Our Take on Ukraine

Russia would never hurt the Ukrainian people.  They refer to them as “Little Russia”.  In some cases, there are no borders between them.  Many (perhaps most) Ukrainians speak Russian and consider the Russians their brothers. 

They say a picture is worth a thousand wordsWe agree.

And that’s why they’re taking their time encircling Kiev and the other major metropolitan areas.  They don’t want to indiscriminately kill civilians, many of whom are faithful Christians who are loyal to the canonical Orthodox Church.

About 10% to 20% of Ukrainians are hotheaded Nazis and oligarchs like Poroshenko are as crooked as a winding creek.  He literally BOUGHT autocephaly for the Ukrainian Church which caused a schism in the Orthodox Church not seen since 1054 when the Catholics split off into the RC.  A good portion of the Russian Orthodox parishes and monasteries were nationalized by Ukraine and when the priests and laity would try to enter, they would be beaten.    

For the record, one-sixth of Ukrainians speak Russian as either their first or second language.  One-third actually consider themselves to be Russians.  The cultural dividing line between the Russophilic East and everybody else is the Dnieper River.  In the farthest West, that’s where the Uniates and Latin-Rite Ukrainians live.  And those people have a very sanguine opinion of Adolph Hitler.  

Other bad actors in Ukraine launder money and buy off politicians.  How else would the children of Biden, Pelosi, Kerry, and Romney pull in an incredible chunk of change for their meager talents, should they have any.  Our leaders are bought and sold in Ukraine.

Unless this situation changes, the Ukrainians will continue to be under the heel of bad actors and so will the rest of the world.  We have to take them all out.  And that’s what I believe they’re doing.  Countries are united in this effort and are making arrests.      

We now know COVID was created in a lab under the control of Fauci who sent money to the Wuhan lab to do gain-of-function research ostensibly to come up with a vaccine (the true bioweapon) should the “virus” jump species which it was designed to do.  The NIH and/or China released the virus, which was not really a “virus” but a lab-created pathogen.

Ukraine also has multiple bioweapon labs and no compunction against selling its pathogen to the highest bidder.

So let’s look at Russia.  What is the first thing they did?  They took out a large number of Biolabs.  They did that for the entire world so we wouldn’t experience pandemics coming out of Ukraine.

They’re freeing Ukraine of nationalists; taking out the bad actors.

They’re helping the parts of Ukraine that speak Russian and want to be part of Russia under the safety of NOT the “Soviet Union” but of Russia, which has more Orthodox Christians than any other part of the world.  They literally build three churches a week in Russia and Putin is the only leader who is so aligned with the Church, he will protect Orthodox Christians. 

The mainstream media is lying about everything.  Literally, everything.  

They make Russia look like the bad guy but if Putin doesn’t succeed, the Ukrainian people will suffer at the hands of the oligarchs, as well as NATO and the UN when they move into Ukraine to attack Russia.  Nuclear missiles will fly.  The bad actors will continue their dirty dealings threatening the entire globe, and the Ukrainian people will be caught in the middle.    

And make no mistake, the bad actors are the EU, NATO and the State Department.  None of this would be happening if Biden had stated in no unclear terms that Ukraine would never be allowed to join NATO or the EU.  Even though now it’s being reported that this was indeed the case, we never  made that clear to Zelensky, who foolishly thought that we were merely being coy.  Because of his own massive unpopularity within Ukraine, he misinterpreted the West’s ambiguity for a green light, never realizing that the reason he was being played had nothing to do with Ukraine.  NATO thought that by provoking Putin into attacking Ukraine, he would be dragged into a quagmire, one which would result in his removal from office.

Russia is the best thing that could happen to the Ukrainian people, as well as the globe.  No more money laundering.  No more deal-buying politicians.  No more robbing the Ukrainian people of their parishes and monasteries and their 1,000-year-old history with the canonical Church.  And no more oligarchs.  (For the record, the Ukrainian oligarchs were the first to bug out of Ukraine, taking their massive wealth with them.)

Remember who rid Syria of hundreds of terrorist groups?  Putin.  He is an asset, not a liability.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRz4gM3z49Y&t=230s

Comments

  1. What is the evidence there are biolabs? I’ve seen assertions there are, but also denials. Is there actual evidence? There is so much disinformation going around, I’ve decided to believe nothing until actually proven. If that ever actually happens.

    • Gail Sheppard says

      If you can’t find good sources that’s a prudent path to take.

    • Gail Sheppard says

      There are U.S. Biolabs all over Ukraine and Georga. Cyril provided some great proof.

      “While the US is planning to increase its military presence in Eastern Europe to “protect its allies against Russia”, internal documents show what American “protection” in practical terms means.

      The Pentagon has conducted biological experiments with a potentially lethal outcome on 4,400 soldiers in Ukraine and 1,000 soldiers in Georgia. According to leaked documents, all volunteer deaths should be reported within 24 h (in Ukraine) and 48 h (in Georgia).

      Both countries are considered the most loyal US partners in the region with a number of Pentagon programs being implemented in their territory. One of them is the $2.5 billion Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Biological engagement program which includes research on bio agents, deadly viruses and antibiotic-resistant bacteria being studied on the local population.”

      “The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has funded a similar project involving soldiers in Ukraine code-named UP-8: The spread of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus and hantaviruses in Ukraine and the potential need for differential diagnosis in patients with suspected leptospirosis. The project started in 2017 and was extended few times until 2020, internal documents show.

      According to the project’s description, blood samples will be collected from 4,400 healthy soldiers in Lviv, Kharkov, Odesa and Kyiv. 4,000 of these samples will be tested for antibodies against hantaviruses, and 400 of them – for the presence of antibodies against Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) virus. The results of the blood testing will not be provided to the study participants.

      There is no information as to what other procedures will be performed except that “serious incidents, including deaths should be reported within 24 hours. All deaths of study subjects that are suspected or known to be related to the research procedures should be brought to the attention of the bioethics committees in the USA and Ukraine.”

      https://api-assets.infowars.com/2022/02/biolabs235.jpg

  2. Damn, George! You’re more hardcore than I am . . . and that’s really saying something.

    But seriously, excellent analysis and summary.

    As to Restricted Republic, I like the lady’s chutzpah. And there’s indeed a deeper point to be appreciated about propaganda in general.

