Speaking of naming of streets as an important bellweather of political leanings of a particular era, here is a street in Limassol, Cyprus taking on a highly unusual name.
This article adds to the one on which it was based by adding a quick fact that Met Nikodim, of poor memory, was widely believed to have been a KGB agent.
Operating under the code name of Adamant, Nikodim [Rotov] was notorious in the circles of the Russian Church Abroad and other anti-Communist quarters. His repose in September 1978 has done nothing to quiet the debate about his suspicious activities during his time holding the most powerful of positions in the Moscow Patriarchate after the title of Patriarch. Here I am suggesting that Nikodim may have been the more senior KGB agent, with Patriarch Pimen a figurehead.
"2018 marks 40 years from the repose of the well-known hierarch of the 20th century Metropolitan Nikodim of Leningrad and Novgorod. Representatives of the Russian-language parish of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Limassol, Cyprus addressed the municipal authorities with an initiative to rename in honor of Met. Nikodim the street on which their church is being built, reports the site of the Russian Orthodox Church...
As the head of the Department for External Church Relations, Met. Nikodim represented the Russian Church at a number of international inter-confessional meetings, and was named President of the World Council of Churches in 1975. Many have also suspected Met. Nikodim of being a KGB agent, propagating the image of Soviet peace and unity through his inter-Church work. He died in 1978 while in Rome for the installation of Pope John Paul I, who prayed over him in his final moments.
This is the world’s first street named in honor of Met. Nikodim. "
http://orthochristian.com/109975.html
The article by the MP website says that the parish asked the civil authority for permission to name the street of their Church in honor of Met Nikodim [Rotov]. However, one can be absolutely sure that the parishioners were prompted by MP agents in their midst.
I can't imagine even Russian expatriates living in Limassol caring about a long-departed MP prelate. There is no mention of a visit by the suspicious prelate to Cyprus during his many travels doing the bidding of the USSR's dark rulers.
Why, if this request were authentic, would it not have been to rechristian their parish street for St John Maximovitch -- a real Saint ?
The parish priest is reported to have said
"Vladyka Nikodim was the Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations for many years, therefore it is highly symbolic that the street in his name should appear by one of our foreign parishes,” Fr. George noted.
“It’s difficult to overestimate the scale of his personality, of his many years of painstaking labors for the good of the Church, and in the name of Christian unity. His reverent attitude to Divine service is an example for us. Many of the principles which he laid down in regard to the service of God, we strive to implement in our parish,” Fr. George added"
Notice all the vague talk, always a red flag.
-- What reverent attitude to the Liturgy - ? Why did that of a top KGB agent surpass that of a stupendous Miracle Worker like St John of Shanghai and San Francisco, whose absorption in Church services was legendary ?
-- What principles did Met Nikodim lay down - ? Name ONE, Fr George !
-- How exactly does the St Nicholas Russian parish of Greek Cyprus copy these purported principles - ?
All empty talk, covering up - what ? The Priest having been forced to petition for the changing of a name of the Church's street to honor the much-decorated star KGB agent in cassock ? One can just see the multiplicity of shiny hammer and sickle emblems adorning his special service military uniform under the episcopal vestments when Nikodim was buried. Does this sound like 'the service of God', as Fr George insists ? Or the service of the Soviet Communists in their quest for world domination and subversion of the Western world ?
Of one thing which we can be sure : the Ayios Nikalaos Russian parish in Greek Cyprus is in the pocket the MP. No doubt, the walls are festooned with 'icons' of the usual clan promoted by the MP including Abp Luke of Simferopol, False Matrona of Moscow, and -- once canonized -- Met Sergius [Stragorodsky] and his later companion in spirit, Met Nikodim.
I have heard - maybe here on Euphrosynos Café - reports of icons of Met Nikodim in circulation. I found one today on the internet. The shocking thing won't copy over to be visible here : clearly that site is avoiding the inevitable ridicule.
