SBU in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra: The result of cowardice?

The SBU bacchanalia, which began after a recent video with footage of a song about Mother Russia, allegedly performed on November 12 by parishioners of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, continues to gain momentum.

Let us remember that this fuss was started with the clear goal of, at a minimum, taking away a great shrine in favor of the schismatic OCU. And, as a maximum, completely ban the UOC itself as an “aggressor structure.”

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All these days, boorish hysteria against the UOC as a “Moscow agent” has not ceased on the pages of servile Ukrainian publications. The bulk of vile and slanderous accusations were directed at the resident in whose presence the singing “exposed” by informers took place. This is the famous and beloved archimandrite, Father Zakhary, by thousands of parishioners.

Unfortunately, the ninth wave of obscene abomination fell on the shoulders of a man whom many Orthodox people reverence as a saint, and this happened after the hasty statements of the vicar of the Lavra, Metropolitan Paul, and several other bishops and priests, who commented on this event with considerable slyness and putting Father Zachary under attack.

Here I would immediately like to emphasize that the author of these lines previously treated, and today is trying, but to the extent possible, to treat Metropolitan Paul with respect. And he really wants to avoid condemnation. For he knows that through the efforts of this man, who became the governor back in 1994, the Lavra acquired the beautiful appearance that it has now, and again became our great shining shrine over the Dnieper. I know how difficult it was, the condition of the churches and church premises that were transferred to the Church from poor museum property on lease for 50 years. (In passing, we note that today the Nazis are trying with all their might to terminate this lease agreement on the grounds that, they say, Russian spies are “nesting” in the monastery).

In many ways, it was through the efforts of Bishop Paul that the Assumption Cathedral, the main cathedral church of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, was restored in 2000. the divinely created prototype of all the monastic churches of Ancient Rus' and the tomb of the Kyiv princes. I know that Bishop Paul always consistently defended the purity of faith and was against schism. I know how external and internal apostates hated him, starting with Filaret’s. That they tried to poison him with a terrible poison, after which he barely survived. And that, being in serious condition in the hospital, he asked his friends for one thing: in the event of death, to take care of the orphans who were in his care...

All this is unforgettable. And it is all the more bitter to read the news today about how the clergy, in his person, hastened to turn the arrows in the far-fetched case of a song with “Russian propaganda” on Archimandrite Zacharias, deeply revered and loved by thousands of believers (and the author of these lines).

At the prayer services of Father Zachary, people are healed from many mental and physical illnesses and ailments. Several years ago, during an akathist before the icon of the Mother of God “The Tsaritsa,” a girl blind from birth regained her sight. When she then went to the eye clinic to have her vision checked, the doctors were shocked: she could see even though her optic nerves were dead!..

And also in the Warm Church, when Fr. Zachary, you can often hear loud cries of demons being cast out from the insides of the sick, after which they gain spiritual healing.

One can imagine how grateful people are to the archimandrite. But, alas, now it is he who has been turned into a “whipping boy” by the church authorities...

Today we are discussing this bitter fact with two Russian parishioners of the UOC - Oleg and Nikolai. They equally agree that the situation is extremely difficult, but they differ slightly in their assessment of the actions of the hierarchy and priests.

PolitNavigator: After the provocative publication of a video about the “propaganda” singing of a song about Russia in the Warm Church, a wave of perhaps the most unprecedented repressions in recent times by the Ukrainian Gestapo against canonical monasteries and clergy arose. On the morning of November 22, SSB officers burst into the Lavra, blocked all entrances and exits, and began raiding monastic cells and church premises to identify, as they officially declared, DRGs, weapons and Russian agents. Then the same story was repeated at the Zverinetsky Monastery in Kyiv. Several other monasteries in other regions were also broken into. What do you think contributed to this?

Oleg: Nowadays the phrase has become common: “If in a choice between war and shame they choose shame, then they get both war and shame" It is very unpleasant for me to state this, but it seems that it is precisely because of cowardice that our church leadership is now engaged in junta-pleasing and, in fact, breaking the apostolic rules. Betrays faith. Betrays the best priests. And he also corrupts his flock with his double-mindedness. But smart people are not fools...