    Propaganda is effective, that is why it is utilized. It is psychological warfare – getting inside the heads of the general public. It is the voices that the public hears and they are strongly influenced by what they hear in the absence of any countervailing force. And that is the point.

    In China, there is no effective countervailing force. In Russia, there is no effective countervailing force. In India, there is no effective countervailing force. And in Canada, as a practical matter, there is no effective countervailing force.

    However, in America, we are a house divided against ourselves. And that is why we will lose the struggle against the Third Rome. Russia does not have an MSM problem. Effectively, it is a homogenous political ecosystem. It is of one mind at home (with only minor deviance) and can export propaganda at large, especially in the direction of America and Europe at will. China is in a similar position.

    The key thing to understand is that these nuclear powers are unencumbered by “political doubt”, while we in America are not. They can hammer away relentlessly at neo-liberal (and neo-con, for that matter) propaganda relentlessly with no consequence. Moreover, not only are they untouchable militarily but they have mastered the market so that they no longer suffer from the limitations of socialism. And they are rallying their respective traditional cultures (Russian Orthodoxy and Chinese Confucianism) to shore up national confidence.

    America, meanwhile, cannot get its story straight. And that is why it is only a matter of time. Russia and China are much more politically stable and effective than the West. Western elites have realized their Achilles heel is their lack of monopoly on information and that is why you have the efforts at censorship. But it is too little, too late.

  3. In the farthest West, that’s where the Uniates and Latin-Rite Ukrainians live. And those people have a very sanguine opinion of Adolph Hitler.

    Different cultures have different narratives of World War II. In America we hype up the Holocaust. In Japan they cosplay as Nazis. Symbols mean different things to different people. Americans think WWII was Captain America vs Red Skull, but other cultures realize that most wars are just a fight over resources.

    Therefore, that western Ukrainians idealize Hitler does not indicate anything about their morality anymore than Illinoisans’ idealization of Lincoln.

    Hitler didn’t do anything to me. My own government however has done everything possible to destroy me and my community. My own government actively tried to hurt the people for the sake of malice itself. Hitler did some things to some people a hundred years ago that I never met. My government wrecked the economy on purpose and made it almost impossible to support a family on a single income. Hitler rebuilt a wrecked economy from ashes.

    Give me one reason I should more angry at Nazis than federal bureaucrats.

    We now know COVID was a bioweapon under the control of Fauci who sent money to the Wuhan lab to do gain-of-function research ostensibly to come up with a vaccine should the virus jump species.

    We actually don’t know that, because after two years they have not isolated the virus. There is no evidence that the virus even exists. In 2020 there was no increasing of deaths, and even with the laundered numbers, 99.9% of the people infected survive. So even if Bill Gates did engineer and release the virus to reduce the world population, he apparently failed at it. Apparently he sucks at eugenics.

    I would like for someone to provide evidence that the virus exists. So far there are only anecdotes about how people had the sniffles for a week.

    Now if you really wanted to reduce the world population, my suggestion would be to flood every stable nation with hordes of Muslims and settle them in ethnic enclaves where they never have to interact with the people who live a mile away. It’s kind of a slow process, but it’s effective. I would also move everyone from the country into the city and then hype up racial tensions. I would promote birth control as a medical necessity and encourage young women to do anything but become wives and mothers. I would encourage women to join the military and delay marriage until they have a stable career in a failing economy. I would criminalize men who are attracted to women in the peak of fertility while also making homosexuality and pedophilia into fashion trends. I would poison the food supply so that everyone becomes fat just by existing. I would alter modern medicine so that the drugs become addictive or outright kill you.

    But if I wanted to reduce the world population, I would not create a virus that doesn’t kill anyone.

    The mainstream media is lying about everything. Literally, everything.

    While this is definitely true and has been for a long time, the reality is that people want to believe in the delusion.

    Somehow within the last twenty years the leftwing went from anti government anti war and pro science to the opposite of all of that. Now they’re posting on Twitter that you can disarm a tank with a water balloon filled with paint and saying “Do have fun.” They actually think war works like a Marvel movie where people are making witty comebacks while killing Nazis and non-humans with no real danger to the hero, which is themselves. This is why we can’t have democracy.

    Nuclear missiles could fly.

    This really shouldn’t be in the subjunctive. Nuclear missiles WILL fly. New York will look like Dresden.

    For the record, the Ukrainian oligarchs were the first to bug out of Ukraine, taking their massive wealth with them.

    There’s a subtext here we’re all thinking but not saying, right? We all get the dog whistle. You either see the pattern, or you don’t.

    • Gail Sheppard says

      You’re right. COVID was not a virus which is why we knew it was created in a lab. – Don’t give Wuhan all the credit. Chaple Hill helped.

      Of course, the true bioweapon was the vaccine.

      • Gail Sheppard says

        All of his sources are from the NIH, GenBank, CDC, etc.

        As I recall, the CDC told the scientific community they did not have any samples of the pure virus to hand over for testing at one point. I’ve seen the letter but it’s been a while.

        Another POV:

        “Laboratories in US can’t find Covid-19 in one of 1,500 positive tests

        by GreatReject · 11/04/2021

        CDC sued for massive fraud: Tests at 7 universities of ALL people examined showed that they did not have Covid, but just Influenza A or B – EU statistics: ‘Corona’ virtually disappeared, even under mortality.

        A clinical scientist and immunologist-virologist at a southern California laboratory says he and colleagues from 7 universities are suing the CDC for massive fraud. The reason: not one of 1500 samples of people tested “positive” could find Covid-19. ALL people were simply found to have Influenza A, and to a lesser extent Influenza B. This is consistent with the previous findings of other scientists, which we have reported on several times.

        Dr. Derek Knauss: “When my lab team and I subjected the 1500 supposedly positive Covid-19 samples to Koch’s postulates and put them under an SEM (electron microscope), we found NO Covid in all 1500 samples. We found that all 1500 samples were primarily Influenza A, and some Influenza B, but no cases of Covid. We did not use the bulls*** PCR test.’

        [add June 1st] So we can see how stupid one would have to be, to have believed the CDC when they claimed that the flu was down 98% to a 130 year low, even as a similar bug was supposedly raging on! https://www.covid-19forum.org/index.php?topic=657.0 [end add]

        At 7 universities not once COVID detected

        ‘When we sent the rest of the samples to Stanford, Cornell, and a couple of the labs at the University of California, they came up with the same result: NO COVID. They found Influenza A and B. Then we all asked the CDC for viable samples of Covid. The CDC said they can’t give them, because they don’t have those samples.’

