Peter Anderson berichtet aus der orthodoxen Welt

Seit vielen Jahren verfolgt Peter Anderson aus Seattle USA die Entwicklungen in der orthodoxen Welt. Nicht im Auftrag einer Zeitung, sondern aus persönlicher Liebe zu den Ostkirchen und im Einsatz für die Communio von Ost und West gibt er Einblicke in neue Entwicklungen. Mit Zustimmung von Peter Anderson werden seine E-mail-Nachrichten auf der Homepage des Zentrums St. Nikolaus dokumentiert.

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NEWS 2025

• 15 May 2025: Pope praises Christian East & other news

  On May 14, Pope Leo XIV welcomed in the Vatican’s audience hall the participants in the “Jubilee of the Oriental Churches,” which is being celebrated May 12-14 as part of the Catholic Church’s “Jubilee Holy Year 2025.”  https://www.iubilaeum2025.va/en.html  The full text of the address by Pope Leo is found at https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/speeches/2025/may/documents/20250514-giubileo-chiese-orientali.html.  Although the people in the hall were predominately members of the Oriental Churches in union with Rome, certain of the Pope’s remarks used the broad term “Chrisitan East,” a term which obviously includes the Orthodox Church of the Byzantine tradition and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.  Pope Leo praised the Christian East.  Thus, for example, he stated:

  The contribution that the Christian East can offer us today is immense!  We have great need to recover the sense of mystery that remains alive in your liturgies, liturgies that engage the human person in his or her entirety, that sing of the beauty of salvation and evoke a sense of wonder at how God’s majesty embraces our human frailty!  It is likewise important to rediscover, especially in the Christian West, a sense of the primacy of God, the importance of mystagogy and the values so typical of Eastern spirituality: constant intercession, penance, fasting, and weeping for one’s own sins and for those of all humanity (penthos)!

  On May 12, Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem issued a statement in which he congratulated Pope Leo XIV and called his election “a significant event not just in the life of the Roman Catholic Church, but for the world.”  https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/announcements/statement-on-the-election-of-pope-leo-xiv/   The statement also included the following two paragraphs:

  We affirm the words that His Holiness spoke in his speech after the election that emphasise bridge-building, dialogue, and encounter as the avenues to peace.  In a world so torn by division, violence, distrust, and despair, we know that the way of peace can be built only by such means.  We look forward to the important engagement of Pope Leo in this urgent work, to which we, as the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, together with our fellow Heads of the Churches in the Holy Land, have long been committed.

  We also look forward to the ongoing Orthodox-Roman Catholic international theological dialogue, which has been so constructive, and to which our Patriarchate, as a member of the Orthodox family, remains committed.  We pray for this to be the pathway that we may walk together to unity and to full communion in the common Chalice.

  In Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers on May 8 approved two sets of regulations implementing Law 3894.  The first (Resolution 541) relates to the procedure for confirming the facts of a religious organization propagating the ideology of “Russian world.”  https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/1071143-amp.html   The full text of this procedure is found at https://www.kmu.gov.ua/npas/pro-zatverdzhennia-poriadku-rozghliadu-pytannia-shchodo-pidtverdzhennia-faktiv-s541090525.  The second (Resolution 543) relates to the procedure for conducting a study on the issue of the presence of signs of affiliation of a religious organization with a foreign religious organization whose activities are prohibited in Ukraine.  https://interfax.com.ua/news/general/1071093.html  The full text of this procedure is found at https://www.kmu.gov.ua/npas/pro-zatverdzhennia-poriadku-provedennia-doslidzhennia-shchodo-pytannia-s543090525  I am now preparing an English translation (Google) of the complete texts of both resolutions.  If you wish a copy of the English translation, please send me a reply email with a request.

  The Cabinet of Ministers has been holding drafts of these two sets of regulations since approximately the first of the year.  Until these two regulations were approved, DESS was unable to begin administrative proceedings under Law 3894.  Now, with the approval by the Cabinet, DESS will be able to begin processing cases under Law 3894.  Presumably, cases will be initiated against religious organizations that are part of the UOC.  It was my belief that the delay by the Cabinet was due to a concern that activating the Law would create problems with the Trump administration including Vice President Vance.  Perhaps now the Cabinet believes that the active enforcement of Law 3894 will give Ukrainian negotiators a “card” which can be traded in negotiations with Russia.

  In my opinion, the terms of the two sets of regulations provide additional arguments for the invalidity of Law 3894 under international conventions relating to freedom of religion.  For example, Resolution 541 provides that “the  signs of propaganda of the ideology of ‘Russian world’” include “Denial of the right of Ukrainian churches to autocephaly”  (“Заперечення права українських церков на автокефалію”).  Under the language of Law 3894 (amendments to Article 16), “identification of repeated facts of the use of a religious organization for the purpose of spreading the propaganda of the ideology of ‘Russian world’” is grounds for terminating the religious organization.  From these two provisions it would seem to follow that if a parish or diocese of the UOC repeatedly denied the autocephaly of the OCU, the parish or diocese would be subject to termination. As it appears that all or almost all of the parishes and dioceses of the UOC would deny the autocephaly of the OCU, all or almost all of these parishes and dioceses are subject to termination under these regulations.

  The annual assembly of all of the bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church began on May 13 with a Liturgy served by Patriarch Porfirije in the Church of St. Sava in Belgrade.  The news agency Tanjug has reported:  "The media previously announced, referring to information from church circles, that the working part of the Assembly should last for three days, on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, while on Saturday the Serbian bishops should serve the traditional memorial service to the founders and contributors of St. Sava Church.

  According to their knowledge, the Assembly should deal with personnel solutions and diocesan borders and the situation in the southern Serbian province."  https://www.tanjug.rs/srbija/drustvo/161375/poceo-sabor-srpske-pravoslavne-crkve-patrijarh-porfirije-sluzio-liturgiju-u-hramu-svetog-save/vest  The student-led protests remain active in Serbia.  One wonders whether the Church’s position and Patriarch Porfirije’s statements in Moscow concerning the protestors will be discussed by the Assembly.

  The Secretariat for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs (SEIA) of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in Washington, DC, has appointed Jack Figel as the coordinator of ecumenical dialogue with the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches in America.  Jack Figel’s predecessor in this position was the recently deceased Father Ron Roberson, CSP, who for decades did so much to improve Catholic – Orthodox relations in the United States and who also participated in the international dialogue between the Catholic and Oriental Orthodox Churches.  Jack Figel is well-known as the founder of the Orientale Lumen Conferences and the founder and publisher of Eastern Christian Publications.

  Jack Figel has started a monthly newsletter, entitled News of the East.  It introduces various important news articles relating to ecumenism and the churches of the East with links to the entire articles.  I find it a very useful publication and have asked to be added to the mailing list.  I have attached the issue"April 2025" of the newsletter for your review.  If you wish to receive this monthly newsletter without any cost or charge, please contact Jack Figel at EIAConsult_JFigel@usccb.org. 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA  

• 13 May 2025: Pope Leo XIV to visit Nicaea (Iznik, Turkey)

  This is a very short report, but it contains good news.  The good news is found in the following article posted today, https://aleteia.org/2025/05/12/leo-xiv-is-preparing-the-turkey-trip-francis-wanted.   The article is pasted below.  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

  Leo XIV is preparing the Turkey trip Francis wanted

  Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis both said a number of times they would go together to the site of the Council of Nicaea to mark the 1,700th anniversary.

  Going one by one and taking a long moment with each, Pope Leo XIV greeted a handful of individual journalists at the end of an audience he granted some 6,000 media professionals this May 12, 2025. In these short conversations, Pope Leo XIV revealed that he is preparing a trip to Turkey to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

  However, he ruled out the idea of a forthcoming trip to the United State or to Fatima, Portugal.

  After delivering his speech, Leo XIV approached the journalists of the first few rows, who were naturally quick to ask him a few questions.

  An Italian journalist reminded him that this year marks the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea and Francis' planned trip along with the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew to the site of the Council, which is modern-day Iznik, Turkey. The Pontiff replied, “I know, we are preparing for it.”

  This trip, with its strong Christian unity dimension, was one of the projects planned before the death of Pope Francis and would likely have happened at the end of this month, though dates were never officially given by the Vatican.

  The theme of unity seems to be one very close to Pope Leo's heart, judging from his motto.

  The Council of Nicaea, which established the “Nicene Creed” — the Christian profession of faith — began around May 24 in the year 325.

   

  Peter Anderson

• 10 May 2025: Pope Leo XIV and the Orthodox Church

  The world certainly knows now that Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost has been elected Pope and has chosen the name Leo XIV.  The media has already published a large volume of information about the new pontiff.  However, there are two aspects of his life that have received little attention and that I find especially interesting.   First, the parents of Robert’s mother Mildred Martinez were immigrants to the United States from Haiti.  This was confirmed by Robert’s older brother John Prevost in a press interview.  See  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-leo-brother-recalls-moment-pontiff-named/   Haiti is one of the poorest nations in the world.  Immigration is now one of the biggest issues facing the world, and immigrants from Haiti have been especially criticized by some in the United States.   Second, Robert, beginning at the age of six, always wanted to be a priest.  Robert’s older brother John Prevost, a retired Catholic school principal living in New Lenox, Illinois, has described in a video how Robert as a small boy would love to “say” Mass by taking his mother’s ironing board, placing a cloth on it, and reciting prayers in Latin and English.  His brother John stated: “He took it totally seriously and not as a joke.”  This caused two of the women in the neighborhood to tell him when he was in first grade that he would be the first American pope.”    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzDda64yUpQ (3:30)  Robert’s second older brother Lewis, who lives in Port Charlotte, Florida and who is retired from the US Navy, stated to the media: "We used to tease him about being Pope - because he always had that holy way about him - and the neighbors on the street, we grew up with a lot of them, used to say you're going to grow up to be Pope one day.”  

  In  August 2024, Cardinal Prevost spent a vacation with his brother John in New Lenox, a suburb located southwest of Chicago.  On August 7, Cardinal Prevost spoke at the Catholic parish of St. Jude in New Lenox and gave a 40-minute reflection on his own work and life.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U3yBFdt4QM (beginning at 5:43)  This was done in a very informal and relaxed setting.  In connection with the reflection, questions were also asked.  Cardinal Prevost also gave a homily at the Mass that followed the reflection.  See the video at 1:23:00.  Watching this video gave me a sense, for the first time, as to the type of person that Pope Leo is.  I found it worth the time to watch.

  On May 9, seven US cardinals gave a news conference at the Pontifical North American College concerning the election of Pope Leo.  The entire news conference may be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMhAmJGGV-w .  Cardinal Gregory, former Archbishop of Washington, DC, stated that Prevost “made the biggest impression on the other cardinals during small, side conversations during lunch or coffee breaks, rather than in one big speech before the whole assembly.”  https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263997/us-cardinals-praise-pope-leo-xiv-s-missionary-heart-international-experience

  In searching the Internet, I have found nothing relating to prior contacts by Robert Francis Prevost with Eastern Orthodoxy.  From 2001 to 2013, he was Prior General of the Order of St. Augustine which has parishes in 50 countries.  However, none of these countries are predominantly Orthodox.  He spent over 20 years in northern Peru where there are no Orthodox parishes.  This lack of significant contact with Orthodox will certainly change now that Prevost is Pope.

  On May 8, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew first heard of the election of Pope Leo at a reception organized in his honor by the Basil and Eliza Goulandris Foundation in Athens.  His remarks in Greek at the reception concerning the election may be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34_2tWmYd1E .   Quotations from his remarks, translated into English, are found at https://orthodoxtimes.com/ecumenical-patriarch-on-pope-leo-i-will-attend-his-enthronement-to-advance-dialogue-between-east-and-west/ .  Among the remarks was the following:

  We look toward the new Pontiff with Christian hope.  I intend to travel for his enthronement and propose that we advance the dialogue between East and West.  May he combine a visit to Nicaea with an official visit to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, on the occasion of our feast of Saint Andrew on November 30.

  As you recall, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew had previously invited Pope Francis to join him in Nicaea (Iznik, Turkey) this spring to commemorate the 1700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.  Pope Francis had accepted the invitation.  The historic Council had begun in May 325, and it appears that the latest plans were for the commemoration to be held May 24-25, 2025.  https://www.dailysabah.com/turkiye/popes-passing-saddens-turkish-town-preparing-for-visit/news   It appears that Bartholomew is now proposing to delay the commemoration to November to make it possible for the new pope to attend.  As it stands now, there is a clear scheduling conflict.  The inauguration of Pope Leo is scheduled for Sunday, May 18 in St. Peter’s Square.   Other events at the Vatican involving the new Pope have been scheduled for the period May 20-25. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-05/inaugural-mass-of-pope-leo-xiv-to-be-held-on-may-18.html   Personally, I believe that it is extremely likely that Pope Leo will wish to participate in a joint commemoration at Nicaea with Ecumenical Patriarch and that a mutually satisfactory date will be found later in the year.

  A second video was made at the Athens reception in which the Ecumenical Patriarch conveyed a message in English to the new pope.  This video can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qc8rsDOzeU&t=13s  In this video, the Ecumenical Patriarch expressed the hope that Pope Leo XIV will be a dear brother and collaborator for the rapprochement of our churches, for the unity of the whole Christian family, and for the benefit of all humankind .  He stated with respect to Leo: “We love him in Christ.”  He refers to the Church of Rome as a “sister church.”  He ended his greeting with “Axios” (“worthy” in Greek) – an acclamation made by the faithful of an Eastern Church to convey approval of an ordination or reception of a special honor by a person.

  Patriarch Kirill has sent a letter of congratulations to Pope Leo XIV.  https://mospat.ru/en/news/93210/  The letter includes the following paragraph:

  You begin your ministry as Primate of the Roman Catholic Church at a special moment in history associated with a number of challenges facing civilization, as well as with certain signs of hope.  In this context, the relationship between the Christian East and the Christian West acquires particular importance for the future of the world.  It is my sincere hope that with your participation relations between our two Churches will be developing steadily, so that we could bear joint witness to Christ and reveal to humankind the imperishable beauty of life based on God’s commandments.

  Patriarch Daniel of Romania has also sent a letter of congratulations.  https://basilica.ro/en/romanian-patriarch-congratulates-pope-leo-xiv-the-united-christian-voice-is-needed-more-than-ever/   The following is a paragraph from this letter:

  We are fully confident that Your Holiness will continue to promote the spirit of dialogue, peace, and cooperation between the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.  In a world that faces multiple spiritual, economic, and social crises, the united voice of Christians is more needed than ever to offer a message of hope, solidarity, and love.

  A very warm and beautiful letter from Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia to Pope Leo is posted at https://spc.rs/sr/news/aktuelno//14006.patrijarh-srpski-porfirije-uputio-cestitku-novoizabranom-papi-rimskom-lavu-Xiv-.html.   From the letters of the primates of the Orthodox of the Byzantine tradition, it appears that Pope Leo is off to a very good start in his relations with the Orthodox.

  One final note.  Pope Leo XIV shares with the Orthodox a great love and devotion to the Mother of God.  At the end of his remarks from the loggia after appearing to the faithful for the first time after his election, he stated:  “Our Mother Mary always wants to walk at our side, to remain close to us, to help us with her intercession and her love.   So I would like to pray together with you.   Let us pray together for this new mission, for the whole Church, for peace in the world, and let us ask Mary, our Mother, for this special grace.”  He then concluded by asking the crowds below to join him in the recitation of the Hail Mary.  https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-05/pope-leo-xvi-peace-be-with-you-first-words.html 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 9 Mai 2025: Getting to know Pope Leo in an informal setting

  Prior to today, I had never heard Robert Francis Prevost speak.  However, after watching a single video this afternoon, I now believe that I have a much better sense of the man.  On August 7, 2024, Cardinal Prevost visited the Catholic parish of St. Jude (Augustinian parish) in New Lenox, Illinois.  New Lenox is a suburb located southwest of Chicago.  As a young priest, Prevost had been assigned to the New Lenox area.  Prior to the Mass on August 27, Cardinal Prevost gave to the congregation a 40-minute reflection about his life and experiences.  It was a very informal and relaxed setting.  Cardinal Prevost was also asked questions.  The video can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9U3yBFdt4QM.  The reflections begins at 5:43.  Cardinal Prevost’s short homily during the Mass begins at 1:23:00.  I found the video to be very interesting and worth the time to watch. 

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 7 May 2025: Putin & the Third Rome

  https://ria.ru/20250505/putin-2014941956.html  A documentary "Russia. The Kremlin. Putin. 25 years" was released on the TV channel "Russia 1" on April 4.  https://ria.ru/20250505/putin-2014941956.html  The complete film may be watched at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z13E7QpqFa4   Putin was interviewed in his Kremlin apartment, and the film includes a tour of his apartment.  At 1:11:25 in the film, he shows the “home church” in his apartment complex.   Much of the film includes military actions.  I found the following remarks by Putin’s at 1:04:00 interesting:

  We come to the point that the West seems to hate us for some reason, they envy us or something.   You know this.   First of all, this began a long time ago.  But look, in 988 there was the baptism of Rus.  It seems to me that then Prince Vladimir simply decided to be closer to the superpower of that time, Byzantium, the richest, most powerful power.  Soon after, we quickly found ourselves involved in the conflict between the Roman See and Byzantium.  In Rome, Christianity was reformed, but not in Byzantium.  And we came to believe that we are the successors of true Christianity.  Moscow is the Third Rome, and there shall be no fourth.  So we are the true Christians.   As soon as Russia weakened - this is the result of the Mongol invasion - they finally fragmented the country, it weakened.  And then you have the attempts of the Swedes to seize part of the Novgorod lands.  And in 1240, yes, the battle of Alexander, who received the nickname Nevsky, he defeated the Swedes.  And then two years later, I think, the Battle on the Ice on Lake Peipus with the crusaders, in 1242.   It was generally considered that on the eastern border of Poland there was no civilization at all.  And in order to civilize this territory, Catholicism had to be dragged there.  As soon as Ivan IV, Ivan the Terrible, said: "No, we remain Orthodox," a legend immediately arose that he was a cruel tyrant, that he was completely crazy, and so on.  Then there was Peter I and his desire in some areas where he believed Russia was lagging behind, to adopt Western standards, to establish production, to establish an effective management system in order to develop Russia.  But I am sure that Peter I did not want us to just copy everything that was best.  We, as I understand it, had to take the best, and then on this, on our own basis, move forward to do even better.   After all, at the heart of Western culture, Catholic, Protestant culture, material well-being is always put first.  Yes, there are spiritual things there, of course, but still the measure is material success.  In Russia, no.  In Russia, they always, in the broad sense of the word, talk about the moral principle.  Such a global idea is always present, moral and ethical.  From here there is  the constant desire of the Western community to bite off something from Russia, to somehow subjugate it, to make it more obedient.  This has been happening for centuries. 