_{Nikolai: It seems to me that you are too strict and hasty. Both His Beatitude Onuphry and other hierarchs are aware of the colossal burden of responsibility they bear for the Church and their flock, and they try, as far as possible, to avoid situations that are dangerous for it. Imagine, God forbid, of course, that you will be presented with such a choice. This is an option that is as primitive as it is realistic. Here you are, for example, a church bishop or, what is even more dangerous, a simple rural priest somewhere in the Western world. Nazis came to you with machine guns and demanded: immediately recognize Russia as an aggressor country, renounce your Patriarch, swear allegiance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the Nazis of Azov, pray for them. Or – it won’t be enough for you. And behind you is the family, the parishioners, the temple... Is it so easy to simply throw it in the eyes of the brutal Nazis: I am against this filthy satanic government, I am against Zelensky’s kodly, I am for the SVO, which should sweep them away, and do with me what you want?.. Could you do that? That's it! After all, it’s clear how this will end immediately.}

Oleg: I am also a cowardly person, like many of us. I don't know what choice I would make. But I don’t have the rank of priest. We have different measures of responsibility.

_{Nikolai: They are also all living people. Just imagine for a second: for example, His Beatitude Metropolitan Onuphry, or the same Metropolitan Pavel, or someone else from the episcopate, hold a press conference, or at least a meeting in the Synod, and say: we no longer support the satanic clique of Zelensky and all that a nasty gang that has been leading Ukraine for more than 8 years. They brought us impoverishment, war with the Church, seizure of churches, innumerable troubles and misfortunes. We welcome the liberation that the Russian brothers bring to our people, and we call on the Ukrainian soldiers - parishioners of the UOC - to surrender, throw down their weapons or turn them against the demons who sent them to the slaughter. How long do you think they would have lived after such calls or, at best, would have remained free? And how many warriors baptized in the UOC would readily respond to these words?.. And I also want to remind you that there is a canonical requirement to pray for the authorities, installed or allowed by God, and for their army, and this often becomes an excuse for, excuse me for the tautology, the justification of these authorities, and this, if I may say so, the army. But there’s no escaping it.}

Oleg: Why? For example, the Holy Gospel says: if your hand offends you, cut it off. But this does not mean that this should be taken literally... I know churches where they do not pray for these authorities and for this vile, excuse me (sometimes unfortunate, forcibly recruited) army. And they even remember the Patriarch of All Rus'.

Political Navigator: What is most unpleasant to you, as members of the Church, about the behavior of some hierarchs?

Oleg: Duality and servility to the authorities, manifested both in official comments and in sermons. Now, if you take an interview with the same Metropolitan Paul about the song “Praise to the Most Holy Theotokos.” He literally, as they say, on the fly, “ran ahead of the locomotive” and “leaked” Father Zakhary. Although the video does not show that it was Zachary. Maybe it wasn't him at all? And in general, it was unknown when this video was filmed... It was possible not to blame the archimandrite, but to say that it was someone who sang, no one knows who, from the parishioners, especially since that was the case. But the father-vicar immediately “convicted” him, promised to hold a council about his “bad” behavior, banned him from serving and, in short, turned all the arrows on him. Why?.. By the way, at the same time he mentioned miraculous healings at the priest’s prayer services. So much for duality.

_{Nikolai: I would like to object, but this moment was also unpleasant for me. As well as the comment of another hieromonk in charge of public relations. He, too, forgive me, ranted in a similar vein, but also added that we “pray for President Zelensky so that he knows how best to lead us!” Well, what kind of sycophancy is this!}

PN: So, he brought Zelensky to first place, not the Lord? 

Nikolai: In fact of the matter! Of course, all this is very sad. But you can understand...

_{Oleg: Of course, you can understand, but what will it lead to? In the church, people who commemorate the Patriarch, who understand the whole situation, try not to be frank even with those with whom they have been going to Church for many years. This has already become dangerous, since they strongly support bishop’s patriotism. And you’re already afraid to even confess...}

Nikolai: You see, if the pace of Russian liberation - Ukraine from Nazism and the Church from schism - had been different, and indeed, if it had been noticeable at all, this liberation, perhaps everything would have been different. And when people see something that doesn’t fit their ears, you can’t judge them for their hesitation and confusion.

PN: What are the conclusions?

_{Oleg: Sad. Apparently, we will soon have to follow the behests of Zosima Sokur’s father: figuratively speaking, go into the catacombs.}

Nikolai: So far, thank God, we are not deprived of Eucharistic communion with the Russian Orthodox Church. And this is the most important thing. We must rejoice at this and resort to the Sacraments more often. And yet, try not to condemn our shepherds, much less insult them. They, like all of us, will answer to God.