"THE STEP BY STEP DEVIATION" [463] OF THE MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE FROM THE HOLY TRADITION

One may attempt to trace the evolution of the spiritual outlook of the Moscow Patriarchate during the years of its involvement in the Ecumenical Movement by going through the official announcements made by the Moscow Patriarchate each time after it has yet again committed the sin of taking part in the work of the Assembly of the World Council of Churches.

Thus, following the ecumenical conference in Bangkok on the theme "Salvation Today" (January 1973), the Synod of the Moscow Patriarchate headed by Patriarch Pimen, declared that "they greatly regretted and were puzzled by the fact that the "Letter to the Churches" has completely failed to mention the aspect of salvation which is extremely important, first of all from the pastoral point of view, and without which the very concept of salvation loses its essential meaning. Namely, that the ultimate end of salvation, i.e. the eternal life in God, is passed over in silence..."

Moreover, this synodal Epistle expressed the idea that "almost an exclusive emphasis on "horizontalism" in the matter of salvation may leave many Christians, who treasure the Holy Tradition of the ancient Church, with an impression that contemporary ecumenism gives rise to a new temptation viz. diffidence with regard to preaching Christ Crucified and Resurrected -- the Power of God and the Wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1, 23-24) -- as a result of which the very essence of His Holy Gospel is passed over in silence out of a false fear of appearing old-fashioned and of losing popularity." [464]

The Epistle of the Holy Synod of the MP, addressed to the World Council of Churches after its 5th Assembly which took place in Nairobi (Kenya) in 1975, exposed the artificial concealment from the world at large of confessional differences, which was associated with the danger of turning the WCC into a kind of "super-church". This epistle also stated that the Orthodox delegates were unpleasantly amazed by "the fact of the exclusion of the generally-accepted Christian symbols from the external display of the Assembly" [465], i.e. first of all of the Holy Cross!

In the same Synodal Epistle, the MP censures the WCC for manifestations of unhealthy mysticism at the Ecumenical gathering in Nairobi: "During joint prayers at the Assembly one sensed an artificially created atmosphere of exaltation which some people are inclined to regard as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. From the Orthodox point of view it may be qualified as a return to non-Christian religious Mysticism." [466]

However, neither the ecclesiological violations, nor the manifestations of an unhealthy mysticism, which is known in the Orthodox asceticism as a spiritual delusion (which is tantamount to the falling away from the Church), nor, finally, an obviously anti-Christian character of ecumenical meetings, gave the Moscow Patriarchate enough reason for leaving the World Council of Churches. Following the Nairobi Assembly, their representatives participated in the very questionable Sixth Assembly in Vancouver. Immediately thereafter, in August 1983 the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad anathematized the heresy of Ecumenism.

Ecumenical activity of the MP has nevertheless developed, and in February 1991 thirty eight delegates of the Russian Orthodox Church headed by Archbishop [467] Kirill (Gundyaev) of Smolensk took part in an openly blasphemous work of the Seventh Assembly of the WCC. True, in response to the scandalous events which took place at this ecumenical gathering, its "Orthodox" participants came out with their own usual declaration in which they expressed (once again!) their "concern" and have even inquired: "Is it not time to reexamine our relation to the World Council of Churches?" [468]

At the press conference in Canberra, however, Metropolitan Kirill said that he would not wish the criticism expressed by Orthodox participants of the Assembly and directed at the activities of the WCC, to be viewed as the intention to leave the WCC. "The World Council of Churches is the cradle of the One church of the future... it is our common home", said he, "and we bear a special responsibility for its destiny." [469]

In his welcoming Address to the 7th Assembly of the WCC, Patriarch Alexy II of All Russia writes that he prays that the "World Council of Churches should remain faithful to its initial calling to be the Council of the Churches which strive for the joint fulfillment of their common calling to attain unity in faith and in the eucharistic communion." (emphasis - L.P.) [470]

One should not, however, think that this seemingly frank declaration by Kirill (Gundyaev) and Alexius (Ridiger) of the purpose of the entire movement had only gradually taken shape during the three decades of the MP's membership in the WCC. Undoubtedly, the "Orthodox" ecumenists have always been lying, when they insisted that they participated in the activities of the WCC only to preach about the "beauty of Orthodoxy" to the whole world. Neither were their languid and rare censures of some scandalous excesses of ecumenism intended to do more than pacify their own flock.

