Thoughts under the dome

Three clergymen from Udmurtia subjected Patriarch Kirill to open criticism and were immediately suspended from service

The incident itself is unprecedented: three priests of the Izhevsk and Udmurt diocese recorded a video message to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', in which they subjected the head of the Russian Orthodox Church to direct criticism for...

The case itself is unprecedented: three priests of the Izhevsk and Udmurt diocese recorded a video message to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus', in which they subjected the head of the Russian Orthodox Church to direct criticism for the tendency of some of the clergy to luxury, for flirting with moneybags, for the blind conciliation of the Russian Orthodox Church with the authorities and for much more. They stated that until the repentance of the patriarch before God and the people, they stop his traditional commemoration during divine services.

It will probably seem to someone that the situation is at least endure the saints. Someone will say that, on the contrary, we should rejoice: publicity and criticism of superiors is a healthy phenomenon, wherever it is observed. And many, apparently, will consider the conflict an internal affair of the church, and how it will settle it is not our business.

The conflict in the ROC could indeed be called internal, if you do not take into account that the priests from Udmurtia focused on problems affecting the whole society. And, perhaps, their views are shared not by two or three dozen parishioners, but also by numerous citizens - both outside the church fence and outside the Udmurt Republic.

So, what worries the priest of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Izhevsk, Alexander Malykh, the rector of the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Zavyalovo, Archpriest Sergius Kondakov, and the rector of the Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord in the village of Yagul, Archpriest Mikhail Karpeev? By the grace of God, they believe, atheistic communism collapsed, and millions of people came to the bosom of the church. However, for 20 years there was no spiritual revival of most of the people. “Russia is threatened with destruction, the main cause of which is a spiritual and moral catastrophe,” the clergy say and ask:

“Isn’t that why, along with the restoration of Orthodox churches, the revival of Russian statehood, the army, culture, and family did not happen, because the vices associated with the 70-year Bolshevik captivity were not overcome in church life itself?”

Believing that Russia is suffering from the disorder of state and public life, Father Sergius, Father Mikhail and Father Alexander ask the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church "to stop the shameful practice of blind conciliation with the authorities and all kinds of flirting with moneybags ...". And turning to the patriarch, they specify the criticism: “We strongly ask that you, Your Holiness, take care that our people see you not only blessing and kissing the representatives of the highest authorities, but also denouncing them.”

Such appeals are not so easy. Before reading the text on camera, Father Mikhail said: “Overcoming our fear, we turn to His Holiness the Patriarch for the good of the Church, for the good of Russia.”

And fear - it has not weakened much since the time of the “Bolshevik captivity”. After reading the text, Father Sergius remarked: “Many priests are silent. They are afraid of losing parishes, their daily bread ... "

Three priests from Udmurtia expressed what many probably think: “We cannot but be embarrassed by the ease with which church awards, orders with images of saints are distributed to representatives of government and business. It makes one want to ask the question: “What order of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Moscow Patriarchate would Tsar Herod of the Jews receive?” After all, as you know, he worked hard on the construction and beautification of the Jerusalem temple.

A significant part of the appeal to the patriarch is devoted to the relationship of the Russian Orthodox Church with the Vatican, with the World Council of Churches, with the Russian Church Abroad. But these are internal matters, and we, we repeat, are focusing on thoughts that are consonant with the mood of a significant part of society and that were previously expressed by citizens in the media and on Internet forums.

The rebuff to the three priests was given without delay. First, the clergy and employees of the Izhevsk St. Michael's Cathedral (forty-five people) held a meeting and "angrily condemned the act of these clerics." They asked Metropolitan Nikolai of Izhevsk and Udmurtia "to give a canonical assessment of the brawlers and schismatics."

Vladyka Nikolay also did not delay with his assessment. “It was with great sorrow that I made the decision to release from their posts and dismissal for the state with a ban on the service of the former full-time clerics of the Izhevsk and Udmurt diocese, Archpriest Sergei Kondakov, Archpriest Mikhail Karpeev, and Priest Alexander Malykh,” the Metropolitan told the clergy, monastics and believers.

Again, this is an internal matter. We only note that the reaction was predictable. “We are now committing a bold act,” Father Mikhail said before recording an appeal to the patriarch, “not in order to create some kind of advertising for ourselves, not in order to cope with our personal problems. On the contrary, we are sure that we will have problems after applying.”

When asked by Novaya Gazeta about how the parishioners reacted to the "daring act", Father Mikhail replied that a large part of the parishioners were frightened.

“We were portrayed as monsters,” he said. - And the parishioners were warned: if they support us, they will not be allowed to take Holy Communion. I had four clergy under me, and two, one might say, have already disowned me.

At the same time, Father Mikhail noted that the thoughts expressed in his address to the patriarch were formed in his communication with ordinary people. The village of Yagul is far from Moscow, but people notice something and are ready to discuss it on occasion.

And how to discuss if the church is not a place for discussion?

PS When the material was ready for publication, ITAR-TASS reported: "The Russian Orthodox Church is calling for a dialogue of three priests from the Udmurt diocese who publicly criticize Patriarch Kirill and refuse to pronounce his name during worship."

_ “The Church is always ready for dialogue with any people, even those who have fallen away from the Church. Dialogue is one of the ways of communication for the Church,” a representative of the Synodal Information Department of the Russian Orthodox Church told reporters._

_ Well, such a position can only be welcomed, although it is strange that the dialogue was preceded by the adoption of measures against the interlocutors. _