Table of Contents
Articles and Commentaries
Over the last several years our web site compiled a
number of interesting articles, commentaries and observations that are
scattered throughout our web site. In order to provide easy accessibility to
these publications we are providing a Table of Contents page which will make it
easier to navigate to the respective publication. Where appropriate specific
sources and references are provided.
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Ukraine, Orthodoxy, and the
Greek Prelate
— By Bishop Paul Peter Jesep
Go to: bishopjesep
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Go to: viewourlysyj
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“Conduct That is Intentionally
Disruptive and Egregious, Longstanding, Willful and Deliberate.”
Judge Roger F. Mahon, Superior
Court of New Jersey
“So who, then, is Jonathan Russin and what was he doing in Bound Brook in
April 1999 meeting with Archbishop Antony?”
“We cannot stand quietly by and see our
history twisted. We will not stand by
and see our faith ‘compromised’!. . .
Into our hands
and trust God has placed the course of history for the next thousand years of
the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.”
Archbishop Constantine speaking at the 995th anniversary of
Ukraine’s Christianity
“Nothing will change in the structure or
administration of our Church.” Archbishop Antony
Go to: disruptiveconduct
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Orthodoxy as semi-official religion of Russia
RUSSIA'S WELL-CONNECTED PATRIARCH
As Church Enjoys Revival of
Influence, It’s Past Remains Clouded
by Sharon LaFraniere
Washington Post Foreign Service, 23 May 2002
Go to: wellconnected
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Ukrainian
language
“In
Defense of Holy Ukrainian Autocephalic Orthodox Church”
by Ivan Hnyp, Denair, CA
Go to: hnyp
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Ukrainian
language
“To
the Vassals”
by Vitalij Szumakow,
Vice President, St. Michael’s UOC Parish
Board, San Francisco California.
(a reply to Dr. Anatolij Lysyj,
Metropolitan Council Member, UOCUSA, Diocese of the Church of Constantinople)
Go to: vassals
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Who or What is “SCOBA”
? and....What does the future hold for the
UOC-USA? Go
to: scoba
Who or What is “OCA”
? and… What is OCA’s relationship to UOC-USA? Go to: exclusiveclub
Points to Ponder………Did You Know?………….Facts
concerning UOC-USA. Go
to: didyouknow
TIMELINE…. Chronological History of
the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.…..and its struggle for survival. Go
to: timeline
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Protocol
937
We have been requested to publish Protocol
937 on our web page. Due to its length we are unable to publish its entire
content but we are publishing the most important excerpts. What is most
interesting and that which provides undisputed authenticity of this document is
that it was published in Autumn 1995 by the "Eastern Churches
Journal" which is published by the Society of Saint John Chrysostom in
London, England. A member of the Editorial Board is none other than Bishop
Vsevolod of Scopelos.
For those interested to read the entire
contents of Protocol 937 and for ease of researching the source of our
reference we have provided the cover page and partial contents page of the
Eastern Churches Journal, Volume 2, Number 2. Go
to: protocol937
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“Patriarch
Aleksei II was not only an agent of the KGB, he was singled out to receive
honors for thirty years of outstanding service.”
Go to: alexijkgbagent
Another
source confirming Patriarch Aleksei as USSR KGB Agent “Drozdov”.
In a recent article “ANALYSIS: The Ukrainian
Churches and their expectations for the visit of Pope John Paul II” by the Rev.
Andriy Chirovsky, S.Th.D. in The Ukrainian Weekly, No. 24, Sunday June 17, 2001
a footnote no. 2 states the following:
“2. The highly respected Keston News
Service publicized the facts of Patriarch Aleksei’s involvement in the Estonian
KGB from February 1958 on, in an article by Felix Corley, “KNS Russia: The
Patriarch and the KGB”, Thursday, September 21, 2000. The Keston Institute at
Oxford was kind enough to furnish me with a photocopy of the extract from the
“Report on agent/operational work of the Fourth Department of the KGB attached
to the Council of Ministers of the Estonian SSR for 1958, signed by Chairman of
the Estonian KGB [Col. I.P.] Karpov and Head of the Fourth Department,
Belyayev, as found in the Estonian State Archive, record group 131, file 393,
pp 125-126. These Estonian records may well have been moved since to FSB
Archives in Russia. The final entry on agent Drozdov is from February 1988: An
order of the USSR KGB chairman was prepared to award to Agent “Drozdov” the
Certificate of Honor.” FSB Central Archive, f.6, op.11, por. No. 148,
d.Ch-175.t.1, p.209. Thus Patriarch Aleksei II was not only an agent of the
KGB, he was singled out to receive honors for thirty years of outstanding
service.”