   

• 28 April 2025: Funeral of Pope Francis & events affecting Serbia and Estonia

  The funeral of Pope Francis occurred in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday, April 26, under sunny skies and temperatures in the low 20s Celsius.  A video of the entire funeral, of the motorcade to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, and the entrance into the Basilica can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPWGIrD_K2U.  The people attending the funeral, estimated to be approximately 250,000 persons, filled St. Peter’s Square and the entire Via della Conciliazione.  In terms of numbers attending a papal funeral, it was exceeded only by the funeral of Pope John Paul II.  Cardinal Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, presided at the Mass and gave the homily.  The complete text of his homily can be read at https://www.vatican.va/content/vatican/en/special/sede-vacante/sede-vacante-2025/20250426-messa-esequiale-francesco.html 

  A list of all of the ecumenical representatives at the funeral is found at  https://www.korazym.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/RAPPRESENTANTI-ECUMENICI.pdf .  The following primates were present:  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Ecumenical Patriarchate); Archbishop John (Orthodox Church of Albania); Metropolitan Ratislav (Orthodox Church of Czech Lands and Slovakia); Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II (Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch); Catholicos Karekin II (Armenian Apostolic Church); and Patriarch Mar Awa III (Assyrian Church of the East).   All of the Local Orthodox Churches of the Byzantine tradition were represented at the funeral except for the Church of Poland.  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew was given a special place of honor at the funeral.  He was seated by himself in front of rows of representatives from other churches and religious organizations.  His location can be seen if one looks at 1:03:46 in the video.  Aside from those serving at the altar, there was no person (including cardinals and heads of state) seated closer to the coffin of Pope Francis than Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.  This is shown by the aerial view found at 2:00:41 of the video.

  The funeral was given very extensive coverage by the media.  Interestingly, the television service of the Coptic Church in Egypt, at the direction of Pope Tawadros II, covered the entire funeral live.  https://www.vaticannews.va/it/papa/news/2025-04/funerale-francesco-canale-ufficiale-della-chiesa-copta-ortodossa.html  One photo that received much media attention shows Presidents Trump and Zelensky seated facing each other in the nave of St. Peter’s Basilica just before the funeral Mass began.  See https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2025-04/trump-zelensky-peace-plans-st-peters-francis-funeral.html  It was the first meeting of the two since the stormy session at the White House in February.  Both sides had positive assessments of this 15-minute encounter at St. Peter’s.  Interestingly, this positive dialogue occurred at the funeral of a pope who had strongly urged dialogue, especially with respect to Ukraine.

  Although the exact date of the beginning of the conclave to elect a new pope has not yet been announced (it may be announced on Monday), it will occur in early May.  John Allen at the Crux website is now writing a series of articles in which he discusses a different “papable” cardinal each day until the beginning of the conclave.  https://cruxnow.com/author/john-allen  I find his insights helpful and interesting.

  On the evening of Saturday, April 26, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia completed a five-day visit to Moscow at the invitation of Patriarch Kirill.  https://spc.rs/sr/news/patrijarh//13889.patrijarh-porfirije-zavrsio-posetu-moskvi.html  Patriarch Porfirije had arrived in Moscow on Monday, April 21, and thus spent almost all of Bright Week in Russia.  https://spc.rs/sr/news/aktuelno//13845.patrijarh-srpski-porfirije-doputovao-u-moskvu.html   During his visit, he received a honorary doctorate degree from the Moscow Theological Academy and also received from Patriarch Kirill the Order of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, first degree.  President Putin had received the same order last year.  President  Vučić of Serbia, much to the dismay of the EU, will be in Moscow at the invitation of President Putin on May 9 for the celebration of the 80^th anniversary of Victory Day.

  On April 22, Patriarch Porfirije and Metropolitan Irinej (Bulović) of Bačka met with President Putin.  Patriarch Kirill also participated in the meeting.  The website of the Serbian Patriarchate described the meeting at https://spc.rs/sr/news/aktuelno//13851.patrijarh-porfirije-razgovarao-sa-predsednikom-ruske-federacije-vladimirom-putinom.html, while the website of the DECR of the Moscow Patriarchate gave a longer description at https://mospat.ru/ru/news/93128/ .  In my opinion, there is nothing surprising in these summary reports.  However, the website of the Kremlin and then the website of the Patriarch went further and posted a verbatim transcript of the discussions held at the meeting.  See https://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/6206487.html .  The transcript does contain surprises.

  In recent months, the Serbian Patriarchate has issued cautious statements which do not take sides with respect to the present student-led protests in Serbia.  In March the Serbian Synod of Bishops made an appeal to end division and initiate fraternal dialogue.  https://spc.rs/sr/news/aktuelno//13522.poziv-svetog-arhijerejskog-sinoda-na-prestanak-podela-i-pokretanje-bratskog-dijaloga.html   Patriarch Porfirije in his 2025 Pascha letter stated:  Therefore, we strongly urge all actors in social life to build peace, mutual respect, and dialogue for the good and progress of the people.  https://spc.rs/sr/news/saopstenja//13791.vaskrsnja-poslanica-srpske-pravoslavne-crkve.html  In contrast to these neutral statements, the transcript of the April 22 meeting discloses that Patriarch Porfirije made the following statement to President Putin:  We also have a revolution these days…..Color revolution, you know that.  I hope that we will overcome this temptation, as you said.  Because we know and feel that the power centers from the West do not want to develop the identity of the Serbian people and culture.  By saying this, the Patriarch is abandoning the more neutral stance recently taken by the Serbian Church and is echoing a contention made by President Vučić against the protesters. 

  Personally, I believe that Patriarch Porfirije made this statement without ever expecting that a transcript of these discussions would be published by the Kremlin and by the Moscow Patriarchate on their websites.  Another indication that Profirije did not expect such publication is that he disclosed remarks made by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem to him in a private meeting.  In this regard, the transcript quotes Patriarch Porfirije as follows:  I was in Jerusalem two weeks ago and spoke with the Patriarch of Jerusalem, we talked a lot.  He did not know that I would be in Moscow.  And when we were talking about Orthodoxy globally, he told me: we, the Orthodox, have one trump card.  I asked: which one?  Vladimir Putin, he told me.   In my opinion, it is doubtful that Patriarch Porfirije would take it upon himself to make public such a private comment by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, especially in view of the fact that one does not know what effect such a disclosure would have in the present volatile situation in the Holy Land.   To the best of my knowledge, Patriarch Porfirije has given no media interviews since the meeting with President Putin and has not spoken further about the internal political situation in Serbia.  In Serbia the release of the transcript has prompted some student protesters to demand that the Patriarch resign.

  There are two very recent articles that discuss the remarks made by Patriarch Porfirije in this meeting with President Putin.  The first, “Patriarch Porfirije in Moscow: Church-political travel plans and astonishing statements” by Professor Thomas Bremer, is found at https://noek.info/hintergrund/3750-patriarch-porfirije-in-moskau-kirchenpolitische-reiseplanungen-und-erstaunliche-aussagen.  The second article, “ Serbian Patriarch Criticised for Denouncing Student Protests on Moscow Visit,” is found at  https://balkaninsight.com/2025/04/23/serbian-patriarch-criticised-for-denouncing-student-protests-on-moscow-visit/  This article quotes a Serbian theologian, Vukasin Milicevic, who claims that Patriarch Porfirije went to Moscow to “serve the regime” of President Vučić. 

  In Estonia on April 24, Estonian President Alar Karis refused to promulgate Bill “570 SE” which was passed by the Riigikogu (parliament) by a vote of 60 to 13 and which seeks to amend the Churches and Congregations Act.  He found that the Bill conflicted with the Constitution of Estonia.  The complete text of the decision by the President is found at https://president.ee/et/ametitegevus/otsused/57234-545-kirikute-ja-koguduste-seaduse-muutmise-seaduse-valjakuulutamata-jatmine.   The Bill itself in its current form is found at https://www.riigikogu.ee/tegevus/eelnoud/eelnou/133fc804-5a56-46f8-b595-84cc2a66465f/kirikute-ja-koguduste-seaduse-muutmise-seaduse-eelnou-570-se-ii/   Under Article 107 of the Estonian Constitution, the Bill is now returned to the Riigikogu for a new debate and decision.  “If the Riigikogu, for the second time and without amending it, passes a law which has been returned to it by the President, the President either promulgates the law or applies to the Supreme Court for a declaration of unconstitutionality in respect of that law.  If the Supreme Court declares the law to be in conformity with the Constitution, the President promulgates the law.”  The Estonian Christian Orthodox Church (a self-governing church under the Moscow Patriarchate) has expressed its sincere gratitude to President Karis for his decision.  https://ru.orthodox.ee/news/ephcz-blagodarit-prezidenta-estonskoj-respubliki-za-zashhitu-konstituczionnyh-prav-i-neprovozglashenie-zakona-o-czerkvyah-i-prihodah/?sfnsn=mo

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA 

• 23 April 2025: Pope Francis and the Orthodox Churches

  As the world knows, Pope Francis died on “Bright Monday,” April 21, the day after the unusual event of Orthodox, Catholics, and Protestants celebrating Easter on the same day.  He had survived his respiratory crisis, where he had come very close to death, and was able on Easter day to greet and bless thousands in St. Peter’s Square and to ride through the cheering crowds in his wheelchair on the back of a vehicle.  You can see him in his last public appearance in a 7-minute video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MklrBE-SLf8.  The Pope died suddenly on Monday morning from a cerebral stroke followed by a cardiocirculatory failure.  It is almost as if Our Lord had delayed the Pope’s death so that the Pope could experience this last very symbolic Easter.

  The Pope’s funeral Mass will occur on Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square.  In accordance with his Testament, he will not be buried in St. Peter’s Basilica, but rather in Rome’s Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.  https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/263527/full-text-here-is-pope-francis-testament   In this regard, his Testament provides:

  I wish my final earthly journey to end precisely in this ancient Marian sanctuary, where I would always stop to pray at the beginning and end of every Apostolic Journey, confidently entrusting my intentions to the Immaculate Mother, and giving thanks for her gentle and maternal care.  I ask that my tomb be prepared in the burial niche in the side aisle between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the Basilica, as shown in the attached plan.  The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.

  The Basilica was consecrated in the year 434, a few years after Mary was declared the Mother of God at the Council of Ephesus in 431, and has a close association with this great Council in Asia Minor.  The nave and the arch in the Basilica are decorated with magnificent fifth-century mosaics of the Byzantine tradition.  The most famous icon in the Basilica, Salus Populi Romani, before which Pope Francis always prayed before and after his trips, is said to have been brought from Crete in the year 590.  It was in the Basilica that Pope Adrian II in 867 solemnly blessed the liturgical books used by Saints Cyril and Methodius in their missionary work among the Slavic peoples.  Thus, the final resting place of Pope Francis has a strong connection with the Christian East.

  Letters or statements from primates of the various Orthodox or Oriental Orthodox Churches concerning the death of Pope Francis are already available on the Internet.  The following are some examples:

  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.  https://ec-patr.org/statement-by-the-ecumenical-patriarch-on-the-repose-of-pope-francis/  “Throughout these twelve years of his Papacy, he stood as a faithful friend, a fellow pilgrim and supporter of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, a genuine friend of Orthodoxy, a true friend of the least of the Lord’s brethren, on whose behalf he often spoke, acted, and even washed their feet in an example of true humility and brotherly love.”

  Patriarch John of Antioch.  https://www.facebook.com/Antiochpatriarchate.org  “The passing of Pope Francis is a loss for all humanity ....In this holy season of Pascha, divine providence has willed that Pope Francis return to the house of the Heavenly Father.”

  Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem.  https://en.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/announcements/statement-of-his-beatitude-theophilos-iii-on-the-passing-of-pope-francis/   “Pope Francis’ life was a luminous testament to the Gospel, a tireless witness to Christ’s boundless mercy, a steadfast champion for the poor, and a beacon of peace and reconciliation among all peoples….We entrust his noble soul to the infinite compassion of our Lord, and pray: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25:23).” 

  Patriarch Kirill of Russia.  https://www.patriarchia.ru/en/db/text/6206051.html  “For Christians worldwide, His Holiness’s commitment to standing in solidarity with the suffering and the marginalized held particular significance….May the All-Merciful Lord grant rest to the soul of His departed servant, who passed away on the second day of the celebration of Christ’s Resurrection by Christians worldwide, in the abode of the righteous.”

  Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia.  https://spc.rs/sr/news/aktuelno//13844.izjava-saucesca-patrijarha-srpskog-porfirija-povodom-upokojenja-pape-franciska.html   “I had the opportunity to meet the late Pope personally several times during his pontificate, so I feel obliged to testify today that he was a man who built peace and understanding between people and nations, with a special desire to develop cooperation with the Orthodox Churches.”

  Archbishop Ieronymos of Greece.  https://orthodoxtimes.com/archbishop-of-athens-for-pope-francis-he-had-love-and-respect-for-church-of-greece/   “He was a powerful personality, who spent himself for the prevalence of all that is good and of the values of the human being as God’s creature. Throughout his ministry as Bishop of Rome, every lowliest brother, the poor, the migrant, the refugees, in particular, occupied a central place in it.”

  Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Church.  https://copticorthodox.church/en/2025/04/21/h-h-pope-tawadros-ii-mourning-pope-francis-of-the-vatican-he-was-a-voice-for-peace-and-truth-and-left-a-remarkable-example-in-serving-humanity-everywhere/  “The departure of this man, who served the entire world with genuine, heartfelt service to every person, is a great loss…. What brings comfort is that he left us a wonderful role model and example in the service of humanity everywhere.”

  Patriarch and Catholicos Karekin II of the Armenian Apostolic Church.  https://www.armenianchurch.org/en/news/catholicos-of-all-armenians-sends-condolence-letter-on-the-passing-of-pope-francis/11805  “The late Pope Francis of blessed memory was a humble, courageous, and kind shepherd who faithfully walked in the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ….He bore witness to the Gospel—consistently standing for justice and peace, offering special attention and care to those in need, and contributing significantly to strengthening interchurch relations.”

  Improving relations with the Orthodox and the Oriental Orthodox Churches was a great priority for Pope Francis.  He made a point of visiting early in his pontificate countries where Orthodoxy predominates or where primates of Orthodox or Oriental Orthodox Churches reside.  This is shown by the following listing of these visits: 2014 – Israel (Jerusalem), Albania, Turkey.  2015 – Bosnia and Herzegovina.  2016 -  Greece, Armenia, Poland, Georgia.  2017 – Egypt.  2019 – Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Romania.  2021 – Cyprus, Greece.   In contrast, there were many predominantly Catholic countries that were never visited by Pope Francis such as Spain, Croatia, and Argentina.  It appears that many primates and hierarchs, who personally met Pope Francis, were impressed by his humility and personal warmth.  Kissing the panagia of an Orthodox bishop became a tradition for Pope Francis.

  In considering the pontificate of Pope Francis with respect to improving relations with the Orthodox, there are two matters that are particularly important.  First, Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew developed a closer personal friendship than has ever existed between the holders of these two extremely important offices -- at least with respect to the last one thousand years.  As just one indication of their friendship, Pope Francis always kept at the corner of his desk pad in his office a photograph of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.  One of the great hopes of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Francis was to celebrate together the 1700^th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea to be held at Nicaea (Iznik), Turkey, apparently on May 24-25.  https://www.dailysabah.com/turkiye/popes-passing-saddens-turkish-town-preparing-for-visit/news  Hopefully, the new pope will now be there.  The second important matter was the meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Pope Francis in Havana on February 12, 2016.  It was the first meeting in history between a pope and a patriarch of Moscow. 

  Today, April 22, Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow met with President Putin in Moscow.  A video and transcript of the meeting can be seen at http://kremlin.ru/events/president/news/76775 .  In my opinion, it is an important transcript that should be read in its entirety (especially with respect to certain remarks by Patriarch Porfirije).  One part of the discussion relates to Pope Francis.  The following is a Google translation of this part of the transcript:

  V. Putin: Your Holiness [Kirill], you mentioned what is happening to the west of us.  We all know this well, we all saw it, we witnessed your meeting with the Pope of Rome, who left us during these Easter days.  This, it seems to me, also shows that in the West there are still people, there are forces, and spiritual forces, who strive to restore relations and to revive spiritual principles.

  Patriarch Kirill: Absolutely right.

