Status: 11/26/2022 11:20 a.m
The old orthodox church of Ukraine is in the sights of the secret service. Although she officially seceded from Moscow in May, her priests are said to have spread Russian propaganda and supported the invading army.
It’s just a short video that moves many people in Ukraine. It shows believers in a church of the famous Kiev Pechersk Lavra. They sing the song “Mother Russia Awake” – and that’s exactly what causes resentment. The accusation: Kremlin propaganda was being spread in the middle of the attraction.
Pro-Russian leaflets seized
A search by the SBU, Ukraine’s secret service, followed. But it wasn’t about the singing, Viktor Jahun, major general of the secret service, told the Ukrainian media. “We’ve had a lot of things pointed out by people that we needed to look at. It’s mostly things that people see when they enter the church – not the chant, which was recently recorded, but the literature that will be presented there.”
The SBU said that parts of it were pro-Russian and published photos of leaflets. In Ukrainian it says: “One brother people. One orthodox faith. One country.” or “Politically, Ukraine is a foreign country. Spiritually and historically, it never existed. Before God we are one people.”
Also printed: A portrait of the Russian Patriarch Cyril, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. He is a confidant of Russian President Vladimir Putin and justifies the war against Ukraine as a “holy war”. His church is under the influence of the Russian secret service FSB, says Petro Burkovsky, director of the Kiev think tank “Democratic Initiatives”:
Through this structure, Russia has been trying for over 30 years to destabilize the situation in Ukraine, to destroy the unity of Ukrainian society. You can no longer ignore all this, you have to deal with it.
During a raid on the cave monastery and two other church institutions, the Ukrainian domestic secret service SBU discovered pro-Russian propaganda material, millions in cash and “dubious” Russian citizens.
Image: AFP
Break with Moscow
The Ukrainian secret service checked 350 church buildings and more than 800 people last week – not only in Kyiv. Many people have been skeptical about the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate since February 24th. Three years ago, then-President Petro Poroshenko campaigned for the independence of the Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
“For us Ukrainians, our own church is a guarantee of our spiritual freedom, it is a guarantee of social peace,” Poroshenko said at the time. “As President, I guarantee on behalf of the state that Ukraine will respect the religious choice and freedom of religion of every citizen. I congratulate everyone who cares about the establishment of the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine. And I thank everyone who worked tirelessly to create it , brought unity and restored justice.”
Spread of Russian propaganda
Poroshenko accused critics of political instrumentalization of religion. But the allegation against Russia’s church in Ukraine weighs far more heavily. The priests of the Moscow Patriarchate incited the population in eastern Ukraine eight years ago – when Russia’s war against Ukraine in the Donbass began.
The priests have played an influential role in spreading Russian propaganda in the Donbass, says Petro Dudnyk, a pastor in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slavyansk. “Many Orthodox priests, especially those of the Moscow Patriarchate, are brainwashing about the so-called Russian world. They call Ukrainians fascists and Nazis. This is the work of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Orthodox Church.”
Ukrainian church dismisses pro-Russian bishops
The Ukrainian Orthodox Church dismissed three metropolitans accused of pro-Russian propaganda on Wednesday. However, the governing body of the church, the Holy Synod, did not justify the decisions with the allegations against them, but with the poor health of one of the bishops.
According to media reports, the previous metropolitans Elischa von Isjum and Kupjansk as well as Joseph von Romny and Buryn in north-eastern Ukraine fled to Russia in the past few months and have now been retired.
Domestic intelligence is said to have found evidence of pro-Russian activities in the case of the third ousted metropolitan, Ioasaf on Kropyvnytskyi and Novomyrhorod in central Ukraine. However, Ioasaf will continue to operate in the Kyiv metropolitan area. The head of the Kiev Cave Monastery, who has come under criticism, Metropolitan Pavlo, will retain his post. There had previously been speculation about his dismissal.
Support for Russian invasion
This branch formally broke away from the Moscow Patriarchate in May. The reason was Kyrill’s support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. And yet there are a number of examples in which priests from Russia’s church in Ukraine supported the Russian occupying forces, explains the religious scholar Dmitro Horevoj.
Horevoy reports that a priest in Borodyanka helped to deport local residents to Belarus. Another from a village in the Donetsk region advocated cooperation with the Russians during the occupation.
“The Metropolitan of Izyum blessed the occupying power. The Metropolitan of Romny obtained Russian citizenship and traveled to Russia to attend a service praying for Russia, its army and government.” He could continue the list, but the airtime is not enough for that, adds Horevoj.
About 60 percent of the Ukrainian population profess the Orthodox faith. But they belong to two different orthodox churches. And more and more people are professing the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine.
Agents in monk’s habit? Priests targeted by Ukrainian security agencies
Rebecca Barth, WDR, currently Kyiv, 26.11.2022 09:34 a.m