Western Russophiles Nervous About Papal Trip to Ukraine

There is a well-known Ukrainian saying that goes something like this:  "In our own home is our own truth."  One is reminded of this especially on those occasions when western journalists want to write about Ukrainian affairs, but consult those with a Russophile axe to grind, presumably to achieve a greater degree of "objectivity."  Really?

A recent media release by ZENIT News Agency quotes an interview with Vittorio Strada about the upcoming papal visit to Ukraine.

Strada, an Italian who is a professor of Russian language and literature at the University of Venice, appeared as an "obvious" choice for the interview . . .

Strada's estimation of the religious and political situation in Ukraine is that it is one of the most "complex pieces in the Eastern European mosaic."

Just to show Strada's "in depth" understanding of all things Ukrainian, the good professor offers his warning that the Pope should remember there are three Ukrainian Orthodox Churches there.

The first is the Ukrainian Orthodox Church "faithful" to Moscow.  One could almost sense Strada's "pride" at the thought of the great commitment to Ukrainian patriotism of this Church . . . 

Then there is the Church of the "Kiev" Patriarchate, "schismatic" of Moscow (and when was that ever a crime?) and "nationalist" (of course we know how totally devoid of chauvinistic superiority the Moscow Patriarchate and the Italian Roman Catholic Church are).

Then, Strada says, there is the "little autocephalous Orthodox Church."  However "little" it is, that Church is consistently mentioned alongside the other two in international commentaries.  Small, but packs a punch nevertheless!

As if the Moscow Patriarchate needed its own advocate in these matters, Strada says that Moscow "fears that the Pope will recognize the schismatic Kiev Patriarchate as the interlocutor."

It is interesting that some Roman Catholics have gone from calling all Orthodox "schismatics" (from Rome) to using this term to those Churches that have separated from Moscow.  Perhaps it is truly a "Third Rome" in the eyes of Catholics?

Strada adds that the Patriarch of "Kiev" (he must have received an "F" in comparative Slavic Languages . . .) "will seek every possible way to be creditable to the Pope.  However, this is unacceptable to Moscow."

Apparently, Strada feels that ecumenism and good relations between the Churches should be guided by what Moscow wants as the ultimate standard. 

ZENIT then quotes a person unknown to have said, "The worst enemy of dialogue between our Churches (presumably Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox) could not have suggested a worse idea to the Pope than to seek good relations with Moscow through a trip to Ukraine."

Again, the ultimate goal of Ostpolitik is repeated, good relations with the Russian Orthodox Church also known as "Orthodoxy" among Roman Catholics it would seem.

The interview takes a new twist in relating the trip to the difficulties experienced by President Leonid Kuchma and the current unrest in Kyiv.

Although Strada and others of similar views shouldn't really fear since Mr. Kuchma and the Russian President appear to be the best of friends . . .

Strada closes by saying that "there is room for hope.  (Patriarch Alexey II) is a sensitive and cultured man."

There are those, however, like the Reverend Father Professor Robert Taft, S.J. of the Oriental Institute in Rome. He believes that until the Russian Orthodox Church admits of its complicity in the "ecclesiacide" of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in 1946, there should be no serious ecumenical discussions with it at all.

And what is it with western Russophiles?  Are they so tired of their own cultural patrimony that they so uncritically acclaim Russian imperialism, especially as it is manifested within Russian Orthodoxy? 

The Vatican has announced that the Pope will beatify 30 new martyrs during his stay in Ukraine.

Other news says that the Polish episcopate has convinced the Pontiff to defer the glorification of Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky and of course the reasons for this are completely unknown . . .

This should all go over very well.  But perhaps the Vatican is counting on offsetting any predictable disappointment in this regard by the "high" number of new Ukrainian martyrs, although the current Pope thinks nothing of beatifying over 200 martyrs on a given Sunday at a time such as occurred last week.

Ukrainians, they seem to be saying, can be easily placated . . .

There appear to be a number of folk who are scratching their heads and wondering why the Pope is bent on opening up a can of worms with the (Russian) Orthodox at a time when "union" is so close. 

Just as these naïve ecumenists are getting all choked up, others can be heard to gag on their rhetoric.

The Pope's commitment should be clear, to him and to his Church, during this upcoming papal visit.

That commitment should be toward the martyred Ukrainian Catholic Church and its good relations with the Ukrainian Orthodox people who don't want to be in communion with Moscow no matter what their jurisdiction happens to be called.

The Vatican seems to think it can get the Moscow Patriarchate to give up its imperalist pretensions over other national Orthodox Churches while turning it into a Uniate vassal of Roman Catholicism.

One almost feels like drawing a Bugs Bunny cartoon with the Russian Patriarch saying, in happy surprise, "He (the Vatican) don't know me vewy well, do he?"

Dr. Alexander Roman  alex@unicorne.org