  V. Putin: Western culture – no matter what and who says – is based on Christian principles.

  Patriarch Kirill: You very correctly recalled the late Pope.  He was a man of fairly strong views and convictions, despite the fact that he was under great pressure – also in terms of cooling relations with the Russian Church.  He is already in another world, so I can boldly, without asking his permission, quote him.  When he was strongly pressed, forgive me for the rude word, he said only a short phrase: do not set me against Kirill.  He turned and left.  And those who influenced him were his close associates: that it was necessary to change course, that it was impossible – it was, so to speak, connected with Russian politics.  This phrase – “do not set me against Kirill” [«не ссорьте меня с Кириллом»] – was always in my memory and consciousness while he was alive.  Our relations were good.  Now the Lord has called him to another world, but the memories of him are the kindest in terms of attitudes towards both Russia and the Russian Church.

  V. Putin: I have the same.  We met many times.  It is quite obvious – I can say this – that he had a good attitude towards Russia.  Considering his Latin American origin and the attitude among the overwhelming majority of citizens of Latin American countries, he probably felt this too and built relations with Russia in the most benevolent way.

  Perhaps one of the greatest legacies of Pope Francis is that he was respected by people who are in "opposing camps" on certain important political (President Putin and western political leaders) or church (Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Patriarch Kirill) issues. 

  The following are two lists of the 135 elector-cardinals who are eligible to be elected the new pope.   https://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/scardc3.html;  https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/documentation/card_bio_typed/card_bio_ele.html   A few of them are well-known to the Orthodox and have worked closely with the Orthodox, such as Cardinal Pizzaballa (Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem), Cardinal Koch (Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity), and Cardinal Gugerotti (Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches).  However, many of the names are not well-known to either Catholics or Orthodox.  One hopes that the Holy Spirit will guide the cardinals in selecting a holy and wise pope who will bring greater unity within the Catholic Church and greater unity for Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 16 April 2025: Will the Estonian government ever dare to dissolve the Pühtitsa Convent?

  On April 9, the Riigikogu (the Estonian Parliament) passed on the third and final reading the “Amendments to the Churches and Congregations Act” (Bill 570 SE) by a vote of 60 to 13.  https://www.riigikogu.ee/en/press-releases/plenary-assembly/the-riigikogu-adopted-amendments-to-the-churches-and-congregations-act/   The version of the Bill that was passed on April 9 is the same as the version that was submitted to the plenary session of the Riigikogu by its Legal Affair Committee for the third reading.  I discussed this version in my newsletter of 30 March 2025.  I have attached again this version (including a Google English translation of the entire Bill) to this newsletter. 

   Download of the document

  In effect, the new legislation will require the Pühtitsa Women’s Monastery of the Dormition and the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church (the new name of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate) to break any ties to the Moscow Patriarchate.  If they fail to do so, they will face “dissolution.”  In my earlier report, I expressed my belief that Bill 570 SE does not comply with the international standards relating to freedom of religion.

  On April 10, the President of the Riigikogu sent the Bill to President Alar Karis of Estonia for "promulgation."  https://rus.err.ee/1609659938/prinjatyj-parlamentom-zakon-o-cerkvjah-i-prihodah-napravlen-prezidentu  The Constitution of Estonia provides for a very limited veto power by the President of Estonia.  Thus, Section 107 of the Constitution provides:  Laws are promulgated by the President.  The President may refuse to promulgate a law passed by the Riigikogu and, within fourteen days after its receipt, return the law, together with his or her reasoned resolution, to the Riigikogu for a new debate and decision.  If the Riigikogu, for the second time and without amending it, passes a law which has been returned to it by the President, the President either promulgates the law or applies to the Supreme Court for a declaration of unconstitutionality in respect of that law.  If the Supreme Court declares the law to be in conformity with the Constitution, the President promulgates the law.  Thus, if Karis refuses to promulgate the passed legislation, he must do so by Thursday, April 24.  So far, Karis has taken no action on the new legislation, and I doubt that he will do so during Holy Week.

  The attorneys for the Pühtitsa Monastery and the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church (ECOC) have written a letter to Karis expressing their opinion as to why the passed legislation violates the Estonian Constitution and international law.  The full text of the letter can be read at https://et.orthodox.ee/news/ekoki-ja-puhtitsa-naiskloostrit-esindavad-advokaadid-poordusid-eesti-vabariigi-presidendi-poole-seoses-kirikute-ja-koguduste-seaduse-muudatustega/.  Igumenia Filareta  (Kalacheva) and her 96 sisters at the Pühtitsa Monastery have also written a separate letter to Karis.  https://www.puhtitsa.ee/docs/Puhtitsa%20poordumine%20EV%20presidendile%20parandatud.pdf  On April 10 the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate issued a special statement condemning the passage of Bill 570 SE by the Estonian parliament.  https://www.patriarchia.ru/en/article/115184  On April 11 Patriarch Kirill sent letters to world church leaders and certain international organizations “to stand in support of the Estonian Orthodox Christian Church in this difficult time.”  https://www.patriarchia.ru/en/article/115212  To date I have seen no response in the media by any of the recipients of Patriarch Kirill’s appeal.

  It should be noted that the relationships of the Pühtitsa Monastery and the ECOC to the Moscow Patriarchate are not the same.  Under Chapter XII of the Charter of the Moscow Patriarchate, the ECOC is a “Self-governing Church” with certain autonomy.  https://www.patriarchia.ru/article/87253   On the other hand, Pühtitsa is a stavropegic monastery.  Under Chapter XVIII, Section 4, of the Charter of the Moscow Patriarchate, "stavropegic"  means that the Monastery is “under the supervision and canonical governance of the Patriarch of Moscow.”  https://www.patriarchia.ru/article/87247  While it will be necessary under Bill 570 SE to examine the relationship between the "self-governing" ECOC and the Moscow Patriarchate, a similar examination is not necessary with respect to the Pühtitsa Monastery because it is directly under the Patriarch.  Because the Patriarch has direct and complete power over the Monastery, the Estonian government will have a very easy case proving that the language of the new law requiring separation from the Moscow Patriarchate applies to the Monastery. 

  I personally believe that for several reasons the Monastery will never agree to break its relationship with the Patriarchate even in the face of a court decision.  First, Igumenia Filareta and her sisters have already made it abundantly clear that the Monastery cannot sever its relationship with the Moscow Patriarchate.   In an appeal to the members of the Riigikogu and to all Christians and citizens of Estonia, dated April 8, 2025, Filareta and her sisters asserted that leaving the Moscow Patriarchate would be “a canonical crime.”  https://www.puhtitsa.ee/docs/Eng.pdf   Second, aside from canonical reasons, there has been historically an extremely close relationship between the Monastery and the office of the Patriarch, and there may well be a great reluctance to break this bond now.  This very close relationship existed particularly during the time of Patriarch Alexy II, who had a great love for the Monastery.  It is probably safe to say that there was no other institution within the Moscow Patriarchate for which Alexy had greater affection.

  Alexy was born and raised in Tallinn.  He regularly visited the Pühtitsa Monastery with his parents.  His first assignment as a priest was to the village of Jõhvi, a 17-minute drive from Pühtitsa.  In August 1961 Alexy became the bishop of Tallinn and All Estonia.  A sister from the Pühtitsa Monastery, Filareta (Smirnova) was assigned to head Alexy’s household.  Mother Filareta (1935-2022) performed this important and influential role for more than forty years until the death of Patriarch Alexy in 2008.  When Alexy was elected patriarch in June 1990, he immediately made Pühtitsa a stavropegic monastery.   In 1993 Patriarch Alexy established a metochion of the Pühtitsa Monastery in Moscow.  Sisters from the Pühtitsa Monastery were assigned to head various recently-opened monasteries in Russia.

  However, in the mind of the sisters of the Monastery, the most important role played by Alexy was that he saved their monastery from closure during the time of the severe persecution of the Church by Khrushchev, who had announced in 1961 that he would show the “last priest” on television.  Alexy’s role in saving the Monastery is described in an article at https://orthodoxcanada.ca/Patriarch_Aleksey_II_(Ridiger) .  The following excerpt from the article describes the ingenuity used by Alexy in saving the Monastery:

  From the very first days [as bishop of Tallinn], Bishop Aleksey found himself in an extremely difficult situation: Yan S Kanter, the representative of the Council for the Affairs of the Russian Orthodox Church [the government department controlling religion] in Estonia, notified him that in the summer of 1961, a decision had been made to close the Pühtitsa Monastery…. There was almost no time left, for the closures were to begin in the coming days, and the time for transferring the Pühtitsa Monastery nuns to a rest house for miners was determined (1 October, 1961). The young bishop understood that this must be averted for the sake of the survival of the Church.  Therefore, he begged the authorities to postpone the execution of the drastic decision for a short while….[H]e managed a delay by convincing the Soviet authorities about the impossibility for a bishop to begin his service with the closure of a monastery, and in particular this monastery.  At the beginning of 1962, because he was now the deputy chairman of the DECR, Bishop Aleksey brought to the monastery a visiting delegation of higher clergy of the Evangelical Church of Eastern Germany (GDR)….Soon, there were “rave reviews” about the Pühtitsa Monastery in the newspaper “Neue Zeit”.

  After this, in early May, 1962, Bishop Aleksey decided to send out similar invitations.  Soon, a Protestant delegation from France, representatives of the Christian Peace Conference (CPC) and of the World Council of Churches (WCC), arrived in Pühtitsa (now Kurmäe) with Vladyka Aleksey.  There arrived another delegation, then a third, a fourth, a fifth.   After a year of these active visits to the monastery by foreign delegations, and similar publications abroad, the Estonian Soviet government changed its decision.  It was decided not to spoil the Soviet Union’s image by destroying the now world-famous piece of architecture.  The project of closing the monastery was ended. 

  As a result of these efforts by Alexy, Pühtitsa became the only women’s monastery in the Soviet Union which the communist authorities never closed at some point of time.  It now appears that the Estonian government and the Monastery are on a collision path.  If Bill 570 SE becomes law, the Monastery will in all likelihood refuse to sever its relationship with the Moscow Patriarchate.  The remedy provided to the government in the Bill is dissolution of the Monastery.  One wonders if the Estonian government will ever dare to dissolve this famous Monastery which even the Khrushchev regime failed to close because of the image this action would create.

  TO ALL OF YOU, I WISH YOU A VERY BLESSED PASCHA AND EASTER!

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 5 April 2025: Pope John Paul II, McCarrick, and the Kazan icon

  Theodore McCarrick, once a cardinal but then removed from the clerical state for sexual abuse, died in Missouri on April 3, 2025.  His acts of sexual abuse constitute a very sad chapter in the sexual abuse scandal which has greatly stained the Catholic Church in recent decades.  McCarrick has also negatively affected the legacy of Pope John Paul II, because the Pope decided to appoint McCarrick as the Archbishop of Washington, D.C. in November 2000 and to make him a cardinal in January 2001.  In November 2020, the Vatican’s Secretariat of State issued a 449-page report on the Vatican’s “institutional knowledge and decision-making” relating to McCarrick.  The report found that Pope John Paul II had “personally made” the decision to appoint McCarrick as Archbishop of Washington, D.C. in spite of certain allegations of sexual abuse against McCarrick.  In the regard, the report explained that a letter from McCarrick denying any sexual relations or abuse was believed by the Pope. 

  The Vatican’s report certainly marred the image of Pope John Paul II, who had been canonized a saint in 2014.  After the release of the report, the National Catholic Reporter even urged the bishops of the United States to “suppress the cult of St. John Paul II.”

  For some unknown reason, the Vatican’s 449-page report completely ignored an important and positive accomplishment by McCarrick.  In 1993, McCarrick, as archbishop of Newark, had presented to Pope John Paul II a beautiful icon of the Mother of God of Kazan as a gift.  As apostolic visitor to the Catholic organization, the Blue Army, McCarrick had convinced the governing board of the Blue Army to donate to the Holy See the icon of the Mother of God of Kazan which the organization had kept for veneration in its Byzantine Chapel in Fatima, Portugal.  It was the opinion of some that this particular icon was the original Kazan icon which the Mother of God had directed the girl Matrona in 1579 to find buried in the ground in the city of Kazan, Russia.  McCarrick handled the arrangements for the icon to be transferred from Fatima to the Holy See.  Pope John Paul II decided to keep the icon in his personal apartment and chapel.  After the icon arrived at the Vatican, the Vatican arranged for an expert on Russian icons to examine the icon, and he expressed his opinion that it was indeed the original icon.  Thus, it appeared to the Pope that he had in his possession the original of the most venerated icon of Russia and that this was due to the work of McCarrick.  It was the hope of the Pope personally to bring this icon to the Soviet Union as a gift to the Russian Orthodox Church. 

  Pope John Paul II had a great love for this icon.  When the Pope went to Castel Gandolfo for the summer, he brought the icon with him.  Cardinal Sodano remarked that the Pope kept the icon in front of his desk where he worked.  When Putin visited the Pope in 2003, the Pope had the icon brought into the room and placed between the two men during their meeting.  Again, the Pope would not have had the icon without the work of McCarrick.  It is not unreasonable to assume that McCarrick’s work in obtaining for the Pope what appeared to be the original of one of  the most venerated icons in the world was one of the significant factors in causing the Pope’s to view McCarrick with favor when he appointed him as Archbishop of Washington D.C. in 2000 and believing that McCarrick was a person who would be honest in his denials.

  It is true that in April 2003 a joint Vatican- Russian commission examined the Pope’s icon and determined that it was not in fact the original Kazan icon.  However, this was several years after the Pope had made the decision relating to the appointment of McCarrick as Archbishop of Washington D.C. and as a cardinal.  Although this finding must have been a disappointment to the Pope, it did not decrease his love for the icon.  In May 2003, the Vatican explored the possibility of the Pope personally bringing the icon to the city of Kazan as part of a technical stop on his planned flight to Mongolia.  When it became apparent that the Moscow Patriarchate was adamantly opposed to a visit by the Pope to the Soviet Union, Pope John Paul II realized that his dream of personally bring the icon to Russia would never occur.  Therefore, in August 2004 after an elaborate ceremony honoring the icon, the Pope gave his Kazan icon to Cardinals Kasper and McCarrick for them to take the icon to Moscow and present it to Patriarch Alexy as a gift from the Pope.

  This gift has born much fruit.  The gift immediately improved the very strained relations between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church.  At the present time, a large and beautiful cathedral has been built over the exact spot in Kazan where the original Kazan icon had been unearthed by Matrona in 1579.  The principal icon in this cathedral is now the Kazan icon gifted by Pope John Paul II to Patriarch Alexy.  The Pope’s icon is now in effect the replacement for the original Kazan icon which disappeared in 1904 and has never been found since then.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 31 March 2025: Developments in Albania and Estonia & other news

  On Saturday, March 29, in the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Tirana, Archbishop John (Pelushi) of Tirana, Durrës, and All Albania was enthroned following his election on March 16 as the new primate of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania.  A video of the entire enthronement ceremony can be watched at https://www.facebook.com/RadioNgjallja/videos/1858940237978503/.  It was encouraging to see that all of the Local Orthodox Churches were represented at the enthronement.  A description of the enthronement ceremony and the names of the representatives can be read at https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/2025/03/29/fronezimi-i-kryepiskopit-te-ri-te-shqiperise-fortlumturise-se-tij-z-joan-ne-tirane-29-03-2025/ (official church site); https://orthodoxtimes.com/enthronement-of-the-new-archbishop-of-albania-ioannis-video/ (English article)  The Ecumenical Patriarchate was represented by Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon, and the Moscow Patriarchate was represented by Metropolitan Nestor of Korsun and Western Europe.

  The complete text (official English translation) of Archbishop John's enthronement address can be read at https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/en/2025/03/29/enthronement-speech-of-the-archbishop-of-tirana-durres-and-all-albania-his-beatitude-john/.  In his address, he discussed seven points that should be the “vision, effects, and focus” of the Albanian Church.  Briefly, these points are as follows:  (1) preserving and protecting the holy Tradition and faithfulness to the teachings of the Lord; (2) strengthening unity within the Church; (3) striving to maintain balance between the Gospel of the Kingdom, which includes pastoral work for the salvation of man and the “Social Gospel,” which includes care for all, especially those who are poor, in need, in sickness, in loneliness and marginalized; (4) teaching that a healthy family is built on the sanctity of marriage and that today’s society needs to rediscover the inalienable values of marriage and family; (5) preserving and strengthening in Albania its great treasure of religious coexistence; (6) encouraging, with love and wisdom, especially young people, to love their country and not abandon it, because it is impossible to love God and not love the country that gave birth to and raised you and the people who live in it; and (7) promoting an Albanian Church that will be friendly and desires to live in peace with everyone and that will strive, within its modest possibilities, to promote and have an active participation, both in the pan-Orthodox dialogue and in dialogue with all others.

  After becoming elected, Archbishop John gave his first interview which was to The National Herald.   https://www.thenationalherald.com/newly-elected-archbishop-ioannis-of-albania-shares-his-feelings-and-thoughts-in-his-first-interview/  The interview contains some interesting facts.  For example, most of the income of the Albanian Church now comes from hydroelectric stations which Archbishop Anastasios had the vision to build.  The average monthly income for an Orthodox priest in Albania is approximately 600 euros.  Archbishop John was asked if he had an opinion about the division that has been created in the Orthodox Church because of “Autocephaly in Ukraine.”  The Archbishop replied that it was a “tragedy” for a lot of churches to be divided.  He added: “And I think that our opinion was expressed in the decision of the Synods.  So we don’t have other opinions.” 

