is apparently turning into a political rally against Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew who granted the autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
Believers of the ROC in Ukraine are seen carrying a poster saying “Saint Volodymyr, protect us from Bartholomew.” It remains unclear whether this is someone’s personal initiative or a plot crafted by certain masterminds, but such incidents just cannot be ignored.
It is unclear whether it’s the low level of historical and national awareness that influences the faithful of the Moscow Patriarchate or it’s the sermons of their pastors, but anyway the case is appalling.
Forgetting that Rus-Ukraine was baptized by the very Ecumenical Patriarchate, the faithful of the pro-Russian church went out to pour mud on the Ecumenical Patriarch over the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. Moreover, they exploit the image of St. Volodymyr, who himself was baptized by the bishops of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
The festivities in the Moscow Patriarchate will take place without mentioning the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, which delivered baptism upon Rus-Ukraine because the incumbent patriarch of this Church, Bartholomew I, is seen as archenemy and almost a “heretic” by the Kremlin and the ROC in Ukraine.
So much for the “gratitude” on the part of hypocritical ROCinU followers who are celebrating the baptism of Rus-Ukraine, or perhaps only Rus (by which they mean Russia), judging by the greeting address released by ROCinU leader Onufriy (Berezovsky).