For additional information on agent Aleksei “Drozdov”
Click newsfromabroad.html
and go to bottom of page
“American Foreign Policy Council”…Documents indicate Patriarch was KGB agent
since 1958.
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Go to: arroganceofpower
Reflecting upon the events that have transpired in the life of our Church for the past 5-6 years I am at a loss to describe what exactly has happened. Why are there so much turmoil, unrest and agitation in our religious lives that started to manifest itself since the end of 1994? The Soviet Union collapsed and Ukraine has been free since 1990. We have had a large influx of Ukrainian immigrants to the US. The economy has been spectacular for the past 8-10 years. In general life has been good. But yet many feel uneasy, dejected, troubled and betrayed. Some have taken to isolate themselves while others have taken a more militant attitude and have become vocal activists. But the main theme, the main thread that seems to wind its way through all conversations and discussions is “Where is our Church headed and why?”
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Who is The
Boss……????
Go to: boss
Sobor
of UOC-USA?…Metropolitan Constantine?…or Patriarch Bartholomew?
Fact: On March 2, 1997, Metropolitan Constantine elevated Bishop Vsevolod
of Scopelos to the rank of “Archbishop” prior
to the convening of the UOC-USA Sobor, the highest governing body of the
Church.
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Ukrainian language
“
Бавнд-Брук
горить, а
Владики на
Скрипку
Грають”.
Go to: boundbrookburning
Приводом
для
оприлюднення
цих моїх
роздумів
послугував
глибокий
душевний
біль. Усім
нам відома
складна
ситуація з українським
православ’ям
в Україні й,
можна
сказати,
катастрофічна
з нашою
Церквою, тут,
в Америці.
Поштовхом
же взятися за
перо стала стаття члена
Ради
Митрополії
УАПЦ в США ,
доктора
Анатолія
Лисого
“Собери нас, соборе!”,
котра
видрукувана
у “Свободі” 20-го
жовтня цього
року.
Василь
Косогор,
Голова
Всеукраїнський
Комітет
“Об’єднання
Парафій
Діаспори
За
Київський
Патріархат”
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Reply to Dr. Lysyjs’ article “Sobor Unite US” as published in the Orthodox Word, official publication of the UOC-USA.
The following are excerpts from a Ukrainian article by
Jurij Doroshenko published in “Young Ukraine”, Kyiv, January 10, 2001.
(Translated from Ukrainian)
“Notations from church
politics or….
How the
American “fellows” united the Ukrainian Churches and praised themselves”
Go to: doroshenko
“I
cannot disagree with Dr. Lysyj that right now, for the Ukrainian Church, there
have “opened new possibilities”, but they are not tied to the internal life of
any one of the Ukrainian diaspora churches. It would be comical to believe that
such serious processes that are occurring in the life of the orthodox faithful
in Ukraine have been initiated by several hierarchs, clergy, and, overburdened
with church matter, lay pensioners from the diaspora”.
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Excerpts from
an analysis published by the Minister of Foreign Affairs –Republic of
Turkey—Mar-May 1998 Journal of International Affairs
THE
FENER GREEK PATRIARCHATE
by
A. SUAT BİLGE
Dr. A. Suat Bilge is Professor of International Relations and Ambassador
(retired).
Go to: greekpatriarchate
“….The Turkish government would have the right to
control the designation of the Patriarch and limit his actions… “….the
candidate must be a Turkish citizen with an occupation in Turkey at the time of
the election.
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IS THIS WHERE UOC-USA IS HEADING…..UNDER A GREEK EXARCH ???
Go
to: greekplans
Excerpts from The Hellenic Times, published June 30,
2000
Our faith and sacred tradition: The Pan-Orthodox
understanding of the term, Diaspora
By Rev. Dr. George D. Dragas
June
30, 2000 (THT) -- The occasion of the 35th Clergy-Laity Conference of the
Sacred Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, a great event in the life of the Church,
invites all Greek Orthodox American Christians to pause and consider who we
really are in the context of America, especially within the wider context of
world Orthodoxy.