        ‘So we came to the hard conclusion through all our research and lab work that Covid-19 was imaginary and fictitious. The flu was only called ‘Covid,’ and most of the 225,000 deaths were from co-morbidities such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, pulmonary emphysema, etc.. They got the flu which further weakened their immune systems, and they died.’

        ‘This virus is fictitious’

        ‘I still need to find one viable sample with Covid-19 to work with. We who conducted the lab test with these 1500 samples at the 7 universities are now suing the CDC for Covid-19 fraud. The CDC still has not sent us a viable, isolated and purified sample of Covid-19. If they can’t or won’t, then I say there is no Covid-19. It’s fictional.’

        ‘The four research papers describing the genome extracts of the Covid-19 virus never managed to isolate and purify the samples. All four papers describe only small pieces of RNA that are only 37 to 40 base pairs long. That is NOT a VIRUS. A viral genome normally has 30,000 to 40,000 base pairs.’

        ‘Now that Covid-19 is supposedly so bad everywhere, how come not one lab in the world has completely isolated and purified this virus? That’s because they never really found the virus. All they ever discovered were small pieces of RNA that were not identified as the virus anyway. So what we’re dealing with is just another flu strain, just like every year. Covid-19 does not exist and is fictitious.’

        ‘I believe that China and the globalists have set up this Covid hoax (the flu disguised as a new virus) to establish a global tyranny and totalitarian control police state. This intrigue included (also) massive election fraud to overthrow Trump.’

        CDC itself admits to having no identifiable virus

        Deeply hidden in an official document on Covid-19, the CDC ruefully admitted as early as summer 2020 that it does not have a measurable virus: ‘As no quantified (= measured) isolated virus objects of 2019-nCoV are available at this time…’ (page 39 of the ‘CDC 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel’ (July 13) In other words, the CDC, as one of THE leading medical authorities in the world, could not, and still cannot, demonstrate a virus.

        About the for this purpose scientifically totally debunked, but still shamelessly abused PCR test, the CDC wrote under the heading ‘limitations’: ‘The detection of viral RNA cannot demonstrate the presence of an infectious virus, or that 2019-nCoV is the causative agent of clinical symptoms.’ And in addition: ‘This test cannot exclude other diseases caused by other bacterial or viral pathogens.’

        In other words, we cannot prove that the people who get sick and are hospitalized, and very occasionally die, were sickened by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2, nor can we prove that it caused them to develop a new disease called ‘Covid-19.’ It could just as easily be a different virus and a different disease. (And since all the symptoms, including severe pneumonia, correspond seamlessly to what flu can cause historically in vulnerable people… ‘if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it is a duck’.

        Reward of $265,000 for demonstrating coronavirus

        Earlier this year, Samuel Eckert’s German Team and the Isolate Truth Fund pledged a reward of at least $265,000 for any scientist who can provide incontrovertible proof that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been isolated and therefore exists. They too pointed out that not one lab in the world has yet been able to isolate this corona virus.

        Yes, systems scientists claim they have, but this ‘isolation’ consists only of a sample from the human body, which is a ‘soup’ full of different kinds of cells, remains of viruses, bacteria, et cetera. With the help of (toxic) chemicals one then searches for some (residual) particles that may indicate a virus that once existed or may still exist, after which this is designated as ‘evidence’.

        Canadian team also received no evidence despite 40 Public Access Law requests

        In late December 2020 there was a similar initiative to the one in Germany. A team around Canadian investigative journalist Christine Massey submitted no less than 40 Public Access Law requests to medical authorities worldwide with the simple request for proof that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been isolated and its existence can therefore be objectively proven. Not one of the agencies and authorities written to was able to provide that evidence.

        ‘Impossible to demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 causes a disease called Covid-19’

        Dr. Tom Cowan, Dr. Andrew Kaufman and Sally Fallon Morell recently published a statement on “the continuing controversy over whether the SARS-CoV-2 virus is isolated or purified. But based on the official Oxford definition of “isolation” (“the fact or condition of being isolated or secluded, a separation from other things or persons, standing alone”), common sense, the laws of logic and the rules of science dictate that any unbiased person must come to the conclusion that the SARS-CoV-2 virus has never been isolated or purified. As a result, no confirmation of the existence of the virus can be given.’

        ‘The logical and scientific implications of this fact are that the structure and composition of something whose existence cannot be proven cannot be known, including the presence, structure and function of hypothetical spike or other proteins. The genetic sequence of something that has never been found cannot be known, nor can the “variants” (mutations) of something whose existence has not been demonstrated. It is therefore impossible to show that SARS-CoV-2 causes a disease called Covid-19.’

        Combined PCR test for corona and influenza ‘because there’s hardly any difference’

        Not surprisingly, the world’s largest biotech company, China’s BGI, recently launched a new PCR test that can simultaneously test for influenza A, B and corona. Apart from the proven fact, acknowledged trough various lawsuits, that a PCR test cannot prove infection with any virus whatsoever, BGI’s explanation that both diseases are so difficult to distinguish from each other and that they have therefore made only one test, says more than enough. Maybe there IS no difference at all, ‘Covid’ is just another name for ‘old familiar’ flu viruses, and this is just another clever marketing trick?

        Most people have been fooled by fear propaganda

        With worldwide, government-controlled 24/7 fear propaganda by the mass media, most people have come to believe that there is indeed a life-threatening virus that makes people sick much faster and more severely than seasonal flu. However, even the latter is demonstrably not the case. Influenza A has been the leading cause of death from pneumonia in the developed world for years.

        But send people designated as severe Covid patients to a few ICU’s, put cameras on them constantly, instruct a few physicians that they should only discuss the worst cases, and you have your “televised pandemic. The argument ‘we are doing it because otherwise care will be overburdened’ was undermined by governments itself some time ago, by rejecting offers of additional ICU beds or staff, because ‘it is not necessary’. (Was this perhaps the first and only time the truth was told?)