The MP keeps eloquent silence about the most scandalous ecumenical contacts. The photograph printed on the first page of the Bulletin of the 6th Assembly of the WCC in Vancouver in 1983 would make many people ponder. This photo shows the participants of the Assembly erecting a huge 15 meter tall totem pole of an Indian tribe, the gift of Canadian idolaters to ecumenists [471]. It is known that among those who were erecting the idol was also the indispensable participant of the ecumenical meetings, the very same Metropolitan Kirill (Gundyaev).

Another event which took place during the same Assembly in Vancouver, proved to be a challenge even to the ecumenical program of "gradualness" itself. On July 31, 1983, the participants of this Assembly celebrated an "ecumenical liturgy" [472]. The chief celebrant of this "liturgy" was the Anglican Archbishop Runcey. Concelebrating were six Protestants, two of them women-"priests": a Reformist, Carolina Patiazina-Torch from Indonesia and a Lutheran, Elizabeth Lidel from Denmark. Beside these "celebrants", Roman Catholics, "Orthodox", and Anti-Chalcedonians took part by reading from the Gospels and by uttering the ektenias. A Roman Catholic Bishop, Paul Werner, from Germany read the Gospel, and the "Orthodox" Kirill Gundyaev pronounced the following words of a petition: "Let us pray that by way of breaking of the Bread and blessing of the Chalice around one table we may soon attain the visible communion in the Body of Christ." [473] The manifestly blasphemous cynicism of these words of an "Orthodox Archbishop" needs no comments!

It is important to note that already in May 1962 at an ecumenical gathering in Karlovy Vary, Metropolitan Nikodim (Rotov) declared that the "living example of the ecumenic approach" makes "an invaluable contribution to the cause of the inner rapprochement of Christian confessions." [474] He was even more explicit on March 17 of 1968 in Geneva at the opening of consultations of the Commission "Faith and Church Structure", when he said: "At the completion of the Ecumenical Movement Christian oecumena may be envisaged as nothing else but the mystical Body of Christ, that is His Church." [475] Nikodim's brother-in-arms Vladimir (Kotlyarov), who in 1996 became the Metropolitan of St. Petersburg, had in 1974 exclaimed in joy: «The process of churches entering into ecumenical community is, on the whole, close to completion. The joy experienced as a result of this development occasionally bordered on the temptation of untimely proclaiming the World Council of Churches as the "Super-church" or the Ecumenical Council» [476]

Therefore, the "step by step retreat" of the MP is nothing but its "step by step attack" upon the Orthodox "uninitiated", who are still insufficiently "enlightened" to enter the church of Antichrist at full strength, in order that the long-since accepted decisions may be fulfilled.

It is frightening to see the Church enclosure being impaired from within by the Moscow Patriarchate. The ecumenical meetings and debates are with increasing frequency being conducted within the monasteries which since the olden times have been the stronghold of Orthodoxy and guardians of its purity.

This ominous enterprise has gained in scope in recent years. Foreign tourists-theologians make themselves comfortable in monasteries and convents. They take advantage of the services of the monastics who, in ministering to them, are distracted from their prayers. The now frequent ecumenical gatherings are held in the heart of Russian Orthodoxy -- in the Holy Trinity-St.Sergius Lavra (Sergiev Posad), in the St. Daniel's monastery, and also quite regularly take place in the Piukhtitsy convent, and in many other holy monasteries of Russia. Quite incredibly an ecumenical center was established at the monastery of St. Joseph of Volotsk (+1515, commemorated Sept. 9), whose founder had dedicated all his life to fighting heresies.

In the 1990-ies the Moscow Patriarchate has once again opened many churches and scores of monasteries, which were destroyed by the Bolsheviks during the Soviet regime. However, in many cases it not only permits financial [477] participation of Catholic congregations and other non-Orthodox organizations in the restoration of its monasteries, but makes a wide use of their services in church life.