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Short dissertation and
historical note on St. Volodymyr's Cathedral, NYC
Go to: historyofstvolodymyr
In 1950 St. Volodymyr's Cathedral
was the site where the Sobor marked the union of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church
of America headed by Archbishop Mstyslav (which he briefly headed after his
immigration to America), with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A.
(Bound Brook) headed by Metropolitan Teodorovich. The intent of this historic
union was to reunite all Ukrainian Orthodox faithful into the one resurrected
Ukrainian Autocephalic (Independent) Church, free of any foreign entity.
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Ukrainian language
У
Kиєві, а не
Стамбулі
наше
спасіння!
Go to: inkyivnot
Передруковано
з
"Українські
Вісті" 21 травня
2000 р. Но. 21 (3397)
Ситуація,
яка
витворилася
за останні
чотири-п'ять
років в
Західній
українській
діяспорі,
особливо в
церковному
житті УПЦ,
дає підстави
твердити, що
тут не обійшлось
без "чорної
руки" наших
ворогів і недругів,
які мають
широкозакроєні,
далекосяжні
пляни з
прицілом на
Український
Державний
Суверенітет.
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PAN-ORTHODOXY IS ALIVE AND
KICKING ?????
Go to: jingoism
On December 16, 2000, Father Michael Conrad wrote a scathing
letter critical of "hyper-nationalistic ukrainian (sic)
autocephalers". This letter was posted on the Orthodox Christian News
Service web site www.orthodoxnews.com
In his obnoxious tirade Father Michael makes numerous errors
in historical facts, such as Orthodox Christianity was brought to Kyiv by Greek
missionaries and errors in current ecclesiastical boundaries by calling
Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate an "independent church"
in Ukraine.
"hyper-nationalistic
jingoism of the ukrainian autocephalers"
and
"fervent
ukrainophiles"
That is what
Father Michael Conrad of the American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox Church in North
Royalton, Ohio calls a Ukrainian or an American of Ukrainian descent that
believes in supporting and fighting for an independent Ukrainian Orthodox
Church.
Read excerpts
from Father Michael's letter to the editors of the Orthodox Christian News
Service.
Read a response
from Mr. Simon T. Nahnybida. Click jingoism
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Archbishop
Vsevolod as Patriarch Vsevolod in Ukraine??
Go to: patriarchvsevolod
On July 6, 2001 Orthodox
Christian News Service posted an anonymous letter from a priest warning of
“nightmare scenario” if ecumenical Patriarch recognizes “renegade” Ukrainian
jurisdictions. Of great interest is mention of Archbishop Vsevolod as a
potential Ecumenical Patriarch’s appointee as Patriarch of a united Ukrainian
Orthodox church.
July 6, 2001 Orthodox Christian News Service <http://www.orthodoxnews.com>
Editor:
It is
appalling the way the present Ecumenical Patriarch, Bartholomew of
Constantinople, fashions himself as the "Greek Pope," with universal
jurisdiction over the entire Orthodox Church. Perhaps, he learned too well and
finds too comfortable, the Roman ecclesiology he learned while taking his Ph.D.
at the Vatican. Be that as it may, nowhere is this papal mode of operation more
evident than in his present un-canonical and unprecedented interference in
Ukraine.
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RFE/RL | Newsline
5 September 2000
THE STRUGGLE TO ESTABLISH
THE WORLD'S LARGEST ORTHODOX CHURCH
By Taras Kuzio
Go to: strugglebytaraskuzio
During the synod of the Russian
Orthodox Church (ROC) in Moscow from 18-20 August, Patriarch of Moscow and All
Russia Aleksii II denounced calls to "confine the Church within the
framework of the Russian Federation." The State Duma backed the ROC's
geopolitical pretensions within the CIS by allocating 6 million rubles
($216,000) to the ROC in Ukraine this year.
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Time for the Faithful to
Awake.....Some Personal Reflections
by Simon Nahnybida
Go to: timeforthefaithful
After
participating in the celebration of St. Thomas's Sunday, (Providna Nedilia) and
observing several unbelievable occurrences, I have had time to think and reflect
about what is happening within our Church. I cannot understand how most of our
Church members either don't care, or underestimate and dismiss the implications
and potential outcome of what our bishops have done. Please bear with me while
I try to explain how serious the situation has become.
