Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the tireless advocate of the Moscow Patriarchate’s policy to dominate Christianity in Ukraine by its theory of a “Russkiy Mir” (Russian Sphere, or Pax Russica) in which all Eastern Slavs Russians, Belarussians and Ukrainians) are led politically from the regime in Moscow and ecclesiastically exclusively by the Orthodox Church led by the Moscow Patriarch, throughout the crisis in Russia’s western neighbour has consistently blamed it on agitation and violence at the hands of Western Ukrainians, incited by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, which it has accused of pursuing neo-fascist ideology and actions aimed against the Russian Church and people. His prayer for an end to bloodshed has to be read in the context of his interventions so far, which have done nothing to promote peace and mutual respect.
We have repeatedly countered this argumentation with facts, principally that the Ukrainian Catholic Church has throughout, alongside the Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant Churches, as well as Muslim and Jewish bodies, urged peace and averted bloodshed, as the same time as it opposed corruption, the abuse of power and the rule of law, and the restriction of human rights, including those of democracy. The assurances of respect and fraternity towards Russia, its people and the Russian Orthodox Church have been abundant. Metropolitan Hilarion repeats assertions he knows to be untrue and unjust, even if he regards them as justified in promoting the interests of the Moscow Patriarchate, its leadership over the portion of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under its own control and thus its aspiration to consolidate a “Russkiy Mir” with ethnic Russian citizens of Ukraine and Russophone Ukrainians. See here, for the most recent rehearsal of his attack on the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and our Vice-Chairman’s repeated rebuttal, with links to preceding instances and rebuttals.
Below is the press release, from the Department of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, of His Eminence’s response to the aftermath of the shooting down of the Malaysian Airlines aircraft by terrorists posing as the “People’s Republic of Donetsk” in Eastern Ukraine to whom the Russian regime had supplied the weaponry, as well as technical expertise, training and personnel. In the Metropolitan’s reported comments he refers to those responsible for the atrocity as “the authorities of the Donetsk People’s Republic”, appearing to recognise their legitimacy on behalf of the Moscow Patriarchate and equating them with the legal government of Ukraine, which he refers to only as “the Kiev authorities. After the DECR report is an interpretive response from the Ukraine-based Catholic news outlet, Catholic Commentator, endorsed in the Greek Catholic archeparchy of Lviv. Metropolitan Hilarion’s words and actions have led to his being declared by the Border Agency persona non grata in the territory of Ukraine.
20 July 2014, Mospat.ru – Metropolitan Hilarion: we should zealously pray for an end of fratricidal battle in Ukraine
With a blessing of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, a fervent prayer for peace in Ukraine is tirelessly lifted up in all the churches and monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church.
“We should zealously pray that the fratricidal battle be stopped because blood is shed and people die every day in the Ukrainian land”, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, head of the Moscow Patriarchate’s department for external church relations, said in his archpastoral homily on July 20. Addressing the congregation in the church of Our Lady the Joy to All the Afflicted in Moscow, the metropolitan said:
“This week we all have heard a horrible news about the crash of a plane with almost three hundred passengers and a crew. The remains of the plane are now in the territory not controlled by the Kiev authorities. Various forces are disputing over who should carry out the investigation, who should take away the bodies. The OSCE says that they are not let in there while the authorities of the Donetsk People’s Republic maintain the opposite, saying that they let in all but specialists are not coming over there. The Western powers state that it is the Kiev authorities that should carry out the investigation and take away the bodies from the place of the tragedy, while the Kiev authorities have no access to it.
“As a result, the human remains and aircraft debris are lying under the scorching sun, and as the warring parties argue, relatives of the dead in various countries, shocked and terrified, continue waiting for the bodies of their dead loved ones to be brought home and buried.
“There are very many such complicated situations now as the civil war continues, to say nothing of the fact that each party uses them to accuse the other one. And it is only Divine grace that can put political leaders on the path of reconciliation.
“It is for this reason that the Church should so zealously pray today for Ukraine, for all people living there, so that the Lord Himself may interfere in where human resources are lacking, so that God may grant Ukraine and all people life, peace, health, salvation and visitation”.
22 July 2014, Catholic Commentator, ROC named “Donetsk People’s Republic”
In translation:
The head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk Alfeyev has recognized the so-called “People’s Republic of Donetsk.” This is on the official site of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. Metropolitan Alfeyev’s post represents that of Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Patriarchate’s administration. Thus Metropolitan Hilarion Alyeyev’s statement can be considered the official position of the Russian Orthodox Church.
In his archpastoral speech on the aforementioned website on July 20 of this year Metropolitan Alfeyev used the phrase “the authorities of the People’s Republic of Donetsk” without such qualifications as the “so called”, “self-proclaimed”, and thus accorded it the same standing at the same level as the official Ukrainian authorities. The placing of these terms in relation to a terrorist group called DNR side by side unreservedly equates them. Thus in reality it is an act of recognition of legitimate authority for the terrorist group involved in the downing of the Malaysian “Boeing”.
In addition, Metropolitan Alfeyev has accused the OSCE of inhumane conduct towards the bodies of the dead passengers and crew shot down by the DNR terrorists. Furthermore, Metropolitan Alfeyev has once again said that what Ukraine is going through is a civil war.
Source: ROC named “Donetsk National Republic” | The Catholic Commentator