        Official figures: nothing to worry about (yet it never gets back to normal)

        Now that also the official figures show that after the normal traditional flu season nothing is wrong, and according to the EU statistics (EuroMOMO) there is even a significant lower mortality, the society – if it really was about a virus and public health – should immediately go back to normal to start repairing the huge damage caused by government policies.

        However, as you know, that will never be done, and that is because this carefully planned pandemic hoax is carrying out an ideological agenda, the ‘Great Reset’, which aims to largely demolish the society and economy of the West, and then subject it to a global technocratic communist climate-vaccine dictatorship, in which all our freedoms, civil and self-determination rights will be done away with once and for all.

        At least that was their plan.
        https://greatreject.org/laboratories-cant-find-covid-19-in-positive-tests/

        https://www.covid-19forum.org/index.php?topic=747.0

    • Michelle says

      “Now if you really wanted to reduce the world population, my suggestion would be to flood every stable nation with hordes of Muslims … But if I wanted to reduce the world population, I would not create a virus that doesn’t kill anyone.”

      Glad you see the humor in it all. Thanks for the laughs.

      • Gail Sheppard says

        The danger of the virus was a hoax, although I think Fauci, et al, really believed it would work in people as it did in bats and kill the carrier. It was the vaccine that was to reduce the world population.

        The thing is, none of this explains why all those Chinese at the market died or why Italy and even NY were hit so hard while South Korea, not so much. Now that we know COVID (or what people think was COVID) can be aerosolized (the reason the masks don’t work) we have reason to believe they sprayed us with something giving some governers like Comey an excuse to kill off some New Yorkers (like the people in nursing homes, who were probably on State-funded Medicaid).

  4. This is a really good talk from last night that Fr. Peter Heers did. Its on war (and specifically this one) from an Orthodox perspective. Also included is some of the things various saints have predicted regarding the current Ukrainian/Russian conflict as well as the well known prophesies regarding Turkey.

    https://youtu.be/RITzSRPCLvM

    ..if Putin doesn’t succeed, the Ukrainian people will suffer..

    This…this is a very good point. Not only that but Russia will suffer, and possibly everyone. They will come under globohomo and we will forever be stuck with it. If you haven’t already listened, The Duran has good commentary on all of this.

  5. Johann Sebastian says

    This book might be of interest:

    https://books.google.com/books/about/Belgium_of_the_East.html?id=96ZEAQAAMAAJ

    Remember that we “Carpatho-Russians” are from the very westernmost part of Ukraine and have always seen Great Russia as our protector. A bit conflicted right now with all that is going on, but we remember what our grandparents told us.

    • Gail Sheppard says

      I think that’s what Russia is trying to do: Extricate the Ukrainian people from their captors. Like brain surgery, it’s a delicate excision.

      We are not ignorant. We know the Ukrainian people. We also know what people like Poroshenko have done; how he’s influenced Rada and bought off Bartholomew. We’ve seen the horrible icon of the nationalists and witnessed their brutality against ordinary people.

      We’ve also seen the streets lined with the people who were prohibited from saying a word when Bartholomew visited their country so they stood there purposely and silently. Such brave people.

      Did we complain when Russia went into Syria and rid them of their terrorists? Why wouldn’t we want the same for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine?

      Your grandparents knew Russia loved their “little Russia” that has been overcome with very, very bad people who have made it possible for some very, very bad people in our own country to succeed. We need to step back and let Russia do it’s job. Not one Ukrainian soldier has to be hurt.

      • Gail Sheppard says

        “Little Russia” (not little Russians) was a name from the 14th century.

        • Gail,

          Steady, girl. This one is black and white. War is like that. Ukies from the Western part are going to hate this war and get defensive about customary terms like “Little Russia”. This has been a common name for the Ukraine for centuries – Malorossiya. It is not a pejorative, though nationalists do not like it. Traditionally there are three “Russias”: Great Russia – Russia proper, Little Russia – the Ukraine (with, yes, “Little Russians“, Malorusskiye) and White Russia – Belarus (white signifying pure and undefiled by the Mongol invasions).

          I once referred to a person I knew as being of “Great Russian” ancestry in a paper for the Russian Studies department during my second BA and was told to strike it as “politically incorrect” (a badge of honor these days).

          • Gail Sheppard says

            You usually call me the Russian version of “little Gailina” and I think it’s sweet.

        • George Michalopulos says

          Well, I must defer to you in this matter. Having said that, how do your relatives who live in the western Ukraine feel about the Bandarist elements. How would they feel when/if they take over that part of the Ukraine?

          These are honest questions. I for one am perplexed (and this is not addressed to you specifically) why the Western media is all of a sudden agog with the (literal) neo-Nazis that are doing most of the fighting for the Ukraine. Especially given the fact that the parents of many of these elements willingly made up the Waffen SS units that enthusiastically fought for the Third Reich and helped round up the local Jewish populations.

          It’s almost as if Hitler is now the good guy.

          Snark off: I’ll I’m asking for is a little consistency, that’s all.

          • Saunca,
            You talk about relatives under Nazi Occupation being sent to work camps during WW2. Since they were work camps and not deported to someplace like Auschwitz or killed, it sounds like it wasn’t an issue of being mislabeled Jewish.

            In Poland, the Nazis put tons of Poles into forced labor, basically slavery, not because anything that those Poles did, like being resistance fighters, but just for being Slavic Poles.

            This is one of the extremely ironic aspects of those Ukrainians who chose to support Nazi Germany in WW2 or form Fascist organizations. The irony is that Nazi ideology saw Ukrainian Slavs as being “subhuman”, and the Nazi version of “Darwinism” designated them for slavery or eventual “extermination” as an “inferior race.”

      • George Michalopulos says

        Saunca, you bring up some excellent points. Clearly, my own Hellenic background precludes me from interjecting too much into this present conflict.

        Having said that –and I’m being completely honest here–what is the opinion of your relatives in the Western Ukraine at present regarding the conflict? For ease of answer, I’m going to enumerate them.

        1. Are their views synonymous with other Western Ukrainians, specifically the Uniates and Latin-Rite RCs?

        2. Did they approve of Zelinsky’s performance as president prior to this conflict.

        3. Do they approve of the neo-Nazi imagery used by the Azov Battalions?

        4. What about their views of Stepan Bandera?

        I realize that questions three and four might appear to be inflammatory and/or provocative, but I assure you that I ask this from a sociocultural/historical perspective. For example, even though I am Greek and my ancestral homeland fought against the Germans in WWII, as a historian I realize that there were many ethnicities and/or nations that bravely fought alongside the Germans for reasons of their own (i.e. Vichy France, Slovaks, Bulgaria, the Ukrainians under Bandera, the Croats, etc.)