  In Estonia, the Legal Affair Committee of the Riigikogu (parliament) adopted certain changes to Bill “570 SE” (“Amendments to the Churches and Congregations Act”), and the amended Bill was approved on the second reading by a plenary session of the Riigikogu on March 26.  It passed by a vote of 69 to 15.  https://www.riigikogu.ee/istungi-ulevaated/riigikogu-vottis-vastu-kuus-seadust-2/  The amended Bill will now be considered by the Riigikogu on the third and final reading on April 9.  https://www.riigikogu.ee/tegevus/eelnoud/eelnou/133fc804-5a56-46f8-b595-84cc2a66465f/kirikute-ja-koguduste-seaduse-muutmise-seaduse-eelnou-570-se-ii/   The full text of the amended Bill is available at the foregoing link by clinking on “Draft” by the phrase “Third reading” under the heading “Texts” and can be directly downloaded here. It is almost certain that the amended Bill 570 SE will become law.  The effect of the new law will be that the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate will be required to sever any connection with the Moscow Patriarchate. 

  In my newsletter of 24 February 2025, I discussed the language found in the first version of 570 SE.  See  https://www.unifr.ch/orthodoxia/de/dokumentation/anderson/  I have now prepared a new document containing the full text of the amended Bill 570 SE in Estonian and then in English (Google translation).  This new document is attached to this email.  It is extremely likely that this attached version will be the language of the final law.

  The most important provision of the amended Bill is found at page 5 of the attached document.  This provision is quoted below.  This provision contains an extremely long sentence, and I have separated the parts of this sentence to make it more understandable. 

  3) Section 3 is supplemented with subsection 2¹ in the following wording:

  “(2¹) A church, congregation, union of congregations and monastery may not be guided in their activities by a person or association with significant influence located in a foreign country

  or be affiliated with a religious association, spiritual centre, governing body or spiritual leader located in a foreign country, by statute, contract, other documents on the basis of which the activities are based, or economically,

  if the aforementioned spiritual centre, governing body, spiritual leader, person or association poses a threat to the security of the Estonian state or to the constitutional or public order.

  A threat to the security of the Estonian state or to the constitutional or public order may, among other things, occur if the aforementioned spiritual centre, governing body, spiritual leader, person or association supports or has supported military aggression or has called for war, a terrorist offence or otherwise unlawful use of armed force or violence.”;

  In my opinion, the foregoing provision does not comply with Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights (“ECHR”).  This Article provides: “Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.”  The proposed amendment in bold above does not focus on whether the religious organization in Estonia poses a threat to the “public order,” but rather whether the organization in the foreign countries poses a threat to the public order.  To prohibit an Estonian religious organization under Article 9, I believe that one must show that the Estonian organization itself poses a threat. 

  With respect to Ukraine, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) published its 2025 Annual Report on March 25, 2025.  https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/2025%20USCIRF%20Annual%20Report.pdf   In regard to Ukrainian Law 3894, the Report states at page 76: Furthermore, the new amendments risk imposing collective punishment on individual members of religious communities.  In December, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) criticized the amendments, stating that they established “disproportionate restrictions on the freedom to manifest one’s religion or belief.”   USCIRF has urged the Ukrainian government to ensure that enforcement of the amendments comply with international human rights standards.

  Student-led protests, which began last November, are continuing in Belgrade.  https://apnews.com/article/serbia-students-protest-media-corruption-55eb09552cd16059cf12440e50e92a29   The following is a brief article discussing the various positions taken by Patriarch Porfirije on the protests and certain divisions among the bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church about the protestors.   https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/serbian-church-divided-in-response-to-anti-government-protests/  With respect to divisions, the article refers to a statement by  Metropolitan David of Kruševac in which he severely attacks the protestors.  This resulted in a letter by six bishops of the Serbian Orthodox Church criticizing the statement and distancing themselves “from any speech that dehumanizes others, especially speech that belittles young people, students, as a factor in building society and contributing to its future, or that humiliates them for thinking and seeking the truth.”  An English translation of the complete text of the letter by the six bishops can be read at  https://serbiantimes.info/en/six-bishops-speak-out-against-offensive-remarks-about-students-metropolitan-davids-text-in-which-he-calls-our-youth-ustase-is-a-shameful-stain-on-the-body-of-the-church/   The six bishops are: Metropolitan Grigorije of Germany, Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral, Metropolitan Justin of Žiča, Metropolitan Dimitrije of Zahumlje-Herzegovina and the Littoral, Archbishop Maksim of Western America, and Bishop Irinej of Eastern America.   Interestingly, five of the six bishops have dioceses in countries other than Serbia.  The latest official statement from the Serbian Orthodox Church is an appeal to the faithful by the Holy Synod of Bishops to end division and initiate fraternal dialogue.  https://spc.rs/sr/news/aktuelno//13522.poziv-svetog-arhijerejskog-sinoda-na-prestanak-podela-i-pokretanje-bratskog-dijaloga.html  (posted March 14, 2025)

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 16 March 2025: New Albanian primate, a wonderful film & other news

  The election of a new primate of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania this morning, March 16, by its Holy Synod resulted in no surprises.  As everyone expected, Metropolitan John of Korça was unanimously elected the new primate of the Albanian Church to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Archbishop Anastasios.  The election is described on the Church’s website at https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/2025/03/16/hiresia-e-tij-mitropoliti-i-korces-imzot-joani-kryepiskopi-i-ri-i-tiranes-durresit-dhe-gjithe-shqiperise/.  This link also contains an excellent detailed biography of Metropolitan John – the best biography of him that I have seen.  My last newsletter also described his life.  See https://www.unifr.ch/orthodoxia/de/dokumentation/anderson/ (entry for 14 March 2025).  With respect to work with other Christian denominations, the first link describes Metropolitan John’s very extensive involvement with the WCC.  The first link also states that he has represented the Albanian Church “in the very important dialogue between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches, as well as between the Orthodox and Oriental Churches.”  All of his accomplishments, together with his spiritual life, are very impressive.  He is certainly worthy – “Axios!”  The following is a 18-minute video of Metropolitan John reading the “Great Message” and signing it after his election.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGdPC-4jyy8  

   

  Congratulatory messages are now pouring in.  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has sent a message and has had a telephone conversation with Metropolitan John this afternoon.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGdPC-4jyy8  It is expected that the enthronement of the new Archbishop of Albania will occur on Saturday, March 29 in Tirana.  https://www.orthodoxianewsagency.gr/aytokefales_ekklisies/ekklisia_albanias/to-savvato-29-martiou-i-enthronisi-tou-neou-arxiepiskopou-alvanias/  I have seen no reports as to whether Bartholomew will be present at the enthronement, although it is very likely that he will be.

  I just finished watching a wonderful and inspiring film, “Amalfion – a Benedictine presence on Mount Athos.”  The 53-minute film (in French with English subtitles) can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psJKspsViMI&t=4s .  By clicking on the YouTube gear (settings) icon, one can change the subtitles to Italian, Russian, or Ukrainian.  Father Jivko Panev, the creator of the outstanding Orthodox website “orthodoxie.com,” has praised the film.  https://orthodoxie.com/revoir-le-film-amalfion-une-presence-benedictine-au-mont-athos/  He stated:

  Director Alexey Vozniuk has embarked on a fascinating historical investigation into the little-known existence of Amalfion, a Latin monastery on Mount Athos.  In his meticulous approach, Alexey Vozniuk first obtained the approval of the Orthodox communities of France and Mount Athos, before undertaking extensive research in the archives of the Collège de France.  His investigation focuses on the Amalfion Monastery, a unique institution founded by Italian monks from Amalfi, which flourished on this peninsula—a thousand-year-old bastion of Orthodoxy—until the 13th century, even surviving the Great Schism of 1054 between the Eastern and Western Churches.   Through his documentary, Alexey Vozniuk sheds new light on this remarkable religious coexistence.  His film, broadcast on KTO, takes on particular significance as we approach the 1700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea (325 AD).   This work, the result of a co-production between KTO and NOMADE PRODUCTIONS FILMS in 2024, demonstrates the director's desire to contribute to ecumenical dialogue throughout history.

  Another French Orthodox website has published a commentary about the film.  The commentary is written by Dr. Serhii Shumylo, Director of the International Institute of the Athonite Legacy in Kyiv.  https://parlonsorthodoxie.wordpress.com/2024/09/12/a-la-recherche-damalfion-un-monastere-benedictin-perdu-au-coeur-de-lorthodoxie/  Shumylo appears in the film and plays a major role in it.  Creating the film was the idea of Alexey Vozniuk, a young Ukrainian Orthodox, who studied at the Moscow Patriarchate’s seminary in Épinay-sous-Sénart (near Paris) and graduated from the Sorbonne in 2018.    Vozniuk directed the film and was its screenwriter.  In pursuing his career in filmmaking, Vozniuk now works with Father Jivko for “France 2” (a French public national television channel) and also for the web television channel KTO (French Catholic television).  On January 23, there was a special showing of the film in Rome as part of the observance of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.  Subsequent to the showing, there was a roundtable discussion including Alexey Vozniuk and Father Hyacinthe Destivelle, OP.  

  As a person interested in Orthodox – Catholic relations, this is one of the best documentary films that I have ever seen.  The vast majority of the filming was done at Mount Athos and involves interesting conversations with the monks.  Not only is the story of the Amalfion monastery and the visit to its historic site fascinating, but the film also captures so well the profound spirituality and great beauty of this most holy place.  I certainly recommend this film to you.

  In Ukraine the Cabinet of Ministers has extended the appointment of Viktor Yelensky as head of DESS until March 26, 2026.  https://ukranews.com/ua/news/1070112-kabmin-prodovzhyv-robotu-yelenskogo-golovoyu-derzhetnopolityky-do-bereznya-2026  The Cabinet of Ministers still has taken no action on approving the three sets of regulations relating to Law 2894.   DESS is not able to begin enforcement of much of the Law until these regulations are approved.  It is likely that the Zelensky administration is reluctant to begin enforcement of Law 2894 because enforcement may have a negative effect on relations with the Trump administration.  The UOC has been relatively quiet recently – perhaps waiting to see what will happen in the international discussions relating to the Ukrainian war.  One exception is that Metropolitan Onufry, primate of the UOC, issued a strong address on the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine.   https://uoc-news.church/2025/02/24/address-of-his-beatitude-metropolitan-onufriy-in-relation-to-the-third-anniversary-of-the-full-scale-russian-attack-on-ukraine/?lang=en  The address included the following statement:  “Our Motherland has already been opposing the full-scale Russian military invasion for three years.  For three years, our Motherland has been suffering from the horrible bloodshed that the Russian army, which takes away the lives of our fellow countrymen literally every day, has brought to our Ukrainian land.”  I believe that it is the strongest statement made by Metropolitan Onufry since his statement on the day of the invasion in February 2022.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 14 March 2025: Sunday's election of a new Albanian Archbishop

  Today, March 13, the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania made an announcement concerning the election of a new Archbishop.  https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/2025/03/02/testamenti-i-kryepiskopit-te-tiranes-durresit-dhe-gjithe-shqiperise-%e2%80%a0-anastasit-janullatos/  The announcement reads as follows:

  The Holy Synod of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania announces that the election of the new Archbishop of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania, who will succeed the late Archbishop Anastasios, will be held on the Second Sunday of Lent, March 16, 2025, at the Synodic Center, after the Divine Liturgy.  The selection process will follow the provisions of the Statute of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania.  

  The Statute of the Albanian Church, adopted in 2006, is set forth at https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/2015/03/24/statuti-i-kishes-orthodhokse-autoqefale-te-shqiperise/ .  The election on Sunday will be the first held under the terms of the Statute.  Furthermore, Archbishop Anastasios was appointed as Archbishop by the Ecumenical Patriarchate in 1992 and not elected locally.  Articles 12 and 17 provide that the Holy Synod elects the Archbishop.  Article 17 also provides that the “Clerical-Laity Council proposes candidates for episcopal consecration.”  The latter provision does not seem to be applicable as the candidates for Archbishop are presumably bishops who have already been ordained.  The Statute does not provide any other details with respect to the election of the Archbishop by the Holy Synod.

  In searching the Internet, I have found little speculation as to whom the next Archbishop will be.  The websites that have discussed the issue all assume that the next Archbishop will be Metropolitan John (Joani in Albanian) of Korça, now Locum Tenens of the Albanian Church.   No other names are mentioned.  See for example, https://orthodoxtimes.com/church-of-albania-the-day-after-archbishop-anastasios/;  https://www.orthodoxianewsagency.gr/aytokefales_ekklisies/ekklisia_albanias/i-epomeni-mera-stin-arxiepiskopi-alvanias/   Metropolitan John is age 69.  Korça is located in Eastern Albania, approximately 25 km from the border with Greece.  There is a substantial Orthodox population in the area, and the city has the largest Orthodox church in Albania. 

  The most interesting article that I have found about Metropolitan John is found at https://en.protothema.gr/2025/02/03/metropolitan-ioannis-the-successor-of-anastasios-is-the-son-of-dervishes-who-was-secretly-baptized-a-christian/ and  https://www.protothema.gr/greece/article/1596078/mitropolitis-ioannis-o-diadohos-tou-anastasiou-einai-paidi-dervisidon-pou-vaftistike-krufa-hristianos/   The following are some excerpts from it:

  He was born into a Bektashi family – an Islamic Sufi community – in Albania.  He secretly embraced Christianity while still in school, risking imprisonment, torture, exile, or even death, during a time when the Hoxha regime imposed harsh persecutions on religions.  He was part of a group of crypto-Christians and speaks fluent Greek, having studied at a Greek Orthodox school in the USA.  He was the first bishop ordained by Archbishop Anastasios and became his right hand.  He is expected to be the first head of the Albanian Church to be elected by the Albanian Holy Synod.

  Fatmir Pelushi is the secular name of today’s Metropolitan of Korça, John, who is emerging as the undisputed favorite to take over the position of Archbishop of Albania.  As a spiritual child of Anastasios and his choice for the position – a position he is entitled to due to seniority – it is almost certain that John will be elected by the six-member [now actually seven-members] Holy Synod of Albania, about two weeks after the death of Archbishop Anastasios.  The only thing he has promised over time is that he will continue his predecessor’s great humanitarian work, focusing all his efforts on the poor, the weak, and the sick.

  In Albania, Metropolitan John is known as Metropolitan Joani or Father Joani Pelushi.  He was considered the alter ego of the blessed Archbishop of Albania, whom he accompanied or even replaced as the head of delegations of the Orthodox Church of Albania when needed, such as in July 2013 during the celebrations of the 1025th anniversary of the baptism of Rus and in October 2015 at the Fifth Pan-Orthodox Pre-Synodal Meeting….

  As “a child” of Anastasios, in the Diocese of Korça, he has done significant work in writing and translating books, newspapers, and magazines, as well as helping the weak.  He leads an ascetic life – for example, he does not even have a television at home because he considers it a “provocation” and is generally a very low-profile person, avoiding public interventions.  However, this does not mean that he lacks the courage of his convictions, which are often very sharp….

  Having a rich spiritual and literary output, having translated at least nine books into Albanian (his first being “On the Holy Spirit,” published in 1996), he frequently writes for the Albanian newspaper “Resurrection,” has participated in scientific and religious symposia, and is the editor of the magazine “Tempulli,” which is published by the Albanian Orthodox Church in Albanian, Greek, and English.  He does not consider his literary work to be something extraordinary.  “God will not congratulate me if I write a perfect book on Theology.  But He will ask me what happened to the poor old woman I ignored,” he has said.  However, even more interesting than his literary work and ecclesiastical journey is his life.

  Born on the first day of 1956 in Tirana, the Albanian metropolitan has a distinct dark beard and features that do not betray either his age or the risky life he led.  His father was imprisoned in 1944 as an “enemy of the state,” he himself was arrested several times, and even today he has often been targeted by Albanian nationalists as an “enemy of Albanians,” a “spy for the Greeks,” and even a “CIA agent,” mainly due to the fact that he is a spiritual child of Anastasios.

  Despite coming from a family of Muslim dervishes, he says that it was probably inevitable for him to become a crypto-Christian during a time when religious persecutions in Albania were very harsh, given that the Bektashis are essentially crypto-Christians….

  A child who always loved to read, John – with his first secular name being Fatmir, meaning “Good Luck” – first came into contact with Christianity when a friend of his, a crypto-Christian, gave him the New Testament in French to help him learn French.  After the New Testament, he read many books by Orthodox, Catholic, Muslim, and Jewish authors, which he secretly borrowed from the Library of Tirana, where he knew the librarian.  “Every person who believed in God was my ally, just as for the state, they were its enemy,” he has said.  He quickly became a member of a secret ecclesiastical group.

  He knew that both he and his family could pay a high price for this, but he did not care.  It was the time of Hoxha, when Archbishop Kristofor was arrested and died in custody in Tirana (it is believed that he was poisoned, “he had the death of a martyr,” says Metropolitan John).  Metropolitan Irineos was exiled, and thousands were killed, tortured, and imprisoned because of their faith.

  He was officially baptized a Christian by Father Kosmas in 1979 and took the name John the Theologian.  “It was a dangerous time to do something like that.  There were Albanian priests who were executed for this.  It was in the cellar of his house.  His son was standing outside, like a sentry.”   He would secretly meet with other crypto-Christians, secretly performing liturgies – in the dead of night – as he himself has described.  After completing his studies (Psychology) at the University of Tirana, and overcoming the depression that afflicted him, armed with the Gospel, he began working in a psychiatric clinic in the Albanian capital. “What a perfect cover for me!  What better job for a follower of Christ than to care for patients?  In fact, the ‘mad’ often weren’t mad at all, a family member might denounce them as such to prevent their arrest and conviction,” he says in his narrative in the book “The Resurrection of the Church in Albania.”

  However, even his tenure there was not exactly smooth.  On several occasions, he was targeted by the Secret Services, culminating on the day they raided his office after someone reported that he kept a Bible in a drawer.  The truth is that he would have been arrested if the clinic’s director and nephew of the head of the Secret Police had not stopped them from entering the office simply because he liked John – or Fatmir, as he knew him.

