Because of the devastation of cities in eastern Ukraine and some sacred temples, the war could provoke something that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not expect: the union and reconciliation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church faithful to the Moscow Patriarchate and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
In the St. Michael the Archangel convent in the port city of Odessa, Abbess Seraphima of the church loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate sits down to say that Putin has become the same “satan” and that he “buried his country” by launching the invasion against Ukraine.
The influential figure in Ukraine says in an interview with Efe inside the monastery that “Putin said before the war that he would protect the people of the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine, but the result is now quite the opposite since many churches belonging to Moscow have been destroyed.”
With a piercing blue look and dressed entirely in black, he assures without sipping even the tea he was served that the Orthodox faithful loyal to Moscow have also become “victims” of this “terrible war”.
THE CHURCHES, FRIENDS OR ENEMIES?
In 2019, the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, signed the “tomos” (decree) granting independence to the Ukrainian Church after more than three centuries of its dependence on the Patriarchate of Moscow, thus opening a new front of confrontation between Moscow and Kiev.
However, Putin's war seems to have opened up a completely opposite front in Ukraine: that of reconciliation.
“Reconciliation is not a priority now, because now there is chaos, there are many refugees, many businesses have been destroyed. But this issue will be on the table later, when there is peace,” stresses the abbess, who stresses that they are not “enemies” of the Ukrainian church.
On the other side of Odessa is the Church of the Nativity where Bishop Athanasius and new head of the diocese of the Ukrainian church in Odessa recalls that they are doing everything possible to try to bring both churches “together” during the war.
“We are open to communication, to dialogue and we do not want to fight,” he acknowledges Efe, adding that since the beginning of the invasion, many bishops loyal to Moscow have stopped mentioning the Orthodox Patriarch of Russia, Kiril, in their offices, who aroused controversy for justifying the invasion by considering that the “gay lobby” was being fought.
Athanasius appeals to the Moscow church in Ukraine: “It's time to make a decision, you can stay as enemies or step forward and be with us.”
Regarding Kiril, Seraphima, who is half Russian and Ukrainian, defends him by saying that “it is very difficult” the patriarch's position because “he is under the arms of Russian soldiers”.
“He cannot tell Putin to his face that he is the devil,” says the abbess, who sits under a photograph of the patriarch of Moscow.
“The patriarch (Kirill) is right not to give his opinion or judge. Because suddenly, one day, he may die”, he says.
PUTIN, “IN THE SAME VEIN AS HITLER”
Seraphima explains that Putin did not call his church to ask before the invasion: “I'm not surprised, because he doesn't listen to us. Maybe he doesn't need the Church.”
“He (Putin) shows the people who pray, that he is in the church, but he uses it. Before the war, that worked for him. People thought he was orthodox, but now they're terrified. They have seen what his true face is,” he says.
And now Putin's “mask has fallen off” and you can see who he really is: “a fascist, in the same vein as Hitler,” he says sharply.
But what the abbess is most concerned about is “Russophobia” that gives wings to radicalization: “I warn everyone to say no to Russophobia. If Western countries follow the policy of sanctions and hatred of Russia it will be a bad thing. Because if you go against Russia and the Russians, the Russian people who are against the war will unite and fight for Putin.”
A TRANSFORMATION
The professor of Slavic Language and Literature at the University of Kansas, Vitaly Chernetsky, tells Efe that this possible reconciliation between the two churches “will not be possible in the short term because it is a traumatic experience that is being experienced”.
However, he says that there is hope thanks to the fact that part of the clergy of the Moscow patriarchate is against the war, although he points out that he is still “a minority”.
“There is hope, especially in that small minority who have a moral compass and see what happens. They are people in the clergy, more liberal.”
The expert is also surprised by the position taken by some of the church faithful in Moscow: “This means that there is an evolution, a change in their identity and in their understanding of what is happening with the war”.
At the end of the interview, Chernetsky asserts that there is a “great transformation” taking place within the Ukrainian churches.
“History is happening in front of our eyes and this is going very fast,” he concludes.
(with information from EFE)
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