        So I guess my ultimate question is: how do your relatives feel about a future Ukrainian government? Will their rights as Russian Orthodox Christians be respected? (I won’t ask which Ukrainian sect they belong to.)

        Thank you in advance for your answers.

      • Johann Sebastian says

        I don’t know; relatives of mine took the word “Ukrainian” as an insult and while there clearly was some resentment about “not measuring up” to the Great Russians (or “real” Russians) as they would say, they embraced the term “Little Russian” and were fiercely opposed to anything Polish or Catholic.

        Perhaps the divide between our people and the gap that has occurred between the diaspora and people who stayed in the homeland should be a reminder that we’ve been played and played with for centuries. That the West will fight Great Russia to the last Little Russian ought to give all of Rus’ some pause. The price is our soul and the reward a name we didn’t even give to ourselves; a name our forefathers shunned and found repugnant.

        I see “Ukrainians,” I see my people. I see “Russians,” I see my people. I see Greeks, Arabs, Serbs—and while not “по нашему” I recognize my people in them. People are yelling “Glory to Ukraine” or “Glory to Rus’” when instead the cry of “Glory to Jesus Christ” is what should be uniting us.

        • George Michalopulos says

          Thank you for getting back to me.

          When you find out (if you can) from your relatives, I’d like to know what they think about the Banderists who man the Azov Battalions.

      • Hello Saunca,
        It’s nice to hear from you and that you have Russian Orthodox relatives in West Ukraine.

        As far as the terms Little Russians and Great Russians, I don’t think that Russians or Ukrainians typically use these terms anymore. I can see how they would be misunderstood. The origin of the terms is actually not discriminatory: It was an archaic geographic term that was used like the well known terms Asia Minor (Turkey) and Asia Magna.

        The terms went into decline after the Russian Revolution when Ukraine became an official term due to Soviet policy on nationalities. Perhaps the latest time in history that I saw it was when Lenin complained that Stalin had “Great Russian chauvinism” in the early 1920’s, more likely talking about Georgia than Ukraine.

        I hope that Ukraine and Russia will be able to achieve the peace and safety that they both need, and that they will have negotiations that will bring them both.

        Peace and Good Will

  6. A refreshing counterweight to the knee-jerk reactions coming from all the “mainstream” sources. Sadly, the West is showing us just how effective their propaganda machine is, making it so that we have to go searching for level-headed takes on what’s happening while being spoon-fed NATO’s narrative everywhere we turn.

    The media outlets even have people whipped into a frenzy en masse demanding censorship of their competitors who don’t tow the same ideological line. That’s how much power the mainstream media in the US and western Europe possess: they can get people to not only accept but demand a reduction in their own free access to information and willingly close their ears to any other perspective.

    We should be very afraid, not of Vladimir Putin, but of the western state/media complex that’s controlling so many without them realizing it. The real enemies of the US are in Washington, not in Moscow. Until enough people realize this, I fear it will only get worse.

  7. Once NATO went from being a defense alliance to one of Regime change this invasion became inevitable. America is the one to blame for refusing to see the security concerns and vetoing security guarantees for Russia and settle. Regime change and attempted regime change on Russias borders by color revolutions, others by actual military invasions (Serbia, Libya, Iraq, Syria). This is on the United States and NATO. Too bad the west can’t see their own hypocrisy or how their malicious conduct came back to bite them on their ass. Now their weapon of choice to keep the hegemon going are sanctions from hell.

  8. Amazing how crazed political operatives are playing their part in starting WW3:

  9. Peter Schweitzer says

    Thank you both for this post! It seems the Western world has already tried, convicted, and sentenced Russia and President Putin on lies and Western propaganda. It is good to see Orthodox and Americans speaking the truth. No one else is doing so.

  10. Events are leading me to reassess my view of China. Up until recently, my take on the CCP was that it was like any other communist party apparatus – basically a criminal gang of thugs hell bent on totalitarian domination and expansion, much like the Bolshies in the old Soviet Union. In that line of thought, I tended to lump them together with the DNC and the Uniparty enablement chorus as a whole to represent world globalist socialism as an ideological force. But I’m beginning to see that as being inaccurate.

    First of all, the Chinese have become quite fond of the notion of private property though they still pay lip service to “Chinese communism”. But on top of that, there are too many dissimilarities between the DNC and CCP to lump them together as a seamless whole. Specifically, the CCP are not feminists, they do not embrace LGBT and the only identity politics they embrace are Chinese ethnocentrism. In fact, they are not really “woke” at all, though the woke Establishment covets the social credit system the Chinese use to control their people.

    To be even more frank about it, I do not see them as being a driving force behind globalism if that means subordinating the interests of the Chinese nation to the Davos crowd. Precisely speaking, they are Confucian nationalists masquerading as “Chinese communists” while exploiting an admittedly totalitarian system to maintain control.

    The reason I bring this up is because they just flipped the bird to NATO and the US by tacitly supporting Russia’s little adventure in the Ukraine. The enemy of my enemy may not be my friend but might well be my ally. The Chinese have just shown themselves as potential adversaries to the neo-liberal project. This is good news indeed.

    It may be time to concentrate exclusively on the DNC as the focus of evil in the modern world, enlisting the Chinese, the Muslims, the Indians (dots, not feathers) and anyone else with an axe to grind against them in a final effort to send them to the dustbin of history.

    • On an Orthodox note: China has been cooperating with Russia for some time now in regards to sending Chinese seminarians to Russian theological schools. There is also a Chinese representation parish in Moscow (like St. Catherine’s is for the OCA in Moscow). I believe the Chinese government is also in the process of either restoring derelict Orthodox parishes, or is allowing the Russians to do it.

      All this to say, I am trying to see the good with the bad in this new seemingly Russia-China alliance. If China allows for the building of additional Orthodox parishes in their country and allows for more seminarians then thanks be to God.

  11. Outstanding post. Thank you for writing the truth. I’m dismayed at how many Americans are incapable of thinking, and simply believe whatever their TV tells them.

