VERTOGRAD
Orthodox Journal
Newsletter No. 1, Thursday, December 2, 2004. 9:15 P.M.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Greetings to our English-speaking readers
Archimandrite Michael (Graves) Found Dead
Harrassment of ROAC clergy at the Behest of the MP Continues in Trestna
MP Holds the Third Meeting of the ROCOR- MP Dialogue Commission
Greetings to our English-speaking readers
Dear Fathers, brothers and sisters, and English-version readers of Vertograd Orthodox Journal Online:
As a new phase for Vertograd Orthodox Journal begins with an online English-language version, the editorial board sends its greetings and asks your prayers. We look forward to reporting on events in True Orthodoxy as they occur-- and are grateful for all your support over the years.
As our long-time readers know, Vertograd exists to inform its readers about True Orthodox news and events, as well as to report on ecumenical events and activities of international significance. Distributing this information is of paramount importance for strengthening Church unity between all True Orthodox Christians in the struggle against heresy, as well as informed criticism of-- and resistance to-- contemporary trends in the direction of syncretism, false union and ecumenism.
The Orthodox world is different from the one of just 100 years ago. Today interest in Orthodoxy (what was once known as the "Greek" or "Russian" Church) grows in the West, and the Church is built daily by Christians from a variety of ethnic and social backgrounds. This amazing reality, one of new converts outside traditionally "Orthodox countries" joining the Church puts the lie to the foolish and ecumenistic notion that religion is simply a facet of one's ethnic background and that "one should die in the religion he was born into." It's also a mark of the changing structure of the Church which, in the face of new and global challenges, relies upon and develops new solutions while maintaining fidelity to what was handed to Her by Christ through His Apostles.
We cannot stress enough: Orthodoxy is not a "national tradition". Her teaching is a light of revelation for all peoples. The truth has no cultural divisions. In the age of the information superhighway, where the preservation of free access to unfiltered information governs peace, it is absolutely necessary for True Orthodox to explain, defend, and preserve the Faith by any means necessary.
General information about True Orthodoxy is already available on the Internet. It's not the aim of this journal to simply become a database of historical information. At a time of great social upheaval for True Orthodox Christians and society at large, this just isn't enough. News services and online information feeds such as this one are the new chroniclers of how the True Orthodox Christians, both individually and collectively, leave their mark on the modern world and future history-- as it occurs. It is our hope that the English-language version of Vertograd will become a real contributor to this ongoing, and difficult, process.
Again, we ask your prayers as we begin a new phase of the task at hand: reporting on current events in truth while at the same time maintaining fidelity to the one source of all truth. Were we to lose the former, we would have no value as writers; but were we to lose the latter, we would have no value at all.
The Editorial Board
Vertograd Orthodox Journal
ARCHIMANDRITE MICHAEL (GRAVES) FOUND DEAD
(Vertograd, Haiti)
On Thursday, November 26, 2004, Archimandrite Michael (Graves), administrator for the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church's Haitian mission, was found dead in the bathroom of Maison Orthodoxe, the mission's administrative center. The official report states that the cause of death was cardiovascular failure. The circumstances surrounding his death are unclear; he was found alone by two young boys some time after his actual repose. There were no reports of Father Michael having health problems before.
Fr. Michael singlehandedly started the mission to Haiti two decades ago, and he along with his attached parishes joined the Russian Autonomous Church in June of this year. An active speaker in defense of the Metropolitan during this period, he gained the respect and admiration of almost everyone he dealt with, except his most bitter enemies.
In his most recent semi-weekly newsletters, Fr Michael's tone became peculiarly ominous, including in his second-to-last edition a prediction of his own incarceration or death due to the political circumstances in Haiti. Fr. Michael had a number of enemies both inside and outside the Church. Yet his views were consistent with the Gospel; he refused to recognize any nearby government as Christian in nature and was more concerned with consistency with the Gospel above all else. Without a full investigation in Haiti, it is currently impossible to determine whether Fr. Michael simply died of stress-related heart failure or whether this was a skillfully executed murder on the part of local warlords, who had imprisoned and killed Roman Catholic priests in recent weeks for political views similar to Fr. Michael's.
The Hierarchical Synod of the ROAC issued the following Statement on the death of Archimandrite Michael: “The news of the repose of Father Archimandrite Michael has shaken the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church. We extend our sincerest sympathies to all of Father Michael's relatives and to all who were close to him. We pray that the Lord grant rest to his soul and admit it to where the righteous repose. The President and Hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church"
Archimandrite Michael will be buried with his parents in his native New Jersey, United States.
HARRASSMENT OF ROAC CLERGY AT THE BEHEST OF THE MP CONTINUES IN TRESTNA
(Vertograd, Tver)
On October 9, the Moscow Patriarchate's Dean of the Tver Diocese arrived at the home of Hiermonk Sergei (Mironov), rector of the Joy of All Who Sorrow Parish (ROAC) in Trestna (Tver region), accompanied by two priests, several women and a pair of militia men. As Hieromonk Sergei was travelling at the time, they instead addressed the hieromonk's mother in a rough manner with demands, claiming that according to the recent "report" of MP Archbishop Victor on the Eparchial assembly of October 29, that Fr. Sergei was deprived of his registration to operate within the region.
Officially it was also declared that there would be "no parishes, except parishes of the MP" and that registration was not valid unless confirmed by the local MP Archbishop (which is false). The "delegation" then visited a local administrator's home and, calling her a "lost sheep", threatened to have her removed from her post if she did not comply with the Patriarchate's orders. They then explained she would soon understand what would happen if they did not comply and hand over the parish to the MP, and that they would have to send over "criminal authorities".
It is not the first case known of pressure on Fr. Sergei by Tver diocesan clergy of the MP; already they had threatened sending such "authorities" over for a visit.
The Church in Tresna received official registration on the 20 of July, and on October 7, received a church-building to work with from the local authorities to use as a youth center. All the work Fr Sergei has done has been without compensation, whereas the local MP priests are known to charge even for distributing holy water and Paschal willows in the area. Thus their motivation is clear in their sudden interest in a young, fair and committed priest in Tresna who is now operating on their "turf".
MP HOLDS THE THIRD MEETING OF THE ROCOR- MP DIALOGUE COMMISSION
(DECH MP - Vertograd, Moscow)
The Division of External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate (MP) held its third working session of the Dialogue Commission between the ROCOR (L) and the Moscow Patriarchate from November 17-19.
Parties present produced complementary documents on questions of the relation between the Church and state and about the Orthodox Church's relations to other religious bodies. Questions were discussed on a canonical level concerning ROCOR's status as the self-governing part of the "united local Russian Church", as well as the conditions for establishing intercommunion. Guidelines were submitted to be sent to their respective authorities on the matter.
The members of the commission noted how significantly advanced the parties were towards full unity in the scope of a year since the first visit of the Moscow delegation of the ROCOR (L) headed by Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany (November 17-22, 2003). The next joint session of the commission is planned for spring of 2005.
(C) Vertograd, 2004.
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