In his report to the Bishops' Council of 1994 Alexius II [478], when enumerating the "positive examples of relationship between Orthodoxy and Catholicism", expressed his gratitude to the Chevton monastery, fifteen Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries, "which help to regenerate Orthodox monasticism" (sic!). The "Patriarch" also commented on the "selfless (?!) assistance provided by a number of Catholic Bishops of Northern Italy -- Trento, Milan, Trident diocese, and by the Commission "Ecumenism and Dialogue" of the Verona diocese, "which includes the financial support of theological schools in Moscow, St. Petersburg, the restoration of churches..., and also the preparation of programs for Catechization..." [479] The close collaboration of the MP with the non-Orthodox in the "sphere of social service" manifests itself in ... restoration of churches, reestablishment of monastery and parish farms, organization of Orthodox printing presses and work-shops . ...The Episcopal Church in the USA renders material support to a series of important programs" [480] of the MP.

But can one expect assistance in true "regeneration of Orthodox monasticism" on the part of those who have waged war against the Orthodox Church for many hundreds of years and are happy to take advantage of any opportunity of getting inside the Orthodox Church system and proselytizing there with impunity?!

The crude blasphemy of atheism of the past has now been replaced by the new methods of struggling against the Church and of profaning its holy places, all of which is disguised by episcopal blessing.

Archbishop Runcey with fifteen women ordained by him.

Patriarch Alexy Ridiger and Prime Minister of the RF Victor Chernomyrdin laying the foundation-stone of the "Savior over-garages" church in Moscow. Soon afterwards the same high-ranking companion of the "patriarch" laid the foundation stone of the synagogue on the now defiled holy site in Moscow -- Poklonnaya gora.

[463] This expression belongs to Archimandrite Constantine (Zaitsev).

[464] JMP No. 9, Moscow, 1973, p. 6.

[465] JMP No. 4, Moscow, 1976, p. 13.

[466] Ibid., p. 12.

[467] He is now the Metropolitan of Smolensk and Chairman of the Department of External Relations. This uncanonical ecclesiastical organ was specially created for the coordination and the centralization of the ecumenical activities of the MP. By this stage this Department "has grown to such an extent that in many respects it has begun to replace the Patriarchate itself" ("Orthodoxy or Death", p. 8).

[468] The Declaration of the Orthodox Participants of the Seventh Assembly of the World Council of Churches, JMP No. 6, Moscow, 1991, p. 63.

[469] Assembly Line-No. 10, 19 February, 1991, Canberra, p. 3, col. 5.

The same words can be heard in the film "The Church in the Midst of Canberra" referred to previously (see Note 1, p. 13).

[470] Assembly Line, No. 8, Canberra, 16.2.1991, p. 3, col. 1; see also JMP No. 6, Moscow, 1991, p. 60.

[471] Journal of the Sixth Assembly of the WCC in Vancouver Canvas, No.6, Vancouver, 30.7.1983, p. l.

[472] Compiled by a French reformist Max Turian, this "ecumenical liturgy", the so called "Lima liturgie", was accepted by the Commission "Faith and the Church Establishment" in Lima (Peru) in January 1982. For its text see Canvas , No. 7, 1983, p. 8; also JMP, No. 9, 1983, p.54.

[473] Canvas No. 7, Vancouver, 1983, p. 1.

[474] JMP, No. 6, 1962, pp. 36-42.

[475] K. Dushenov "Nikodimovshchina", Sovetskaia Rossija, No. 133 (11418), 14 November 1996, pp. 5-6.

[476] JMP, No. 4, 1974, p. 59.

[477] For the Moscow Patriarchate money has become important in itself, as one can learn from its tobacco trading (MP has turned out to be the largest supplier of cigarettes), vodka and... American chicken legs, all of which have created a scandal in 1996. MP receives a considerable income also from the huge garage, built under the newly constructed church of Christ the Savior in Moscow, hence people began calling it the church of "the Savior upon garages".

[478] See "The Report of Patriarch Alexius II of Moscow and All Russia -- Bishop's Council of the ROC of 29 November - 2 December 1994. Documents, reports". Publ. MP, Moscow, 1995, pp. 56-57.

[479] Ibid., p. 56.

[480] Ibid., p. 57.