  A little later, with a scholarship he received from the Albanian Community of the USA, he entered the Greek Orthodox Theological School of the Holy Cross in Brookline [Massachusetts], where he studied.  But he always had in mind the return to his homeland. Thus, when Anastasios took office as Archbishop, he managed to communicate with him.  The Greek hierarch inspired him with his determination to restore the Albanian Church.  To this day, he sees him as the embodiment of his ideals. “Through him, I was able to see an unwavering example of how to combine our dedication to God and man.”   Thus, in 1993, rejecting offers to remain in the United States and work there as a priest, he returned to his homeland.   On February 27 of the following year, he was ordained to the rank of deacon and on December 4 of the same year to the priesthood by Archbishop Anastasios…. It was July 18, 1998, in his hometown of Tirana, that he was elected Metropolitan of Korçë at the founding session of the newly established Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church of Albania….

  What can the Albanian Church now expect from John?  He himself has said this before, explaining to Jim Forest why he preferred to return to Albania instead of staying in the United States: “This is my country.  This is the Church that really needs me. Here I can make a difference.  Yes, it is difficult here, but where is it not difficult?   This is where I was baptized and here I took my first communion.  There were many good friends there who thought I was crazy to come back, and there are people here who think the same - even people who say I'm a CIA spy or that I get a lot of money by being a bishop.  Otherwise, why would I have come back?  They can't imagine any other motive than financial gain.  But what can we offer the world as Orthodox Christians?  Not money, but the spirit of sacrifice.  We must teach people the responsibility that comes with freedom - the Albanian word is liria.  Such an important word."

  If you wish to see Metropolitan John, the following is a 31-minute YouTube video (English subtitles), posted two weeks ago, in which Metropolitan John discusses the meaning of the spiritual life.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-iTYwqcxu0  The following are extensive English-language excerpts about Metropolitan John from Jim Forest’s book, The Resurrection of the Church in Albania (2002).  https://web.archive.org/web/20060220181151/http://incommunion.org/articles/church-in-albania/freedom

  We must now wait and see if Metropolitan John will actually be elected on Sunday.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 25 February 2025 (2): Statement of UGCC on 3rd anniversary of invasion

  One of my newsletter recipients has just furnished to me the appeal of the UGCC issued this morning on the third anniversary of the invasion.  https://ugcc.ua/en/data/appeal-of-the-permanent-synod-of-bishops-of-the-ukrainian-greek-catholic-church-on-the-third-anniversary-of-the-full-scale-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-1461/  I have pasted it below as a supplement to the email that I sent to you a few minutes ago.  Peter

  APPEAL
  of the Permanent Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church on the Third Anniversary of the Full-Scale Russian Invasion of Ukraine

  Three years ago, Ukrainians awoke to the sound of explosions and anxious phone calls bearing the dreadful words: “The war has begun.” At dawn on February 24, 2022, the first air raid siren echoed across our land, and for 1,097 days and nights, it has not fallen silent.

  Over these years, Ukrainians have learned to navigate the harsh realities of full-scale war. The wail of sirens, though ever-present, no longer instills the same terror—it has become a call to vigilance, a summons to action. We know where the nearest shelter is and how long our phone charge will last. We structure our days around power outages. Businesses, both great and small, continue to adapt with remarkable ingenuity. Soldiers, medics, and rescuers sharpen their skill and resolve daily to preserve life. Families remain connected across borders, sustaining one another.

  Yet, we have not become accustomed to war. One cannot grow used to evil, nor resign oneself to it. We have become stronger than we were on that fateful morning three years ago. But we have not come to terms with our losses—each one hurts. Every fallen defender, every innocent life lost remains in the memory of God and people. We remember and pray. We support and uphold. We stand and fight, ever mindful of the God-given dignity that no force on earth can take from us.

  The destruction, suffering, and trauma inflicted upon our nation are staggering. Even if the war ended today, decades would be required to rebuild what has been damaged or destroyed: 3,500 school and university buildings, over 1,200 hospitals, 670 churches, thousands of kilometers of roads, hundreds of thousands of homes, power stations, and factories.

  Even more difficult will be the restoration and healing of lives shattered by war. It is not only our land that has been scarred by craters from rockets, mines, and drones. Tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians bear grievous wounds, and countless more suffer the unseen pain of trauma. Thousands of our children have been torn from their homeland and are being raised to hate their homeland. Extraordinary efforts will be required to bring back nearly seven million refugees and to ensure the safe return of four million internally displaced persons— so they can once again have a home—a place of safety, comfort, family love, and warmth.

  Yet, we have not become a people defined by war—we have become a people defined by sacrifice. Ukraine ranks among the top ten countries in the global charity index. Hundreds of thousands—men and women, young and old—have taken up arms in defense of their homeland, their values, and the very gift of life itself. Many have made the ultimate sacrifice. Across our land, yellow and blue flags on graves testify to their love and our gratitude. Millions contribute daily, and the word “fundraiser” has become as familiar as “missile strike.” The latter seeks to bring death; the former brings forth life.

  We have become a nation on the Way of the Cross. Yet we, as Christians, know where this path leads—to the Resurrection, to the fullness of life in the freedom and dignity of God’s children.

  This war is a test of our humanity. And in the face of profound evil and suffering, Ukrainians respond with self-sacrifice and resolve. It is through this sacrifice that we endure. For this, we give thanks to each and every person. With deep reverence and gratitude, we pray for and support our defenders, wherever they may be—on the front lines or in the rear, in captivity or in hospitals. They and their families remain ever present in the prayers of the Church.

  We endure thanks to the solidarity of people of goodwill. On behalf of the bishops of our Church, we express our heartfelt gratitude to Catholics around the world, to nations, leaders, charitable organizations, journalists, medical workers, and millions of others who have stood with us for these three years. Your prayers, your words, your deeds sustain us. God’s strength is our strength.

  Yet Ukraine still needs your voice, your solidarity. As the world deliberates peace agreements, we must remind all: Ukraine is not merely a land—it is its people. It is for their dignity and freedom that our best sons and daughters lay down their lives. And they do so not only for Ukraine but for the dignity and freedom of all people. This heroic sacrifice must never be forgotten, diminished, or betrayed.

  Russia brings death, devastation, and the eradication of religious freedom. In the occupied territories, our brothers and sisters in faith—clergy and faithful of various confessions—are prisoners of the aggressor. The occupiers have already taken the lives of 67 pastors from different Churches. Many have suffered captivity, and others remain imprisoned. History bears witness: whenever Russia occupies Ukraine, our Church faces persecution. This was true in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, in 1946, and now once more. We are called to be the voice of the persecuted, to ensure that in no peace agreement, in name only, will our faith, dignity, or freedom become a bargaining chip. True peace cannot exist without justice. An unjust truce is a criminal mockery that will only lead to greater injustice and suffering.

  To the world, we proclaim: Ukrainians believe in the triumph of God’s truth. Even amidst sorrow and ruin, we remain a people of hope. We believe in the Resurrection, for we know: God is with us—with the persecuted, the oppressed, the mourning, and the suffering. In Him, we place all our trust. And so, we stand, we fight, we pray.

  We know that one morning, we will receive the long-awaited call: “The war is over,” and we will offer our prayers of thanksgiving before the throne of the Almighty.

  Christ is Risen! Ukraine shall rise!

  + SVIATOSLAV

   

• 25 February 2025: Metropolitan Onufry and Church Council on 3rd anniversary of invasion

  https://uoc-news.church/2025/02/24/address-of-his-beatitude-metropolitan-onufriy-in-relation-to-the-third-anniversary-of-the-full-scale-russian-attack-on-ukraine/?lang=en

  Address of His Beatitude Metropolitan Onufriy of Kyiv and All Ukraine in relation to the third anniversary of the full-scale Russian attack on Ukraine

  Dear brothers and sisters! Dear Ukrainians! 

  Our Motherland has already been opposing the full-scale Russian military invasion for three years. For three years, our Motherland has been suffering from the horrible bloodshed that the Russian army, which takes away the lives of our fellow countrymen literally every day, has brought to our Ukrainian land.

  The Lord has left His Divine peace with mankind (cf. John 14:27), with which everyone is blessed (cf. Ps. 28:11). Nothing can be an excuse for those who break the blessed peace, multiply hatred, and sow death. Instead, those who cherish justice and stand in defence of their relatives and loved ones are adorned with great works of good.

  This day has recently become a special National Prayer Day in Ukraine. We offer up our prayers to the Giver of peace (cf. Phil. 4:9) and the Lord of hosts (cf. Ps. 45:8, 12) for all the Ukrainian servicemen, who carry on their self-sacrificing feat every day, courageously defending Ukraine and her residents. We also pray for all the medical workers and emergency service workers, who, despite tiredness and other concomitant hardships, selflessly serve their neighbours.

  The Ukrainian Orthodox Church, regardless of slander, speculation, and artificial accusations, remains with her people, caring about their well-being and the coming of a just peace in our Motherland. Saint Gregory the Theologian notes: to honour a mother is a religious duty. Now, different individuals have different mothers; but the common mother of all is our country. It is Ukraine that is the Motherland of millions of believers of our Church, among whom there are servicemen and medical workers, rescuers and volunteers, members of social and humanitarian missions.

  Dear brothers and sisters! Let us offer up today our prayers to the Loving Heavenly Father to bless the long-suffering Ukraine and all our fellow countrymen! Let us preserve our internal unity, let us not lose respect for one another, and let us not forget about all those who gave their lives for a peaceful future of our country.

  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all (cf. 2 Cor. 13:14).

  Lord, oh the Great and Almighty, protect our beloved Ukraine! 

  Onufriy

  Metropolitan of Kyiv and All Ukraine

  Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church

  https://vrciro.org.ua/en/statements/vishcha-spravedlivist-vimagae-zasudzhennya-rosiyskoi-agresii-zlo-ne-mozhe-buti-vinagorodzhene-ale-mae-buti-spravedlivo-pokarane-zvernennya-vrtsiro-naperedodni-tretoi-richnitsi-povnomasshtabnogo-vtorgnennya-v-ukrainu

  APPEAL of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations on the Eve of the Third Anniversary of Russia’s Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine and Regarding Prayer for Ukraine 

  Another year of the horrific war unleashed by russia against Ukraine and the free world has passed. On February 24, 2025, we mark three years of heroic resistance by Ukraine’s Defense Forces and the entire Ukrainian nation against full-scale russian aggression, as well as the 11th anniversary of the russian-Ukrainian war. 

  With God’s help, the resilience of Ukrainian warriors and society, and the support of international partners, the russian aggressor has been halted, its plans thwarted, a significant part of Ukraine’s territory liberated from occupation, and the foundations laid for future victory and the establishment of a just peace for Ukraine. 

  Russia’s war of conquest against Ukraine has brought immense suffering, grief, and loss to the Ukrainian people. It has led to the destruction of cities and civilian infrastructure, gross violations of human rights and freedoms in temporarily occupied territories, including religious persecution, the closure of churches, the torture and killing of religious leaders from various denominations, the forced migration of millions, the separation of families, the abduction of Ukrainian children, and the horrific treatment of military personnel and civilian prisoners. 

  At the core of russia’s aggression and these heinous crimes lies the chauvinistic and misanthropic ideology of the so-called "russian world", which is actively promoted by the kremlin along with the russian orthodox church and other russian religious institutions. Once again, we call upon democratic nations, religious leaders of various faiths, and all people of goodwill to condemn the ideology of the "russian world" and its adherents. We honor the memory of every Defender who has given their life for Ukraine and freedom, and we lift our prayers that God may strengthen and comfort every Ukrainian family. We express our deep gratitude to the Ukrainian warriors of the Defense Forces of Ukraine and pray to the Almighty for their strength in the fight for Ukraine’s defense and freedom. 

  We extend our gratitude to every individual contributing to the strengthening of Ukraine’s defense capabilities and bringing victory closer. 

  We are also grateful to all international partners who, through concrete actions, uphold the value of human life and assist Ukrainians in defending freedom and democracy. Supreme justice demands the condemnation of russian aggression—evil must not be rewarded but justly punished. 

  We appeal to the Ukrainian people and authorities to remain courageous in this struggle of good against evil, to believe in the triumph of righteousness, to support one another, to stay united, and to do everything necessary for victory and the common good. 

  Recently, the Ukrainian Parliament established a National Day of Prayer, to be observed annually on February 24. We call upon representatives of various religious traditions in Ukraine and beyond to turn to the Almighty on this day, each according to their faith, and to unite in prayer for victory and a just peace for Ukraine. 

  May God’s blessing be upon Ukraine and the Ukrainian people!  

• 24 February 2025: Estonian church law passes first reading & other news

  On February 19, 2025, a majority of the members of the Riigikogu, the Estonian Parliament, voted, on the first reading, in favor of the government’s draft law amending Estonia’s Churches and Congregations Act.  https://www.riigikogu.ee/en/sitting-reviews/riigikogu-concluded-the-first-reading-of-a-bill-amending-the-churches-and-congregations-act/   The draft law is designated “570 SE”, and the text of the draft law can be accessed at https://www.riigikogu.ee/tegevus/eelnoud/eelnou/133fc804-5a56-46f8-b595-84cc2a66465f/Kirikute%20ja%20koguduste%20seaduse%20muutmise%20seadus/.  With respect to the first reading, the official English website of the Riigikogu reports, in part, as follows:

  According to the Bill, a church, monastery or congregation operating in Estonia may not in its activities be managed by, or through its statutes or financially be connected with a governing body, a spiritual centre, a spiritual leader or an association located in a foreign country that poses a threat to the security, public order or constitutional order of the Estonian state.  Nor can there be such a connection with a person or institution that incites war, terrorist crimes or violence or supports military aggression.

  The Bill will also specify who can serve as a minister of religion in Estonia.  A person who has a criminal record or who is not allowed to reside or stay in Estonia cannot be a minister of religion.  In addition, the requirements for the statutes of a religious association will be specified.  Churches and congregations that will need to bring their statutes and operating principles into line with the Act will have two months from the entry into force of the Act to do so.

  …

  The Estonian Conservative People’s Party Group and the Estonian Centre Party Group moved to reject the Bill at the first reading.  11 members of the Riigikogu voted in favour of the motion and 41 voted against.  Thus, the motion was not supported, and the first reading of the Bill was concluded.

  The passing of a draft act requires three readings.  The law-making procedure of the Riigikogu and the nature of the three readings are described on the English website of the Riigikogu at  https://www.riigikogu.ee/en/introduction-and-history/riigikogu-tasks-organisation-work/what-does-riigikogu/legislative-work/ .  In my newsletter of 3 February 2025, I analyzed the key provisions of 570 SE and concluded that they suffer from some of the same legal defects under international law as does Ukrainian Law 3894.  See https://www.unifr.ch/orthodoxia/de/dokumentation/anderson/.   The first paragraph in bold above would presumably be applicable to the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate because it acknowledges its canonical connection with the Moscow Patriarchate and because of its connection with Patriarch Kirill who supports the invasion of Ukraine.  The second paragraph in bold would presumably be applicable to the head of the Church, Metropolitan Evgeniy (Reshetnikov) of Tallinn and All Estonia, because he was denied his temporary residence permit and has not been allowed to reside in Estonia since February 6, 2024.

  Two days earlier, on February 17, the Holy Synod of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate issued a statement. https://et.orthodox.ee/messages/mpeok-sinodi-avaldus-oleme-seaduskuulekas-kirik-ja-soovime-jatkata-usulist-tegevust-rahus/;  https://orthochristian.com/167501.html (English translation).  It included the following:  Although in the canonical sense we are an autonomous part of the Moscow Patriarchate, this concerns exclusively canonical and Eucharistic unity and does not mean practical management and administration of our Church by political or governmental circles of a foreign state.  Our Church is completely independent in its daily activities, economic decisions, and parish management.  All our decisions are made by the governing bodies of the Estonian Church—the Council and Synod, guided by canonical law and the laws of the Republic of Estonia and taking into account the needs of local parishes.  Abbess Philareta of the famous Pükhtitsa Monastery in Estonia and her sisters also wrote an appeal to the members of the Riigikogu with respect to the proposed law.   https://www.puhtitsa.ee/index.php?view=article&id=498:2025-02-03&catid=18;  https://orthochristian.com/167070.html (English translation)   In the appeal, they ask the question:  Do you truly want to go down in history as parliamentarians who forcibly terminated the existence of a well-known Orthodox women’s monastery in Estonia that has existed for more than a hundred years?

  With respect to Ukraine, I have seen no activity relating to Law 3894 in the last few weeks.  On January 13, Dr. Viktor Yelensky, head of DESS, stated at a Ukrinform news conference what must be done before DESS can begin to enforce Law 3894.  https://spzh.eu/en/news/84032-dess-head-explains-when-uoc-banning-law-will-take-effect  A video of his remarks can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/live/c9ttFEcl3dU  (beginning at 36:50)  At the conference, Yelensky stated that the Cabinet of Ministers must approve four sets of regulations before Law 3894 can be enforced by DESS: (1) the procedure for issuing orders; (2) the procedure for granting permission for interactions with banned religious organizations; (3) guidance with respect to those elements of the ideology of “Russian world” that may not be promulgated by a religious organization under 3894; (4) the procedure for transferring religious buildings.   Of the four, it would appear that the first would be the most important.  Presumably, it would relate to such matters as the use of experts by DESS to determine “affiliation” with a foreign religious organization.