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The “Ubiquitous Ukrainian Problem”
Go to: ukrainianproblem
In a letter dated May 18, 2001, to
the Orthodox News Service expressing disdain for the SCOBA pastoral message, L. Lucic provides an in depth
analysis of the political maneuverings of the “canonical” bishops of SCOBA.
We are providing the most
pertinent highlights and the entire section dealing with the “ubiquitous
Ukrainian problem”. It is fascinating reading.
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Go to: halftruth
“I consider your website a valuable asset to those of us
trying to sort out the various intricacies of church politics. When one feels strongly about a subject,
however, it is sometimes difficult to keep passion from coloring the reporting
of facts.
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Reply to Mr. Nicholas E. Denysenko on the Orthodox News Service web
page. Go
to: ideologies
Editor:
First
of all let me complement you on your site and for printing articles and letters
describing various viewpoints. Most of our
church publications ignore and / or vilify differing viewpoints, so your
web-site serves as an excellent and essential point of discussion.
I
am of Ukrainian decent and have been following the reports and letters
regarding the situation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with a great deal of
interest. The recent letter submitted
by Mr. Denysenko was particularly revealing, and in my opinion illogical. Mr. Denysenko spent considerable time
admonishing the views expressed by Mr. Nahnybida, and then condemned the
“worship of national ideologies instead of our crucified Savior”. I guess that according to Mr. Denysenko all
of the ethnic Orthodox Churches in the US have it all wrong, and unless they
are willing to become part of the OCA, they are ignoring the teachings of
Christ.
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STALIN and the MOSCOW
PATRIARCHATE-Historical Notes. Go to: stalinmoscpatr
Soviet Commissar Speech in 1945
after the election of Patriarch Alexy, when Stalin organized the Moscow
Patriarchate for the purpose of using the Church to gain support for the War
effort: Prior to this time the Russian
Church in Exile was recognized as the "true" representative of
Russian Orthodoxy. Note the world orthodox leaders that allied themselves with
the Stalin effort including the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
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Word Magazine April, 1984 Page 5-6--ORTHODOXY IN AMERICA:
SUCCESS
AND FAILURE
by Metropolitan PHILIP
Go to: successfail
..."My second vision concerns the Standing Conference of Orthodox
Bishops in America (SCOBA). Since the purpose of SCOBA is to bring organic
unity to our churches in America, I believe that SCOBA should be elevated to
the rank of an Orthodox Synod which will have the power to deal effectively and
decisively with our Orthodox problems in this country....
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As far back as 1960 the ethnic unification process was put into
place.
Go
to: ethnicunion
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From the Archives we dug up the following
“expression” of sorrow:
From Patriarch Alexey I (Simansky):
"To the Council of Ministers of The USSR:
“In
the name of the Russian Orthodox Church and in my own I express my most deep and
most sincere condolences on the occasion of the repose of the unforgettable
Iosif Vissarionovich STALIN, the great builder of people's happiness.”
For full text Go to: alexarchives
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Moscow & Istanbul will decide the fate of Ukrainian
Orthodox Church
by
Simon Nahnybida
Go
to: moscowistan
In
the above title I am paraphrasing, but that was the substance of a recent
headline on the front page of Svoboda, together with a picture of Ukraine’s president during a
recent visit with Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul, Turkey. I read this with
disbelief and then awaited some reaction, an outcry from our church hierarchy
and / or our political leaders.
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The
Ship of our Church is Guided by People
Go to: shipofchurch
First I must clarify to
the respected Dr. Shajenko and to many others that I was never “one of those
that carried on discussions with Constantinople”.
Ed. Note.
For a response to Dr. A. Lysyj please read the following article “People Are Not Sheep”
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People Are Not Sheep ( even though they are
part of the flock )
by Victor Babanskyj
Go to: peoplesheep
In a letter, dated November 22,
1999 to the Ukrainian News, complimenting them on the publication of an article
by Vitalij Karpenko, Chief Editor of Vechirnyj Kiev, Mr. Victor Babanskyj verbalizes
the sentiment and feelings of many Ukrainian Orthodox faithful, to the recent
about-face position of Dr. A. Lysyj, member of the Metropolitan Council of
UOC-USA.