  12. Anonymous II says

    PLEASE WATCH: https://twitter.com/backtolife_2022/status/1498424005560262664

    The above clip is apparently a music video featuring the gay, Jewish comedian currently ruling the Ukraine…the ‘brave hero’ we must defend. Please note, I’m not using this description as a slur, just important to note for context.

    Warning, very lewd…

  13. I would like to claim credit for this theory but actually it didn’t fully occur to me until after I read a comment on it over at Chronicles. Over at the Duran they have speculated that perhaps it was the plan all along for China to come in and act as mediator in the Russo-Ukraine affair. Over at Chronicles one fellow took it further: What if the plan all along was for Russia first to invade and conquer much of the Ukraine, then for China to step in as mediator to iron out a peace treaty, all along to observe Western reaction to Russia’s move with an eye toward the West’s a) sanctions deployed and b) willingness or reluctance to militarily intervene? The whole thing would be the perfect excuse to move forward with a Russo-Chinese version of SWIFT and to extricate themselves from the petrodollar. The natural follow up would be a Chinese takeover of Taiwan after having observed what the West is and is not willing to do about military aggression committed by a nuclear power.

    If this is indeed the plan, and neo-liberals in the US and Europe have an inkling of what is happening to them, that would explain the fury over the Russian invasion and the ostracism and feigned righteous indignation. It’s because America realizes that it has driven Russia and China into an alliance against the West.

    Recall how blacks burned their own neighborhoods in futile fury at setbacks like assassinations during the Civil Rights movement. Same dynamic.

    • Very well said, Misha. I’ve been listening to both The Duran & Dr. Steve Turley covering all of this. Though I think Dr. Steve is generally too optimistic on things, the guys over at The Duran are essentially saying the same thing as Dr. Steve, which is basically what you have just summarized.

      Russia & China, and the whole world, know that the West is a paper tiger and can’t handle battle with major powers. If China wants Taiwan, they’ll get it. If Russia wants Alaska back, they’ll get it. That last one is a huge hypothetical, but at this point I don’t think entirely out of the question. To Russians, Alaska is on loan and not to mention the huge oil reserves. I found out a great deal about this when I lived there.

      If Western Liberal Globalism is on the way out and a Russo-Chinese alliance is the new dominant political order, I wonder what that is going to mean in the long run for Christians given the Chinese authoritarianism.

      • George Michalopulos says

        You know, in the midst of all this fog of war, there’s one significant question that’s not being asked and that is this: how strong are the bonds that unite America at present? Do we have the fortitude to withstand another Summer of Floyd should another unarmed black man gets killed in a firefight with the police? (BTW, this is only a matter of time, not “if” but “when.”)

        Another question: our southern border is wide open. Is this by design or by the sheer stupidity of the American Left? Are they evil, that is working in tandem with the globalists to further deracinate the American people? Are they both?

        Have they thought the consequences of this through, all the while continuing to poke the Russian Bear? Forget about the COVID hysteria and the potential of thousands of vectors bringing the Kung Flu into America. What about the potential of thousands of jihadis waltzing across the Rio Grande and setting up sleeper cells in the American heartland? Don’t you think that the Kremlin has thought this thing through? the possibility of activating these sleeper cells?

        • I’ve been quietly asking myself all these questions for a long time, though I won’t speculate about the answers as I honestly don’t know, am waiting to see what will happen.

          But from my former Catholic perspective, there was a US Marian apparition in the 1950’s, interestingly just before the sexual revolution of the 60’s and 70’s, in which Mary warned strongly that if Americans including clergy did not strongly embrace and defend chastity and purity, terrible chastisements would come. The US bishops recently rejected the apparition, for reasons I found weak, but maybe not surprising, given their own extreme sexual immorality – and I’m not even talking about child sex abuse. I’m talking about the fact that 50% of “celibate” Catholic priests are sexually active with other adults at any given time, 90% of them not serious about celibacy. So why would they support an apparition that has heavily condemned themselves, and would require them to change?

          Anyway, whatever one thinks of this, I believe the real issues are spiritual, and we’d all do well to redouble our prayer lives and keep our eyes on Christ, our real protection and refuge, and real answer to all these problems.

        • I’m of the opinion that America has already essentially Balkanized and covid ramped that up.

      • Petros,

        The only practical words of wisdom I have for Christian Nationalists and other hard rightists in the West is to get ready for an economic winter, buy gold and look for bargains in investment. Europe gets fifty percent of its gas, oil and grain from Russia and the Ukraine. Russia now has another market for that. America is committed to underproduction for at least the next three years.

        It’s going to be a long year in the West. China has seen that Russia can weather this storm and will be emboldened to take Taiwan, either peacefully or by force, before the next Republican Congress takes office. This is just the first of a one-two punch to the gut that Western economies are going to take. My guess is there is a lot of money moving among the ultra-wealthy and that part of the disinformation wall that has emerged in the West is to buy time for them to adjust their portfolios to what is coming unencumbered by herd panic in the markets.

    • I’ll add this, you have to wonder if Turkey is going to make their move on Greece which they have been wanting to do for some time. If Russia, and hypothetically China, can get away with it, why can’t Turkey? Especially since Erdogan apparently sees himself at an Ottoman emperor 2.0

  14. Christine says

    Yes! Monomakhos is back, speaking truth! So glad for this post. I am in complete agreement. Fake war spun by fake news to protect fake politicians and their profits. I cannot believe how many people are so blind to the facts and are allowing themselves to be so duped!

    • George Michalopulos says

      Thank you, Christine!

      • My first thought when you went down was the website had been attacked. Then I got paranoid and worried maybe you were captured and taken away somewhere, LOL. Then I relaxed, decided I was nuts and you probably were just sick or out of town or something. Turns out my first instinct was correct!

        • Gail Sheppard says

          You’re not paranoid! If that were to happen, the mission not only would go on, it would be much BIGGER than what we have going today because we’d become martyrs to the cause.

  15. David Adrian says

    “Russia would never hurt the Ukrainian people”? That’s exactly what it’s doing. Whatever the sins of Ukrainian and Western leaders, Putin has no casus belli under international law.

    • BS.

      What right did America have to create Kosovo? Chickens coming home to roost.