  On January 31, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the procedures for granting approval to relations, connections, or communications with banned foreign religious organizations.   https://www.kmu.gov.ua/npas/pro-zatverdzhennia-poriadku-nadannia-indyvidualnoho-pohodzhennia-na-vidnosyny-taabo-zviazky-taabo-komunikatsii-z-inozemnoiu-relihiinoiu-orhanizatsiieiu-diialnist-iakoi-i310125-107  (Decree No. 107)  Of the four sets of regulations specified above, this is the second set.  A Google English translation of the complete text of this second set, together with my comments, are found in my newsletter of 7 February 2025.  See https://www.unifr.ch/orthodoxia/de/dokumentation/anderson/  Most significantly, the Cabinet of Ministers still has not taken action on the other three sets of regulations relating to 3894.  This can be seen from https://www.kmu.gov.ua/npasearch which lists the decrees of the Cabinet of Ministers issued to date.  It is my personal belief that the Ukrainian government is reluctant to allow the general enforcement of 3894 to go ahead at this time as it may further exacerbate the very fragile relationship between the Trump and Zelensky governments.

  In Bulgaria, the Holy Synod elected a new Metropolitan of Vidin on February 9.  The Vidin Diocesan Electoral Council on February 2 had elected a shortlist of two bishops to be the candidates of which one would be selected by the Holy Synod.  The two candidates were Bishop Pahomiy of Branitsa (First Vicar Bishop of Sofia) and Bishop Gerasim of Melnik (General Secretary of the Holy Synod).  In the secret ballot election by the Holy Synod, Bishop Pahomiy received 14 votes, and Bishop Gerasim received 0 votes.  All of the members of the Synod voted, and there were no abstentions.  https://bg-patriarshia.bg/news/izlozhenie-za-provedenia-na-9-fevruari-2025-g-kanonicheski-i  The Holy Synod has recently been very divided between metropolitans who sympathize with Constantinople and those who sympathize with Moscow.  The fact that all members were able to agree on the future new metropolitan of Vidin is a hopeful sign of greater unity within the Synod.   On the other hand, it should be remembered that the Holy Synod, because of its divisions, took months to decide upon the list of bishops to be submitted for consideration by the Vidin Diocesan Electoral Council.  It should also be remembered that Bishop Gerasim was one of the two finalists to head the vacant diocese of Sliven.  In the vote by the Holy Synod on May 26, 2024, Gerasim’s supporters included Metropolitans Daniil and Gavriil, both of whom sympathize with Moscow.  The supporters of Bishop Arseniy, who won the election and became the new Metropolitan of Sliven, included Metropolitans Nikolai, Antony, Naum, Cyprian, and Yakov, who sympathize with Constantinople.  Thus, the unanimous vote received by Pahomiy on February 9 could mean that the Constantinople sympathizers simply found Pahomiy to be less objectionable than Gerasim.

  Of all of the Bulgarian bishops, it appears that Pahomiy was the favorite of Patriarch Daniil from the beginning.  At the first meeting of the Holy Synod following the election of Patriarch Daniil, the Patriarch chose Pahomiy, the rector of the Sofia Theological Seminary "St. John of Rila,” to be his first vicar bishop.  In the months that followed, it is reported that at the Patriarch’s public appearances, Bishop Pahomiy was almost always at the Patriarch’s side.  It appears that Bishop Pahomiy is generally regarded as very capable.  The Patriarch and the Holy Synod in a letter introducing Pahomiy to the faithful of the Vidin Diocese, praised his “experience, energy, theological knowledge, outstanding administrative qualities, good acquaintances among the Orthodox world, and his entire ministry.”  In searching the Bulgarian Internet, I have not found any statements by Pahomiy relating to Ukraine or the Ecumenical Patriarchate.  His education and church assignments have been exclusively in Bulgaria.

  On February 17, Patriarch Daniil met in Sofia with Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon (Ecumenical Patriarchate). https://bg-patriarshia.bg/news/sreshta-na-balgarskia-patriarh-daniil-i-chlenove-na-svetia-s  The website of the Bulgarian Patriarchate stated:  “During the meeting, topical issues were raised concerning the Orthodox Church and its spiritual mission in the world - about the dialogue between the Local Churches, about the upcoming celebrations in connection with the 1700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, as well as other issues of mutual interest.”  

  As most everyone knows, Pope Francis is now suffering from a critical medical condition.   On February 18, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew sent a handwritten letter to Pope Francis wishing him a full recovery with God’s help. https://ec-patr.org/message-of-support-from-the-ecumenical-patriarch-to-the-ailing-pope-francis/?fbclid=IwY2xjawIoeDZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHZxeoIqpm9QawHJYiJtTGCoOKNxnbY7oish0agZQxb9qAP7mnRkFILCOuA_aem_b9onZja8JULJtIHWgPTUyA

  In my opinion, Pope Francis has worked so hard during his pontificate to reach out to the Orthodox.  Especially during this serious medical crisis, I pray that Our Lord will bless and help Pope Francis in every way and that the Mother of God, to whom Pope Francis is so greatly devoted, will intercede for him. 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA 

• 7 February 2025: New legal analysis of 3894 and first regulations

  TO THOSE NEWSLETTER RECIPIENTS WHO MAY HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST IN UKRAINIAN LAW 3894:

  New Legal Analysis of Ukrainian Law 3894

  The attorney, Robert Amsterdam, has just issued a 25-page legal analysis of Ukrainian Law 3894.  Unlike the arguments of the supporters of Law 3894, Amsterdam’s analysis is based on the actual language of 3894. The analysis can be read at https://savetheuoc.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Ukraines-War-on-Religious-Freedom-Final.pdf    His analysis is very consistent with my analysis found at https://www.unifr.ch/orthodoxia/de/assets/public/files/Dokumentation/Anderson/LAW 3894 OF UKRAINE.pdf .  The analysis was distributed by Amsterdam at the International Religious Freedom Summit being held in Washington, D.C. this week.

  Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers issues the first set of regulations relating to Ukrainian Law 3894

  Ukrainian Law 3894 directs the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers to take certain actions to implement the Law.  An English translation of Law 3894 is found at  https://www.unifr.ch/orthodoxia/de/assets/public/files/Dokumentation/Anderson/LAW 3894 OF UKRAINE.pdf  At page 5 of the translation, the Cabinet of Ministers has the responsibility of preparing the procedure for granting consent to relations, connections, or communications with a prohibited foreign religious organization.  At page 6 of the translation, the Cabinet of Ministers is to prepare procedures for the determination of whether a religious organization is promoting the ideology of “Russian world.”  On page 26 of the translation, there is a reference to the Cabinet of Ministers establishing the procedure for the transfer of state or municipal religious property for free use or loan.  On pages 27 and 28, there is a list of other obligations of the Cabinet of Ministers.

  On January 13, Dr. Viktor Yelensky, head of DESS, stated at a Ukrinform news conference what must be done before DESS can begin to enforce Law 3894.  https://spzh.eu/en/news/84032-dess-head-explains-when-uoc-banning-law-will-take-effect  A video of his remarks can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/live/c9ttFEcl3dU  (beginning at 36:50)  At the conference, Yelensky stated that the Cabinet of Ministers must approve four sets of regulations before Law 3894 can be enforced by DESS: (1) the procedure for issuing orders; (2) the procedure for granting permission for interactions with banned religious organizations; (3) guidance with respect to those elements of the ideology of “Russian world” that may not be promulgated by a religious organization under 3894; (4) the procedure for transferring religious buildings.   Of the four, it would appear that the first would be the most important.  Presumably, it would relate to such matters as the use of experts by DESS to determine “affiliation” with a foreign religious organization.

  Earlier in January, People’s Deputy Mykyta Poturayev, head of the Rada’s Committee on Humanitarian and Information Policy (the committee that was responsible for 3894) stated that the regulations implementing 3894 have been drafted by DESS and are awaiting approval by the Cabinet of Ministers.   https://glavcom.ua/country/politics/zaborona-moskovskoji-tserkvi-v-ukrajini-sluha-narodu-pojasniv-shcho-halmuje-protses--1039201.html#google_vignette  He attributes the delay in approval to an examination of a certain part by the Ministry of Finance.  Poturayev states that by the end of January “everything will be ready” for DESS “to conduct examinations on the connection of the church with the aggressor state.”  [Under the terms of 3894, the Cabinet of Ministers was required to complete its work by November 24, 2024 (three months after the publication of the Law).  Obviously, this deadline has far passed.]

  On January 31, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the procedures for granting approval to relations, connections, or communications with banned foreign religious organizations.   https://www.kmu.gov.ua/npas/pro-zatverdzhennia-poriadku-nadannia-indyvidualnoho-pohodzhennia-na-vidnosyny-taabo-zviazky-taabo-komunikatsii-z-inozemnoiu-relihiinoiu-orhanizatsiieiu-diialnist-iakoi-i310125-107  (Decree No. 107)  Of the four sets of regulations specified above, this is the second set.  However, the Cabinet of Ministers have taken no action to date on the other three sets of regulations relating to 3894.  This can be seen from https://www.kmu.gov.ua/npasearch which lists the decrees of the Cabinet of Ministers issued to date.  The following is my personal belief as to what is happening:  The Ukrainian government is reluctant to allow the general enforcement of 3894 to go ahead at this time as it may “rock the boat” in the new and delicate relationship between the Trump and Zelensky governments.  Vice President Vance, as a senator last year, expressed his concern about the draft law which has now become Law 3894.  This week at the International Religious Freedom Summit, Vice President Vance spoke about the importance of religious freedom.  His speech can be watched at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJMYrOTHvhc.  By approving only one set of the regulations, the Ukrainian government has taken a very cautious step.  The Cabinet of Ministers can now say that it is doing something to implement 3894, but in this regard it has chosen the set of regulations that will probably results in the least amount of international attention.

  The text of the set of regulations approved on January 31 can be read through a link on the Decree referenced above.  I have attached to this report a pdf document which contains (1) the language of 3894 relating to relations, connections, or communications with a foreign religious organization; (2) the text of the set of regulations in the original Ukrainian language; and (3) a Google English translation of the text of the regulations. 

  The regulations relates to the provisions of 3894 which in essence provide:  “Relations and/or connections, and/or communications of religious organizations, including religious communities, other legal entities under private law, with …[the Moscow Patriarchate]…are not allowed, except when they are carried out with the consent of…[DESS].”   The foregoing statutory language is unclear as to whether the word  “including” relates to “other legal entities under private law” as well as to “religious communities.”   In other words, does the prohibition only apply to “legal entities under private law” which are also  “religious organizations”?  Paragraph 3 of the regulations provides:  “DESS grants consent to a religious organization or other legal entity under private law in the person of its authorized representative.”  This language clearly implies that the prohibition applies not only to religious organizations but also to “legal entities under private law,” such as corporations, partnerships, and other legal entities which have no relationship to religion.

  Aside from the foregoing, the regulations provide little guidance on how the statutory language should be construed.  For example, if an owner of a non-religious business in Ukraine sends a birthday card with a signature to a bishop of the Moscow Patriarchate, must the owner first obtain the consent of DESS?  One can think of many other examples where the answer is unclear.  One would think that the regulations would give the public more guidance.

  The statutory language of 3894 mandates that the regulations specify “the grounds for granting and refusing the granting of consent” by DESS.  Paragraph 12 of the approved regulations lists the “grounds for the DESS's refusal to grant approval.”  This is then followed by four subparagraphs where approval will be refused.  Subparagraphs 2, 3, and 4 relate to the failure to submit complete and reliable paperwork.  The only other listed ground for refusal is subparagraph 1, which provides:  “non-compliance of the application and the documents attached to it with the requirements of the legislation.”  Such a broad and general statement provides almost no information to the public as to the specific criteria used by DESS to deny a request.  In my personal opinion, subparagraph 1 is totally inadequate and allows DESS almost unfettered discretion.

  Download document

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

   

• 3 February 2025: Important developments in Bulgaria and Estonia

  Normally, the election of a new member of the Holy Synod of a Local Orthodox Church would not be considered important news.  However, in Bulgaria, it is important.  The Holy Synod of the Bulgarian Patriarchate is sharply divided into two wings.  One wing favors the Ecumenical Patriarch and the recognition of the OCU.  Its primary members are Metropolitans Nikolai, Anthony, Naum, Cyprian, Yakov, and Arseny.  The other wing is headed by Patriarch Daniil and does not recognize the actions of the Ecumenical Patriarch in Ukraine.   Each new Synod member can have an effect on the future direction of the Bulgarian Patriarchate.  Interestingly, Bulgarian society likewise is now divided on various matters.  For example, Bulgaria was without an elected government from April 9, 2024, until January 16, 2025.  https://sofiaglobe.com/2025/01/16/bulgarias-parliament-votes-zhelyazkov-government-into-office/#google_vignette)   

  The election of Metropolitan Daniil of Vidin as Patriarch on June 30 created a vacancy for a new metropolitan to head the Vidin diocese.  This metropolitan will automatically be a member of the Holy Synod.  Under the charter of the Bulgarian Patriarchate, there is a three-step procedure for electing a new metropolitan to head a diocese.  https://bg-patriarshia.bg/statute (Articles 83 - 94)   The first step is for the Synod to prepare a list of those bishops whom the Synod desires to be candidates for the vacancy.  Because of the difficulty of the members of the Synod to decide which bishops would be on the list for the Vidin vacancy, the list was not published until January 14 – more than six months after the vacancy was created.  https://bg-patriarshia.bg/en/news/the-holy-synod-determined-the-list-of-bishops-who-are-candid   The published list contains the names of eight bishops.  One of the candidates, Bishop Vissarion of Smolyan (vicar bishop under Metropolitan Nikolai), requested the Synod to remove his name from the list for health reasons.   https://bg-patriarshia.bg/news/pismo-na-smolenskia-episkop-visarion-do-balgarskia-patriarh 

  In the second step, the Vidin Diocesan Electoral Council elects a “shortlist” of two bishops from the list of bishops provided by the Holy Synod.  In the case of the Vidin Council, the Council consists of 30 clergy and laypersons – six persons from each of the five deaneries.  In the election, each of the Council members circles the names of two bishops.  To be on the shortlist, a bishop must obtain a majority of the votes.  On Sunday, February 2, the Council met in Vidin and were able to prepare its shortlist in only one round of voting.  The two bishops receiving a majority vote were Bishop Pahomiy of Branitsa with 24 votes and Bishop Gerasim of Melnik with 18 votes.  https://bg-patriarshia.bg/news/eparhiyski-izbor-na-dvamata-dostoizbiraemi-episkop-za-nov-vi  There were a total of 29 voters.  In the third and final step, the Holy Synod will elect one of these two as the new Metropolitan of Vidin. This will occur on Sunday, February 9, absent a valid canonical challenge to the February 2 election.

  It is very likely that Patriarch Daniil is pleased with the bishops now on the shortlist.  Bishop Pahomiy was rector of the Sofia Theological Seminary "St. John of Rila” from June 2017 to July 9, 2024.  Patriarch Daniil, at the first meeting of the Holy Synod following his election as patriarch, chose Bishop Pahomiy to be his “first vicar bishop of Sofia.”   https://bg-patriarshia.bg/branitskiyat-episkop-pahomiy  This indicates that the Patriarch has confidence in Pahomiy.  The second person on the shortlist, Bishop Gerasim, has been the General Secretary of the Holy Synod since September 2014.  https://bg-patriarshia.bg/episkop-gerasim-biografia  In May 2024 Bishop Gerasim was one of two bishops on the shortlist for the vacant diocese of Sliven.  In the election by the Holy Synod, Gerasim lost but one of his supporters was Daniil. https://bg-patriarshia.bg/news/sv-sinod-izbra-znepolskia-episkop-arseniy-za-nov-slivenski-m  However, as far as I can determine, neither Pahomiy nor Gerasim has been a very vocal advocate for Moscow as have Daniil and Gavrill.

  On January 31, three days before the election in Vidin, Faktor.bg published a long analysis of the forthcoming election in Vidin.  https://faktor.bg/bitkata-za-vidinski-vladika-dva-voyuvashti-klana-sluguvashti-na-chujda-strana-shte-opredelqt-badeshteto-na-bpc   Although the author obviously has a very strong bias, the article contains a great deal of detail.  The title of the article refers to “two warring clans.”  The article states that the first choice of Patriarch Daniil for the open position is Bishop Pahomiy and that Daniil is hoping that all of the metropolitans will support Pahomiy.  This hope may indicate that Pahomiy, if elected, may choose not to be a member of one of the two “warring clans.”

  In another important development in Bulgaria, the National Assembly (parliament) adopted on January 31 a new law which designates the Bulgarian Patriarchate as the sole exponent and representative of Eastern Orthodox, the traditional religion for the country.   According to the law, the Bulgarian Patriarchate is the only religious organization that can use the word “Orthodox” in its title.  https://www.parliament.bg/bg/news/ID/6181  It appears that the exact text of the law will be available at https://www.parliament.bg/bg/bills/ID/165951  BTA, the Bulgarian state news agency, gives a description of the new law at https://www.bta.bg/bg/news/bulgaria/national-news/825026-balgarskata-pravoslavna-tsarkva-e-edinstven-predstavitel-na-traditsionnoto-za-ba .  The description includes the following:

  The Parliament adopted on the second reading amendments to the Law on Religious Denominations, which define the autocephalous unified Bulgarian Orthodox Church-Bulgarian Patriarchate (BOC-BP) as the sole exponent and representative of the country's traditional religion - Eastern Orthodoxy. This text was supported by 186 MPs from all parliamentary groups, and one from "Continuing Change - Democratic Bulgaria" (PP-DB) voted "against".  The name of another religion cannot contain the word "Orthodox", as well as derivative or similar words, the deputies also wrote in the law. The text was approved by the votes of 173 deputies, 11 deputies from "Moral, Unity, Honor" (MECH) abstained.

