As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, some strange metamorphoses are being observed within the Moscow Patriarchate, says religious expert Oleksandr Yefremenko.
For the first time ever, at the official level, the church has referred to Russia as “aggressor” (finally, eight years into the start of war). Also, there have been isolated cases where UOC-MP priests refused to mention ROC primate Cyril’s name during services, some collect humanitarian aid, and some provide support to IDPs and soldiers.
It might seem at first glance that the Moscow Patriarchate has finally come to its senses and come to the defense and support of the Ukrainian people. However, there is a nuance to this, even a few.
Despite this seemingly positive shift, there are clerics who spoil the overall impression, to put it mildly. Some still support Russian terrorists, doing so openly.
For example, in Borodianka near Kyiv, a UOC-MP priest, Father Viktor, recently supported the Kremlin invaders in an interview with Russian propagandist Alexander Kots, saying that, had Russia invaded back in 2014, they would have been greeted with flowers.
It should be recalled that, by the time the interview was recorded, Borodianka had been brutally shelled by Russian forces. Residential neighborhoods were destroyed and civilians were killed in those attacks.
However, none of this has discouraged the priest from kindly talking to a Russian war propagandist. During their friendly chat, the priest stated that it’s not the invader Russia that’s in the root of this war but the Ukrainians themselves, as if it were a punishment for their sins. He went as far as claiming that the Ukrainian soldiers greet each other with a “Heil Hitler!” chant.
The Russian propagandist also noted in his report that the same priest had agreed with the Russian false narratives about the mobs of armed marauders and robbers raging in Kyiv, from whom the Russian army has come to save Ukrainians. Although off record, the priest dared to claim that “we had the same thing here, and now those people hid their weapons and are now posing as decent citizens.”
So how should we assess such behavior by the UOC-MP clergyman, who consciously and openly echoes the major narratives circulated by Russian propaganda and supports the occupying forces?
I would like to emphasize that there has been no reaction to this interview on the part of the ROCinU! Neither the head of the local vicariate, Bishop Mark, nor the ROCinU leader, Metropolitan Onufriy, ever imposed any canonical sanctions on the priest. Moreover, none of the UOC-MP’s talking heads addressed the issue as such.
ROCinU’s main speaker, Archpriest Mykola Danylevych, has only approvingly commented on about the actions and position of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine regarding the war, which allegedly backs the assumption that the Moscow Patriarchate stands with its people. But at the same time, the words uttered by Father Viktor of Borodianka testify to exactly opposite!
Against the background of his statements, all these “merciful acts” by the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine look like a screen and another eye-catcher for the flock. In other words, they are simply saving their own souls from the well-founded rage of their parishioners. However, that a certain number of conscious pastors who really defend their homeland cannot be denied. And I hope there are a few of those!
ROCinU takes a “burn no bridges” position
Silence on the part of the ROCinU leadership amid cases of outright separatism may be evidence of them approving of such actions. Also, it may emphasize that the ROC itself has decided to not burn bridges with either side. Even their statements about the war and calls for defending Motherland are designed rather vaguely so they can be interpreted very differently, depending on circumstances.
For example, I would like to cite the address of Metropolitan Agafangel of Odesa, notorious for his love of the “Russian world”. Although his address does address the issue of war and calls for defending the country, it says nothing about who’s started this war. Russia is never mentioned! Quite ironic is his recollection of being among the first to sign Ukraine’s Independence Declaration (in the capacity of legislator at the time). The thing is, the latest appeal addressing the ongoing war appeared as late as March 6, 11 days into the invasion.
Agafangel’s colleagues have also penned appeals in a similar style. There is no mention of Russia in the address of ROCinU Metropolitan Iryney of Dnipro. His appeal appeared a little earlier – on March 3, that is, on the 8th day of war…
Metropolitan Onufriy of Kharkiv also fails to name the party that unleashed the war. This silence looks especially cynical as Kharkiv has been suffering from Russian aggression since the first day of the invasion. The address was filed on March 5. But as early as March 1, Russian terrorists were already shelling the center of Kharkiv, including the city’s main Freedom Square.
In the address posted by Metropolitan Hilarion of Donetsk, dated February 19, he mentions neither side of the conflict. Instead, he speaks of Donbas, “our land”, and some faceless group of “our people.” On the website of the Luhansk and Kherson dioceses, I found no appeals by the clergy whatsoever.
The ardently odious Metropolitan Luka of Zaporizhia, the one who earlier made sharp statements criticizing the Ecumenical Patriarch and some Ukrainian political figures, also fails to utter the word “Russia” in his appeals addressing his flock. Apparently, the fighter for “truth and canons” has exhausted all his imagination which he widely used in pouring mud on Ukrainian politicians and U.S. State Department officials. Now that it’s about Russia’s war, he just can’t find any strong epithets to describe the atrocities. I wonder what prevents him from finding any…
ROCinU has simply decided to wait out the war to see who wins
Regarding isolated refusals by some UOC-MP priests to mention Cyril’s name, now the church is trying to pump up the importance of these reports. However, I’d like to point out that only 15 dioceses out of 53, that is, less than half, refused to mention Cyril. Others, including Onufriy, continue to pray for Cyril, who is increasingly justifying the war against Ukraine and the killing of civilians, that is, his own “flock”!
All this leads me to suggest that the ROCinU is simply waiting out the war, to see who ultimately wins and then decide on their loyalty preferences. By following this path, they contradict the Gospel because it says: “No man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24).
But no matter how much the Moscow Patriarchate clergy would like to come out of the water dry, they will not succeed! The choice must be made here and now, not when all is over. So it is too early to talk about any awakening of ROCinU’s consciousness. Although the relevant trend is being observed, it is dictated from the lower tiers- the faithful and ordinary priests. With God’s help, I hope such sentiments will spread and become dominant, including in the minds of such “ministers” as Father Viktor of Borodianka and those who still cannot squeeze out of themselves a simple phrase: “Russia is our enemy.”