    • David Adrian says

      From “Vladimir Putin’s war is banishing for good the outdated myth that Ukrainians and Russians are the same”, commentary by Serhii Plokhy in the UK Telegraph on March 3:

      “Russia has launched military actions against Ukraine, and at this fateful time I urge you not to panic, to be courageous, and to show love for your homeland and for each other,” stated [Metropolitan Onuphry], who has been considered a staunch supporter of Ukraine’s ties with Moscow, in an address to his flock.

      He then appealed to the Russian president and all but accused him of the “sin of Cain” by offering a very different interpretation of the common baptism of Rus’ in 988 by Prince Volodymyr of Kyiv, to which Patriarch Kirill had alluded.

      “Defending the sovereignty and integrity of Ukraine,” continued Onuphry, “we appeal to the President of Russia and ask him immediately to stop the fratricidal war.

      The Ukrainian and Russian peoples came out of the Dnieper Baptismal font, and the war between these peoples is a repetition of the sin of Cain, who killed his own brother out of envy. Such a war has no justification either from God or from people.”

      • George Michalopulos says

        Mr Adrian, I would ask you to read what I posted this morning about “The Military Situation.” If the Russians wanted to really punish the Ukrainians (as we did the Iraqis), we would have gone shock and awe on them and leveled their cities and indiscriminately kill civilians.

        It’s not pretty, I grant you, but they have been remarkably restrained, giving regular Ukrainian soldiers and sailors the opportunity to surrender with honor.

        • David Adrian says

          OK, Mr. Michalopulos, what’s “restrained” about invading Ukraine in the first place? Nor does what we did in Iraq – or anywhere else, for that matter – excuse Putin. Two wrongs never make a right.

          • Gail Sheppard says

            For you and George to consider:

            One must understand that Putin’s interest in the conflict was supporting the request for sovereignty for two regions in Ukraine. Had this been achieved, there would have been no invasion.

            International Law

            “If international law were to be boiled down to two keywords, we would be left with consent and sovereignty. Under this system, states are free to act as they wish in domestic matters and pursue their interests internationally. By Austin’s broadest definition, law is “a rule laid down for the guidance of an intelligent being by an intelligent being having power over him.”1 Laws, as they are usually conceived, are “established by political superiors”2 and imposed on those over whom the superior has the authority to enforce them.

            In these situations, the superior creates a command through his/her willingness to harm a violator in the case of noncompliance.3 Without this credible threat, a law is not a command, but merely an articulation of a wish or desire.4 Since state actors are all independent, equal players on the international stage without any higher power governing their actions, there exists no political superior to posit or enforce international law.

            As this is the case, international law falls into the category of law not established by political superiors that Austin describes as “mere opinion” rather than law.5 These constitute the combined opinions of how those in the international community would like to see the world governed. Documents like the Declaration of Human Rights and organizations such as the International Criminal Court are highly aspirational and idealistic, but are subject to state consent and are flouted quite frequently. These examples represent a desire, “but where there is not a purpose of enforcing compliance with the desire, the expression of a desire is not a command”6 and as such cannot be considered law. These “imperfect laws,”7 lacking enforcement and obligation, serve more as counsel and guidelines than as binding law.

            This distinction is more easily accepted with a clearer understanding of what motivates compliance with international law. The reason “almost all nations observe almost all principles of international law and almost all of their obligations almost all of the time”8 is not because states feel obliged to under the law, but because the systems and benefits created by the “laws” are favorable.

            States reap immeasurable economic and security benefits from the relatively peaceful borders, global trade, and open air and sea navigation that the international legal regime provides; and they will continue to follow its tenets so long as they cannot find a greater opportunity outside the system. International law was born from the practice of “states pursuing their interests to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes”9 and it survives only “to the degree to which it continues to serve those interests.”10 Through this lens, international law can be examined from the perspective of the domestic interests of states and how these dictate international law rather than vice-versa. The WTO stands as an example “of an institution that is best understood as resolving bilateral disputes between states”11 and the UN helps to coordinate cooperation between the states. However when the UN tries to impose other restrictions such as the charter’s obligation regarding the use of force, they are easily sidestepped or outright ignored with few, if any consequences, and absolutely none for the great powers. This system places countries such as the P-5 in the UNSC or the United States in the IMF above the laws of the system, and unless all are subject to it equally, international law cannot be considered law.

            Some believe that opinio juris is what drives consent and gives international law its legitimacy, but this sense of obligation “cannot itself be explained.”12 In the landmark 1996 case regarding the legality of the use of nuclear weapons, the court found itself “profoundly divided on the matter of whether non-recourse to nuclear weapons over the past 50 years constitutes the expression of an opinio juris.”13 If 50 years of unanimous precedent could not be considered opinio juris, then how can compliance with international law that has tangible benefits be considered evidence of an obligation? From this point of view, “international law does not pull states toward compliance contrary to their interests”14 but changes as their interests change. For international law to be “law” states must be, as Kennan hypothesized, “like our own, reasonably content with their international borders and status;”15 for if they are not, they will disregard whatever legal regime is in place and pursue their ends as they see fit.” http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/715/international-law-reconsidered-is-international-law-actually-law

    • George Michalopulos says

      Mr Adrian, he had exactly the same casus belli to go to war that JFK did in 1962, when he took the world to DefCon 2. We could say he had the same one that Bush 43 had when we invaded Iraq.

      • The threat posed by Ukraine bombing the Donbass and potentially (not ruling out) joining an overtly hostile alliance was a lot more real than Saddam’s WMDs ever were.

        • George Michalopulos says

          Doesn’t that prove Putin’s point?

          • Of course, and shows the hypocrisy of the West at the same time. “We” can start a war and bomb cities into dust based on lies, but if “they” do it based on legitimate security concerns, well, they’re evil expansionists and we have to stop them.

            You can bet that if China wanted to enter an alliance with Mexico that would let them station troops and possibly nukes there, the US would invade in a heartbeat, “international law” notwithstanding.

    • Christopher Keller says

      Hear, hear!

  16. Joe Friday says
  17. David P. says

    Very well written and thought-provoking Michael. It seems to me the same uniparty that promoted the “Covidcon” to exercise authortarian control over their fellow citizens are the same ones that are now bringing us what has the potential be the “Slavicon”!

  18. If all of you good folks hate the West so much, and think that Russia is so great, why don’t you move to Russia?

    • Gail Sheppard says

      That’s like saying, “If you’re mad at your mom why don’t you leave your family?” I still have hope for the family I’m in. I’m an American girl and though you apparently can’t see it, I am fighting for America, as are millions of others.