  The reason for the amendments to the Law on Religious Denominations is a decision of the Supreme Court of Cassation (SCC) of December 16 last year, which ruled on the registration of a religious institution with the name “Bulgarian Orthodox Old-Style Church”. The SCC decision is in connection with a 2021 decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the case “Bulgarian Orthodox Old-Style Church and Others v. Bulgaria”.  

  Within two months of the entry into force of the provisions adopted today, registered religious denominations and applicants in pending initial registration proceedings are obliged to change their name and statutes in accordance with the amendments and to apply for entry of the change in the register of religious denominations with the status of legal entities at the Sofia City Court, the deputies finally adopted.  Registered religious denominations that do not fulfill the above obligation and do not have pending proceedings for the entry of changes resulting from its fulfillment shall be terminated.  A subsequent procedure for liquidation and deletion of a religious denomination from the register by the court has also been scheduled.  The amendments to the Law on Religious Denominations adopted today enter into force on the day of their publication in the State Gazette.

  It is likely that there will be legal challenges to this new law.

  In Estonia, the Estonian government submitted to the Riigikogu (parliament) on January 27 a new proposed law relating to religion.  The full text of bill, 570 SE, can be read at  https://www.riigikogu.ee/tegevus/eelnoud/eelnou/133fc804-5a56-46f8-b595-84cc2a66465f/kirikute-ja-koguduste-seaduse-muutmise-seadus/.   I have prepared an English translation (by Google) of the full text.  If you desire a copy, please request it by a reply email.  The following is one of the key provisions:

  3) Section 3 is supplemented with subsection 2-1 in the following wording:

  “(2-1) A church, congregation, union of congregations and monastery may not be guided in their activities by a person or association with significant influence located in a foreign country, nor may they be affiliated, by statute, contract, other documents on the basis of which the activities are based, or economically with a religious association, spiritual centre, governing body or spiritual leader located in a foreign country, if the aforementioned spiritual centre, governing body, spiritual leader, person or association:

  1) poses a threat to the security, constitutional order or public order of the Estonian state;

  2) has supported military aggression or called for war, a terrorist offence or otherwise the unlawful use of armed force or violence, or

  3) is in conflict with the generally recognised principles of international law in its activities.”

  It appears that this bill suffers from some of the same legal defects under international law as Ukrainian Law 3894.  For example, it makes mere affiliation a basis for outlawing a religious organization.  Under the bill, it is not necessary to prove that the Estonian religious organization poses a threat but only that the foreign religious organization does.  The Estonian Orthodox Church – Moscow Patriarchate has issued a press release that the bill violates its fundemental rights.  https://et.orthodox.ee/news/moskva-patriarhaadi-eesti-oigeusu-kirik-kirikute-ja-koguduste-seaduse-muutmise-eelnou-ohustab-usuorganisatsioonide-pohioigusi/  In this regard, it cites the legal conclusions of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights with respect to Ukrainian Law 3894.  In response to the concerns expressed by a Tartu court to its name, the Church has agreed to change its registration to a new name – the Estonian Christian Orthodox Church.  https://ru.orthodox.ee/news/v-tallinne-sostoyalas-tretya-sessiya-sobora-epcz-mp/ 

  Lastly, an appeal has been made by a group of clergy and laity who remain in Russia but oppose the war in Ukraine.  https://noek.info/hintergrund/3646-christus-und-dem-evangelium-treu-bleiben (German translation of the Russian original)

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 31 January 2025: Funeral of Archbishop Anastasios & other news

  The Liturgy and Funeral Service for Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania, primate of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, was held on January 30 in the Cathedral of the Resurrection in Tirana.  The entire Liturgy and Funeral Service can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rs02Sn76bxE .  Six primates of the Local Orthodox Churches were present:  Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Ecumenical Patriarchate); Patriarch Theodoros (Patriarchate of Alexandria); Patriarch Theophilos (Patriarchate of Jerusalem); Patriarch Daniil (Patriarchate of Bulgaria); Archbishop George (Church of Cyprus); and Archbishop Ieronymos (Church of Greece).  The Moscow Patriarchate was represented by Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, and the Romanian Patriarchate was represented by Metropolitan Nifon of Târgoviște.  There were also representatives present from the Patriarchates of Antioch, Serbia, and Georgia and the Churches of Poland, Czech Lands and Slovakia, and North Macedonia.   The delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate also included Elder Metropolitan Emmanuel of Chalcedon.  https://www.orthodoxianewsagency.gr/aytokefales_ekklisies/ekklisia_albanias/to-ystato-xaire-ston-arxiepiskopo-alvanias-kyro-anastasio-vinteofoto/   From the video, it appears that Archbishop Flavio Pace, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, represented the Vatican.

  The Divine Liturgy was celebrated solely by bishops and clergy of the Albanian Church.  This avoided the need for Metropolitan Anthony to excuse himself from serving in the Liturgy in view of the participation in the Liturgy of primates with whom the Moscow Patriarchate has severed communion.  This is similar to the funeral liturgy for Patriarch Neophyte of Bulgaria in March 2024 where only Bulgarian hierarchs served.  The Funeral Service for Archbishop Anastasios was led by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and begins at 3:08:00 in the video.    

  The funeral address of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew can be read at  https://fosfanariou.gr/index.php/2025/01/30/epikideios-logoa-ecum-patr-ston-alvanias-anastasio/  It is a beautiful tribute to Archbishop Anastasios.  The Ecumenical Patriarch’s remarks were greeted multiple times by applause, including standing applause.  See video especially at 5:24:30 to 5:29:10.  At one point, 5:28:00, when saying “we bid you farewell,” the Ecumenical Patriarch almost lost his composure.  The Ecumenical Patriarch’s address included a story that I had not heard before.  The Ecumenical Patriarch stated: “His [the Archbishop’s] holy mother rejected with disgust the doctors' urging to undergo an abortion, as she was suffering from tuberculosis, because death was supposedly inevitable for both her and the pregnant child!”   This child lived 95 years and accomplished so much for Our Lord and His Church during his lifetime!  Other speakers at the Funeral were: the WCC’s Moderator, Bishop Prof. Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm (text at https://www.oikoumene.org/resources/documents/sermon-by-bishop-heinrich-bedford-strohm-at-the-funeral-of-archbishop-anastasios-of-albania); the Locum Tenens Metropolitan John of Korçë; the niece of the late Archbishop, Roxane Yannoulatos; Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of Greece (text at https://www.primeminister.gr/2025/01/30/35738) ; and Prime Minister Edi Rama of Albania (text at  https://www.kryeministria.al/en/newsroom/kryeministri-edi-rama-ne-ceremonine-e-homazheve-ne-nderim-te-kryepeshkopit-te-kishes-ortodokse-autoqefale-te-shqiperise-anastas-janullatos/) .

  Archbishop Anastasios was buried in a special crypt under the altar of the Cathedral of the Resurrection.  To the best of my knowledge, a date has not yet been set by the Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church for its election of a new primate.

  As reported in my previous newsletters, the Church of Greece and the Greek government have made special efforts subsequent to the fall of the Assad regime to reach out to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and offer support.  On January 22, Patriarch John X, primate of the Patriarchate of Antioch, “received Metropolitan Ignatios Dimitriados [member of the Church of Greece’s Synodal Committee on Inter-Orthodox Relations] and Father Emmanuel Papamikrouli [secretary of the Synodal Committee] as delegates from Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece and from the Greek government, at the St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology in Balamand [Lebanon].”   https://antiochpatriarchate.org/en/page/receiving-a-delegation-from-the-greek-orthodox-church/2832/ ; https://www.romfea.gr/patriarxeia-ts/patriarxeio-antioxeias/67524-antiprosopeia-tis-ekklisias-tis-ellados-ston-patriarxi-antioxeias    With respect to this meeting, the Greek City Times made the following observation at https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/01/23/greek-orthodox-antioch-john-x / : 

  The meeting comes following the news that the Greek government will finance 600 clergymen in the diaspora, including the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch.  With this move, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is on the soft power offensive following the Patriarchate of Moscow’s expansionism in Africa and the recent overthrow of the Assad regime in Syria, with the Christian communities of the Eastern Mediterranean country becoming especially vulnerable since Turkish-backed jihadists came to power. 

  By placing hundreds of clergy in the Middle East, Turkey and Africa and by strengthening diplomatic efforts to protect Greek Orthodox Christians in Syria, Greece is taking steps to become a shield for Orthodoxy in these regions.

  The Greek City Times has also posted a separate article relating to the financing of the 600 clergymen.  https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/01/22/greece-600-greek-orthodox-priests/  According to the latter article, the “Greek government’s plans have already been completed, and the special legislative regulation is expected to be implemented within the first quarter of 2025.”   The regulation “aims to recruit 50-70 clergymen annually until the 600 positions are fulfilled.”

  Three days later, on January 25, Patriarch John met at Balamand with Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Department of External Relations (DECR) of the Moscow Patriarchate.  https://mospat.ru/en/news/92808/  In addition to Metropolitan Anthony, the Russian delegation included such persons as Archpriest Nikolai Balashov (advisor to Patriarch Kirill) and Alexander Rudakov (Russian Ambassador to Lebanon).  With respect to the meeting, the website of the DECR states in part:  “In the cordial atmosphere, the participants in the meeting discussed at length a wide range of issues of mutual interest and concern, including the plight of Christians in the Middle East and other regions, prospects of promoting further the fraternal cooperation between the Antiochian and the Moscow Patriarchates, and the current state of inter-Orthodox and inter-Christian relations….  After the meeting, Patriarch John gave a dinner in honour of the DECR chairman and other members of the Russian Church’s delegation.”  Although the official website and the Facebook site of the Antiochian Patriarchate publicized the meeting with the Church of Greece, both of these sites are completely silent with respect to the Patriarch’s meeting with Metropolitan Anthony and the Russian Ambassador and with respect to the dinner that followed.

  Lastly, there is the sad news that Father Ronald G. Roberson, CSP, died on January 19 at the age of 74.  For 28 years, until his retirement in 2023, he was the key staff person at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops who was responsible for Orthodox – Catholic relations in the United States.  Any American Catholic who has worked seriously in the field of ecumenical relations with the Orthodox would know Father Roberson.  Personally, he has helped me many times.  Father Roberson received his doctorate degree from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome in 1988 after defending his thesis on “Contemporary Romanian Orthodox Ecclesiology.”  From 1988 to 1992 he worked at the Vatican with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.  Beginning in 2005, he was a member of the Joint International Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Oriental Orthodox Churches.  https://paulist.org/who-we-are/bio/ronald-g-roberson-c-s-p/ ;  http://www.christianunity.va/content/unitacristiani/en/news/2024/2024-01-21-rip-ron-roberson.html   Thank you, Father Roberson, for all that you have done for Christian unity.  May he rest in peace!

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 28 January 2025: Romanian Patriarchate on unified Easter

  https://basilica.ro/en/response-to-pope-francis-statement-on-a-unified-date-for-easter/   The following was posted today, January 28, by the Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate:

  Following a recent statement by Pope Francis regarding the establishment of a common date for the celebration of the Resurrection of the Lord, we wish to clarify that any consultation on the date of Easter and a possible decision can only take place within the framework of a future Pan-Orthodox Council, with the participation of all sister Orthodox Churches.

  This initiative aligns with the ongoing efforts on this matter, taking into account the significant recommendation of the Synaxis of the Primates and Representatives of the Orthodox Churches, convened from January 21-28, 2016, at the Ecumenical Patriarchate’s Center in Chambésy.

  During this meeting, it was emphasized: “Regarding the issue of the Calendar, it is appropriate for each Church to freely implement what it considers beneficial for the spiritual formation of its faithful, but without altering the common date of the celebration of Easter by all Orthodox.”

  Therefore, any initiative concerning the date of Easter can only be addressed within the context of a Pan-Orthodox Council.

  Press Office of the Romanian Patriarchate

  In my opinion, this is a further indication that an agreement for a common date for Easter will not occur this year.  Especially in view of present tensions between the Ecumenical and Moscow Patriarchates, the likelihood of a convening of a “Pan-Orthodox Council” in the near future is almost zero. 

  The “recent statement by Pope Francis” is presumably the remarks made by Pope Francis on January 25.  https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2025/documents/20250125-vespri-unita-cristiani.html   The remarks are as follows:

  This year, the celebration of Easter coincides in both the Gregorian and Julian calendars, a circumstance that proves providential as we commemorate the anniversary of the Ecumenical Council [of Nicaea].  I renew my appeal that this coincidence may serve as an appeal to all Christians to take a decisive step forward towards unity around a common date for Easter (cf. Bull Spes Non Confundit, 17).  The Catholic Church is open to accepting the date that everyone wants: a date of unity.

  The Pope’s references to “all Christians” and “everyone wants” clearly indicate that the Pope is speaking about an agreement that would encompass not only Catholics and Orthodox, but also the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Anglicans, and the Protestants.  Reaching such a pan-Christian consensus will take much time.

  To the best of my knowledge, Ecumenical Patriarchate has said nothing to indicate that the Orthodox would be willing to abandon its Paschalion and the Julian calendar in calculating Pascha, such as adopting a new method of calculation based on the most current astronomical data.  Indeed, the Synaxis of the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne (Ecumenical Patriarchate) stated on September 3, 2024:  “In this spirit, the unanimous wish is expressed that the common celebration of Pascha next year by Eastern and Western Christianity should not be merely a happy coincidence, but the beginning of the establishment of a common date for its annual celebration, according to the Paschalion of our Orthodox Church.”    https://ec-patr.org/%ce%b1%ce%bd%ce%b1%ce%ba%ce%bf%ce%b9%ce%bd%cf%89%ce%b8%ce%ad%ce%bd-%ce%b9-%cf%83%cf%85%ce%bd%ce%ac%ce%be%ce%b5%cf%89%cf%82-%cf%84%ce%b7%cf%82-%ce%b9%ce%b5%cf%81%ce%b1%cf%81%cf%87%ce%af%ce%b1%cf%82/   In other words, a common celebration of Easter can be obtained by the rest of Christianity accepting the Orthodox method of calculation.  However, I have heard nothing to indicate that the rest of Christianity is seriously considering doing this.   

  Hopefully, there will someday be a common date for Easter, but, absent a miracle, it will not occur this year.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 26 January 2025: Archbishop Anastasios, primate of Albanian Orthodox Church, rests in the Lord

  On January 25, 2025, at 8:30 a.m., Archbishop Anastasios (“Anastas” in Albanian) of Tirana, Durrës and all Albania, primate of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania, died at the age of 95 from multiple organ failure.  https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/2025/01/25/fjeti-me-zotin-kryepiskopi-i-tiranes-durresit-dhe-gjithe-shqiperise-anastasi/   A few hours later, the Holy Synod of the Albanian Orthodox Church met and issued a notice.  https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/2025/01/25/njoftim-kisha-orthodhokse-autoqefale-e-shqiperise-sinodi-i-shenjte/  Metropolitan Joan of Korça was appointed as Locum Tenens, and the funeral service was set for Thursday, January 30, at 11:00 a.m. after the Divine Liturgy.  Already many tributes for this great churchman are being expressed.  The following are a few examples:  https://ec-patr.org/%cf%83%cf%85%ce%bb%ce%bb%cf%85%cf%80%ce%b7%cf%84%ce%ae%cf%81%ce%b9%ce%bf-%cf%80%ce%b1%cf%84%cf%81%ce%b9%ce%b1%cf%81%cf%87%ce%b9%ce%ba%cf%8c-%ce%bc%ce%ae%ce%bd%cf%85%ce%bc%ce%b1-%ce%b3%ce%b9%ce%b1/ (Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew); https://mospat.ru/ru/news/92802/ (Russian Patriarch Kirill); https://www.romfea.gr/ekklisia-ellados/67585-syllypitiria-ekklisias-tis-ellados-ston-topotiriti-tis-ekklisias-tis-alvanias (Church of Greece);  https://www.oikoumene.org/news/archbishop-anastasios-of-tirana-dies-at-95 (WCC). 

  Archbishop Anastasios had been hospitalized on December 30 in Tirana due to a virus and then transferred by helicopter to the Evangelismos Hospital in Athens on January 3 after his health further deteriorated.  On January 10, he was transferred to the Hospital's ICU and intubated.  On the same day he underwent emergency surgery to control bleeding in his small intestines.  Several days ago, an unsuccessful attempt was made to take the Archbishop off of the respirator and a tracheostomy was performed.  https://www.romfea.gr/epikairotita-xronika/67562-ekoimithi-o-arxiepiskopos-alvanias-anastasios  On January 23, when the representative of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Athens came for a visit, he was informed that the Archbishop’s condition “remains stable, with a small improvement.”  https://www.facebook.com/koash1991/posts/935915648629788?ref=embed_post  However, a multiple organ failure then occurred, and Our Lord called the Archbishop home.

  Archbishop Anastasios accomplished so much in this lifetime.  His curriculum vitae covers many pages of honors and publications.  See, for example,  https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/en/archbishop-of-tirana-durres-and-all-albania/.  A short version (his biographical sketch) is found at https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/en/2020/04/04/biographical-sketch-of-archbishop-anastasios/ .  His life in the Church can be divided into three major periods:  University of Athens, Africa, and Albania. 