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Under Whose
Omophorion (Jurisdiction)?
Go to: omophorion
The question
that many of our faithful are asking is: Why is it that our Church (Ukrainian Orthodox
Church of Canada) recognizes the Orthodox Churches of Russia, Greece,
Constantinople, Bulgaria, Rumania, etc., however, refuses to recognize, or have
anything to do with, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kiev Patriarchate?"
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Additional information from the archives of UOC-USA. Go to: archuocusa
Letter dated March 19, 1981 on Metropolitan's Chancery
letterhead of UOC-USA
To: Rev. Taras Chubenko, Pastor of St. Demetrius Church in
Carteret
Rev. John Nakonachny, Pastor of Holy Ascension Church in
Maplewood
Robert Hedesh, Parish Board President of St. Demetrius
Church in Carteret
On March 12, during a trip to Winnipeg, in the
presence of the head of the Consistory the Very Reverend A. Selepyna and Rev.
F. Estocin, Archbishop Mark informed me that on 26 February of this year, at
the initiative of the pastor of the parish in Carteret, Father T. Chubenko and
pastor of the Holy Ascension in Maplewood Father J. Nakonachny, and with the
agreement of the parish board president in Carteret, Mr. Robert Hedesh, who is
also the vice-president of the Ukrainian Orthodox League in USA, a meeting took
place in the parish facilities of the cathedral of St. Demetrius in
Carteret...............................
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INTERESTING AND
REVEALING BACKGROUND INFORMATION Go to: estocin
A response to Dr. A. Lysyj's
Report of January 4, 1997 by Fr. Frank Estocin, Metropolitan Council Member,
Consistory Secretary UOC-USA (dated June 11/24th, 1997 St.
Bartholomew)
"Unless Orthodox
Canonical discipline has suddenly been altered by Ecumenical Orthodoxy, there
are certain realities which cannot be avoided, certain boundaries which cannot
be transgressed. They are, that in the present order which we embraced as of
March 12, 1995........
**********************************************************************************Is
it easier to receive permission or to ask for forgiveness?
Go to: permissionorforgiveness
That is the question usually
pondered by astute high school and college students but in the reported case of
St. Volodymyr's (New York City) "letter of permission" fiasco this is
not a high school or teenage matter.
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An in depth explanation by
Rev. Protodeacon Larry A. Faseruk of the intricate “canonical”
inter-relationships between various Orthodox Churches
Go to: canonical
Statement that was made by Archpriest Mihajlo Doder of the Serbian Orthodox Church on Orthodox Christianity
<ORTHODOX@LISTSERV.INDIANA.EDU> on May 28, 2001
"You
act as if being in communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate is the litmus
test of being Orthodox. While the Church of Bulgaria was in "schism"
with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Serbian Church served with both the EP
and the Church of Bulgaria. Likewise, the clergy of the Serbian Church often
serve with the clergy of ROCOR, but are also in communion with Moscow and the
EP. We must get away from the idea that the EP is some kind Orthodox
"Pope"."
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THE
HOLY CANONS!
( or how to
use man made church laws to your own advantage )
To those within the UOCUSA who so readily throw about the word
"Canonicity" in their justification of all of the actions of the
Bound Brook hierarchs and label "uncanonical" all opinions
contrary to their belief, we call your attention to a number of canons :
4th
Ecumenical Council, EPITOME of CANON 10
No cleric shall be recorded on the clergy list of the churches of two
cities. But if he shall have strayed forth, let him be returned to his former
place. But if he has been transferred, let him have no share in the affairs of
his former church.
Depending on the audience before them
and /or for "political expediency", the Bound Brook
hierarchs use a variety of titles.
For example Antony, Archbishop of Washington will be used
before his Ukrainian flock. However in non-Ukrainian settings, his TRUE
title (since 1995) is used, Archbishop of Hierapolis.
Now isn't this contrary to the canons?
2nd Ecumenical Council Canon XXX. (XXXI.)
If any bishop obtain possession of a church by the aid of the temporal
powers, let him be deposed and excommunicated, and all who communicate with
him.
Canon XLII.
If a bishop or presbyter, or deacon, is addicted
to dice or drinking, let him either give it over, or be deposed.
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