  Catholics have also contributed to the literature relating to Archbishop Anastasios.  In 2022, a book was published by the Sant’Egidio Community with the title:  Anastasio di Albania -- Un uomo dalle molte patrie.  https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Roberto-Morozzo-Della-Rocca/dp/8837235895  In the book Archbishop Anastasios, prompted by Prof. Roberto Morozzo della Rocca and Father Tommaso Opocher, retraces his entire life.  The preface is written by Dr. Andrea Riccardi, the founder of the Sant’Egidio Community.  This summer, the book was published in Albanian with the title: Kryepiskopi Anastas, Shërbëtor i Perëndisë në shumë vende (Archbishop Anastasios, Servant of God in Many Places).   On January 9, when the Archbishop was in the hospital in Athens, a major media site in Albania posted online, with the permission of Dr. Riccardi, his preface relating to the Archbishop.  The preface can be read in English with the Google translation tool.  https://shqiptarja.com/lajm/themeluesi-i-sant-egidio-janullatos-e-greqizoi-apo-lindi-njw-kishw-tw-vwrtetw-orthodhokse-shqiptare 

  The preface stresses how Archbishop Anastasios encountered the whole world and lived on the “threshold” of Orthodoxy where it interfaced with the rest of the world.  The Archbishop's perspective was not limited to that of a specific Local Orthodox Church, although he was subject to untrue criticism that he was seeking to make the Albanian Church Greek.   The following are two excerpts from Dr. Riccardi’s preface:

  His story is deeply rooted in the Orthodox faith and liturgy, about which he has written and reflected in numerous theological and historiographical works, but it also has a completely unique characteristic.  He lives a life on the “threshold” of his Church, not in the sense of a lesser belonging, but one that wants to meet others, not simply to be among them.  It is an encounter that he lived through personal conversation, as well as through the study of religions: his Christianity does not remain isolated and self-referential, but is measured against the vast and diverse religious experience of contemporary humanity.

  In Africa, where he worked as a priest and bishop, but also as a teacher, he got to know peoples who were emancipating themselves from colonialism.  He encountered a world not only inhabited by different Christian churches, but also by traditional religions with many differences between them.  He measured himself with the culture and anthropology of African peoples, appreciating many aspects and refusing to “Hellenize” the evangelical world mission: the issue was that Africans should open the Gospel, not become “Greeks,” as for example when they sang a Greek hymn in church.  The future Archbishop of Albania understood well the challenges of the African world in great transition, not only for Orthodoxy, but for all of Christianity.

  …

  For the Albanian nationalist mentality, his origin would mean the Hellenization of the Autocephalous Church.  But exactly the opposite would happen.  In fact, it can be said that with Archbishop Anastasios, an independent Albanian Orthodox Church was truly born, rooted in its country and culture, open to the world, in communion with other Orthodox Churches, ecumenical and with rich activity in international relations.  For Anastasios, the rebuilder of the Church, as can be seen in the pages of this beautiful book, life was not easy, marked by nationalist hostility to the point that he only received Albanian citizenship, issued by the president, in 2018.

  Anastasios is a Christian, a responsible bishop, who knows well that his duty is to build an Orthodox Christian Church in Albania and not to create a foreign church.  The Greek Anastasios, with his work, proved the universality of Orthodoxy and its ability to be a reality of world mission.  Amid the ruins, the painful memories, the concerns of the Albanian community, he has been a builder and world missionary.   

  The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, in 1991, took charge of the situation in Orthodox Albania (where there was no longer a bishop) and sent Anastasios to Albania as Patriarchal Exarch.  Here he found 15 priests and 2 deacons who had survived the persecution, almost all in poor health.

  In this book, the Archbishop tells an emblematic episode from his life.  He was in Tirana, near the ruins of the old cathedral, without yet knowing a word in Albanian.  He was accompanied by a group of elderly people, who had survived the difficult decades of communism.  He asked how to say “Χριστός Ανέστη!” (Christ is risen!) in Albanian.  They told him, took some candles, and lit them.  Anastasios proclaimed in Albanian: “Christ is risen!”   And, as happens in the Orthodox Liturgy, everyone responded: “Truly he is risen!”   Anastasios says that “this became the essence and central message of my preaching and efforts here in Albania.”

  It had to be restarted in the perspective of the Resurrection.  Anastasios tells how he worked for 30 years to establish a true Orthodox Church in Albania, with bishops, clergy, monks from this country, with a cultural and religious profile that makes it an important reality for the country today.  He has ordained 155 priests.  And he adds: “The majority of the clergy and those responsible are Albanians”.   He did not Hellenize Albania, as his opponents feared, but he did reestablish the Christian faith in an Orthodox Church rooted in the culture and current affairs of the country.  He gathered the testimony of a generation that had suffered martyrdom and was dying out, while opening the door to a new generation, even when it did not come from Christian families.

  Thanks to the work of Archbishop Anastasios, it is extremely likely that his successor will be a native Albanian.  Under the Charter of the Albanian Church, a new archbishop is elected by the Holy Synod.  https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/en/2015/03/24/statute-of-orthodox-autocephalous-church-of-albania/ (Articles 12 and 17).  The Holy Synod consists of the archbishop and all of the active metropolitans and bishops.  (Article 11).  Aside from the Archbishopric, there are five metropolitan sees headed by the following five metropolitans: Metropolitan Dhimiti of Gjirokastër (born in Greece 1940);  Metropolitan Joan of Korça (born in Albania 1956); Metropolitan Andon of Elbasan (born in Albania 1969); Metropolitan Nikolla of Apolonia (born in Albania 1972); Metropolitan Asti of Berat (born in Albania 1974).  Other members of the Synod are Metropolitan Nathaniel, Chief Secretary of the Synod (born in Greece 1957) and Bishop Anastas, administrator of church property and economic activities (born in Albania 1979).  Presumably, one of these hierarchs will be the new primate.

  MAY THE MEMORY OF ARCHBISHOP ANASTASIOS BE ETERNAL!

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA  

• 16 January 2025: Bulgaria's sole "Orthodox" church & other news

  On December 16, 2024, the Supreme Court of Cassation of the Republic of Bulgaria, Commercial Chamber, issued a decision to enter into the public register a religious organization with the name, “Bulgarian Orthodox Old-style Church."  The full text of the court decision is found at https://www.vks.bg/pregled-akt.jsp?type=ot-delo&id=CBEA2A91E009B2A8C2258BF50043C5FB&fbclid=IwY2xjawHUy9NleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHf1AzGXg2GlgU2dRuc5gyG3OtnjWbpdDDY_fXsfnMzbhHlX9CXVsbzefrw_aem_EMguUQkizxInlLelZ700lg .   As the name implies, this small church objects to the use of the new Julian calendar.  The church has been in existence since 1990 and has approximately15 parishes.  See https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D1%8A%D0%BB%D0%B3%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%BF%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D1%86%D1%8A%D1%80%D0%BA%D0%B2%D0%B0  The Bulgarian Orthodox Church (BOC) reacted to the court’s decision with great alarm.  On December 30, 2024, the BOC’s Holy Synod issued a statement that the “court's recognition and permission for registration of another (second) parallel ‘Orthodox Church’ within the borders of the Bulgarian state is in sharp contradiction” of a fundamental principle of canon law “that on a specific state territory there can exist only one Church with one Primate and one Holy Council.”   https://bg-patriarshia.bg/news/izyavlenie-na-svetia-sinod-na-bpts-bp-vav-vrazka-s-resheniet  The Holy Synod stated that the BOC is recognized by the other Local Orthodox Churches and can be the only “Orthodox” church in Bulgaria.

  On January 14, 2025, Prof. Natalia Kiselova, Chairperson of the National Assembly of Bulgaria, met with Patriarch Daniil and the members of the Synod.  https://bg-patriarshia.bg/news/sreshta-na-sv-sinod-na-bpts-bp-s-dots-natalia-kiselova-preds  The purpose of the meeting was to familiarize the Patriarch and the Synod with bills submitted by a wide range of political parties to amend the Law on Religious Denominations to recognize the BOC as the sole expression of Eastern Orthodoxy in Bulgaria.  Three different bills relating to this issue were passed on the first reading by the National Assembly on January 9.  The bills are described at https://dveri.bg/component/com_content/Itemid,100723/catid,14/id,73872/view,article/.  The full text of the bills can be read at  https://www.parliament.bg/bg/bills/ID/165951.  The Assembly’s committee responsible for the bills will now consolidate the three bills into a single bill. 

  An interesting legal question will be raised if Bulgaria does pass a law providing that the BOC is the only religious organization in Bulgaria that can use the word “Orthodox” in its legal title.  On January 13, the “Armenian Apostolic Orthodox [emphasis added] Holy Church” sent a letter to the Chairperson of the National Assembly stating that the proposed bills should not affect its legal title which has already been registered in Bulgaria.  https://dveri.bg/component/com_content/Itemid,100723/catid,14/id,73883/view,article/   You may recall that Ukraine passed a law (Law 2662-VIII) in December 2018 which in effect requires that the UOC include Russia in its legal title.  https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-s-president-signs-law-forcing-orthodox-church-to-change-its-name/29671193.html  According to the UOC, a church “has the right to determine what it will be called” and limitations of this right violate international conventions.  https://vzcz.church.ua/2021/12/20/u-kijevo-pecherskij-lavri-vidbuvsya-kruglij-stil-tri-roki-sprob-primusovogo-perejmenuvannya-ukrajinskoji-pravoslavnoji-cerkvi-naslidki-ocinki-komentari/  If the Bulgarian National Assembly does give the BOC the exclusive right to use the word “Orthodox” in its title, the matter may possibly end up at the European Court of Human Rights.

  On January 14, the Holy Synod of the BOC also published the list of bishops who will be candidates to become the new Metropolitan of Vidin, a vacancy caused by the election of Metropolitan Daniil of Vidin to be the new Bulgarian patriarch.  https://bg-patriarshia.bg/news/sv-sinod-opredeli-listata-s-dostoizbiraemite-episkopi-kandid--3  The new metropolitan will become a member of the Holy Synod.  The election is extremely important as the Holy Synod is now sharply divided.  For example, Patriarch Daniil and Metropolitan Gavriil support good relations with the Moscow Patriarchate.  On the other hand, a group of six metropolitans on the Synod are consistent supporters of Constantinople.  The list of candidates announced on January 14 will be submitted to the Vidin Diocesan Electoral Council, which consists of a specified number of clergy and laity from the various deaneries in the Vidin diocese.  On February 2 the Electoral Council will elect a “short list” of two candidates.  On February 9, the Holy Synod will meet and elect one of the two as the new Metropolitan of Vidin.

  In my opinion, it is likely that the future Metropolitan of Vidin will share the views of Daniil and Gavriil.  The Vidin Diocesan Electoral Council will probably support bishops who are favored by Patriarch Daniil because of the six years that Daniil previously headed the Vidin Diocese.  The list of eight candidates includes Bishop Sionios of Veliki, who served under Daniil as his vicar bishop, and Bishop Mikhael of Constantine, who is the vicar of Metropolitan Gavriil.  If the Vidin Electoral Council elects both Sionios and Mikhael to be on the two-person short list, the Holy Synod will have no choice but to elect one of them as the new Metropolitan of Vidin.  It is more likely than not that a vicar bishop will share his governing bishop's views on such matters as support of Moscow.   

   On December 31, 2024, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) issued its “REPORT ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN UKRAINE, 1 September to 30 November 2024.”  The full report in English can be accessed at  https://ukraine.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/2024-12/PR41%20Ukraine%202024-12-31.pdf .  Six pages (pp. 14-20) of the report cover human rights in the territory occupied by the Russian Federation, and four pages (pp. 20 – 24) cover human rights in the territory controlled by the Government of Ukraine.  Ukrainian Law 3894, the new law regarding religious organizations, is discussed in the Report's executive summary at pages 2-3 and in its general text at paragraphs 84 – 88, found at pages  20 – 21.  With respect to Law 3894, the executive summary states:  “In territory controlled by the Government of Ukraine, new legal provisions regarding religious organizations entered into force; these prohibit the activities of the Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, as well as Ukrainian religious organizations found to be affiliated with counterparts in the Russian Federation. The law introducing these provisions established disproportionate restrictions on the freedom to manifest one’s religion or belief.”

  The general text of the Report focuses on the specific provisions found in the language of 3894.  The conclusions reached by the Report with respect to these provisions are supported by references in the Report to the applicable parts of the United Nations’ International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Council of Europe’s European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).  The Report includes such findings as the following:

  Law 3894  invokes  “national (or public) security” as a ground for restrictions on freedom of religion, but neither the ICCPR nor the ECHR include “national security” as a permissible ground for such restrictions.

  Law 3894 “also established disproportionate restrictions on the freedom to manifest one’s religion or belief.”

  “Ukraine has not demonstrated the necessity and proportionality of this measure [dissolution of the religious organization],  such as by showing why less restrictive measures, such as measures restricted specifically to individuals responsible for wrongdoing, would not be satisfactory and sufficient.”

  “Furthermore, the amendments state that a religious organization shall be dissolved if its ‘authorized persons’ are convicted of various crimes, including those against national security, or if the organization is involved in ‘repeated facts’ of spreading the ‘propaganda of the ideology of the Russian World,’ vague terms that do not give fair notice of what the law requires.  These provisions can result in entire religious communities being held responsible for the conduct of specific individuals.  Furthermore, the overbroad and ambiguous formulation may put in jeopardy the right to freedom of expression.”

  “The amendments also prohibit Ukrainian religious organizations that are affiliated with another organization holding a prohibited affiliation, enabling the dissolution of many interconnected religious organizations without an individual case-by-case assessment.”

  “[O]n the basis of an administrative decision that a Ukrainian religious organization has a prohibited affiliation, State entities are ordered to cancel all contracts for lease of property to the religious organization, even before a court has taken a decision on the religious organization’s dissolution.”

  On January 2, 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine issued a “Commentary…on the UN’s false accusations.”  The total text of the Commentary can be read in English at https://mfa.gov.ua/en/news/komentar-mzs-shchodo-nepravdivih-zvinuvachen-oon-v-nibito-obmezhenni-ukrayinoyu-religijnih-svobod.  The Commentary does not reference any of the specific provisions of Law 3894.  The Commentary makes no reference to the ICCPR or the ECHR.  There is no attempt by the Commentary to address the specific problems raised by the Report (summarized above).  The Ukrainian government continues to try to defend Law 3894 without ever referring to what Law 3894 actually says.  As discussed in my previous newsletters, I have prepared a Google English translation of the entire text of Law 3894 and provided comments on the various provisions at https://www.unifr.ch/orthodoxia/de/assets/public/files/Dokumentation/Anderson/LAW%203894%20OF%20UKRAINE.pdf  The comments include serious problems with Law 3894 in addition to those enumerated in the OHCHR Report above.

  In a speech to the UN Security Council on November 17, 2023, the UN’s Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ilze Brands Kehris, addressed the subject of the draft law which is now Law 3894.  In the presence of Ukraine’s mission to the UN, she extended an express invitation to Ukrainian lawmakers to make use of the expertise of the OHCHR “to assess whether the proposed means are clearly defined and the least intrusive ones possible for achieving the specific aim, and whether the proposed amendments comply with international legal standards.”  https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2023/11/asg-brands-kehris-briefs-security-council-ukraine  Ukraine never responded to this invitation.  If Ukraine had worked with the experts of the OHCHR, the OHCHR negative report on Law 3894 may never have been necessary.

  With the election of Trump, there have been relatively few comments in the Ukrainian media about Law 3894.  Now, Deputy Mykyta Poturayev, head of the Rada committee that was responsible for 3894, has stated that the regulations implementing 3894 have been drafted by DESS and are awaiting approval by the Cabinet of Ministers.   https://glavcom.ua/country/politics/zaborona-moskovskoji-tserkvi-v-ukrajini-sluha-narodu-pojasniv-shcho-halmuje-protses--1039201.html#google_vignette  Poturayev believes that approval will be obtained by the end of January and that DESS will then be able to begin its examinations of whether Ukrainian religious organizations are affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church.  Under the terms of 3894, the Cabinet of Ministers was required to complete its work by November 24, 2024 (three months after the publication of the Law).  See Article 6.  It therefore appears that the Cabinet of Ministers will be approximately two months late in completing its work.  Is this delay intentional in view of Trump’s election?  Under the Law, DESS will be able to bring court proceedings to dissolve a religious organization beginning May 24, 2025.

  Lastly, Archbishop Anastasios, primate of the Orthodox Church of Albania, remains in critical condition at the Evangelismos Hospital in Athens.  The last report by his doctors was on January 10.   https://orthodoxalbania.org/2020/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/%CE%99%CE%91%CE%A4%CE%A1%CE%99%CE%9A%CE%9F-%CE%91%CE%9D%CE%91%CE%9A%CE%9F%CE%99%CE%9D%CE%A9%CE%98%CE%95%CE%9D.png  There have been no reports since that time, which is probably a hopeful sign.  Many people are praying for this outstanding hierarch. 

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA

• 1 January 2025: Interview of Metropolitan Hilarion by RIA Novosti

  https://ria.ru/20241231/ilarion-1992145756.html  This is an interview of Metropolitan Hilarion relating to the recent decision of the Holy Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate to retire him.   Although the entire interview should be read, Metropolitan Hilarion’s answer to the first question summarizes his reaction to the decision of the Holy Synod.  The answer is as follows:

  I have accepted this decision with humility and gratitude and will work where I am assigned.  And those shortcomings in my personal life and everyday life that His Holiness the Patriarch pointed out, I will try to correct with God's help.

  The past year has been difficult for me.  Enormous efforts have been made to deprive me of the opportunity to serve the Church.  The secret services, foreign agent media, persons wanted internationally, defrocked former clergy and militant atheists have united for this purpose.  Slander, blackmail, threats and falsified evidence have all been used.

  But the Church protected me.  I can continue to serve, preach, perform sacred sacraments, and stand before the throne of God.  For this I am grateful to His Holiness the Patriarch and the Holy Synod.

   

  Peter Anderson, Seattle USA