      That doesn’t mean I can’t be objective about Russia and Ukraine. Don’t fault me for knowing a little more than most because I read and study. You should be asking yourself why you don’t.

  19. What right did America have to create Kosovo? Chickens coming home to roost.

    Kosovo is heart of Serbia, was always part of Serbia and was not created under communism like Ukraine. Ukraine in existing border is artificial product that emerge after collapse of communism.
    The US started bombing Serbia without UN resolution, committed war crime against Serbia and recognized Kosovo as state against all existing international laws.
    I don’t remember any OCA Bishop accused US for aggression and crimes on Serbia in 1999. And now they accuse Russia for aggression even though Russians don’t pound bridges, hospital and trains from the air. Russians fight on land and try to avoid using planes against innocent Slav brothers.
    Same was in Libya, no US solder on the ground, Obama and Clinton killed Gadhafi and enjoy the scene in the studio.
    And is also Russian churches that OCA inherited through the autocephaly.

    • Gail Sheppard says

      I don’t disagree. We need to start separating “America” from the American people who, for the most part, are really clueless about the realities of our former government. I say former because “business as usual” has changed. Now, the American people are paying attention and we’re not OK with the way our government has proceeded in the past. We love this country and want to see it changed.

      • George Michalopulos says

        One good thing about the Kung Flu, the “Insurrection,” and the Freedom Convoy, is that for the first time, our eyes are now open to the ugly reality of the American oligarchy and its Deep State apparatchiks.

        VSWR, I forgot how little our American Orthodox bishops said about the bombing of Serbia. When our brave bombadiers wrote “Happy Easter” on the bombs that they dropped on Orthodox Easter.

        • But now OCA prime talks casually about Russian agression.
          https://www.oca.org/holy-synod/statements/his-beatitude-metropolitan-tikhon/statement-on-war-in-ukraine

          I ask that the hostilities be ceased immediately and that President Putin put an end to the military operations. As Orthodox Christians, we condemn violence and aggression.

          What about Donbas agression and ongoing vilolance there for years?
          Or killing Gadafii. Or ….

          • Gail Sheppard says

            Why does the Church have to make a statement at all? Do they not know that we all abhor violence and aggression? No one is running around going “Go Putin” or “Go Ukraine.” It’s a tragedy and I am quite certain innocent people on both sides are suffering.

            To put this all on Putin is as naive as it is unfair. Just like in the Cuban Missile crisis, there are deadly weapons (11 U.S. Biolabs like Wuhan) in Russia’s backyard. They’ve got NATO breathing down their neck. The Ukrainian government has been corrupted by the West (globalists) to the point where our own crooked politicians and their families fit right in.

            Has Met. Tikhon forgotten a Ukrainian politician, with the help of Rada, literally brought the Church to its knees for a schismatic group, tearing the Church in two?

            Has he forgotten his only benefactor at the patriarchal level? Would Met. Tikhon be saying “cease (something) immediately” to Putin’s face when he was cordially invited to Moscow?

            Putin has been nothing but good to the Church and to the OCA. Where is Met. Tikhon’s gratitude and what right does a metropolitan, a mere spectator from afar, have to demand a world leader “cease” anything, let alone “immediately.”

            Met. Tikhon is not a king. He is a servant.

            A servant would say, “We are deeply saddened by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and ask God to intervene on their behalf to help them reach a speedy resolution to this crisis.”

            The Church shouldn’t have an opinion in these matters. They should just offer their prayers.

            • George Michalopulos says

              If I may add, where were the American Orthodox bishops 23 years ago when our government was bombing an Orthodox nation?

              • Johann Sebastian says

                Indeed. Every time we have a chance to speak up about history, expose double standards in the West, and yes, witness our Faith, we fail.

                Instead, you have talking heads who are not even part of us giving at best one-sided or half-assed accounts of history.

                • When it comes to history [and effects thereof],
                  half an ass is frequently worse than none…

            • Joseph Lipper says

              Metropolitan Tikhon’s response is valuable for at least two reasons. First, it shows how the OCA is autocephalous and not subject to the Russian Church, or Vladimir Putin. Second, his statement shows how the OCA has solidarity with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church headed by Metropolitan Onuphry. In fact, Metropolitan Tikhon’s statement is basically a synopsis of Metropolitan Onuphry’s own response. I will spare you all by not sharing once again the link to that response on orthochristian.com.

              So far, Metropolitan Onuphry hasn’t gone into schism with the Russian Church yet, but if that happens, then Metropolitan Tikhon would likely have to withdraw his support. At the end of the day, the OCA has no realistic alternative but to remain in communion with Moscow.

              • Gail Sheppard says

                “If Met. Onuphry hasn’t gone into schism with the Russian Church yet. . .?????”

                Are you saying Met Onuphry is considering becoming a schismatic or just retire from the Church altogether? Whatever he does, how would that impact the OCA?

                • Joseph Lipper says

                  The Union of Orthodox Journalists, a website that is sponsored by the UOC of Metropolitan Onuphry, indicates that there is a growing movement within of bishops and priests not commemorating Patriarch Kirill. Some fifteen diocese reportedly have stopped. Patriarch Kirill has even responded to this by saying it basically amounts to schism.

                  Bishop Victor, a vicar bishop of Metropolitan Onuphry, has also said that the war has united all Ukrainians without exception:

                  https://spzh.news/en/news/86809-jepiskop-viktor-vojnaeto-vsegda-zlo

                  • Gail Sheppard says

                    I don’t think this site has anything to do with the canonical Church, Joseph. This is one of those sites I hesitate to quote they have been wrong so often.

                    If Met. Kirill’s bishops are not commemorating him, that’s Pat. Kirill’s problem.

                    I doubt the war has united those Ukrainians who want sovereignty.

                    • Joseph Lipper says

                      It’s definitely a pro-Metropolitan Onuphry website though:

                      https://spzh.news/en/about

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      I’m telling you, Joseph, this is a dicey website. Either Onuphry doesn’t know some of the things they’ve said, or he’s not as saintly as I thought.

                    • Joseph Lipper says

                      Regardless, good ‘ole orthochristian.com is saying the same thing:

                      “A NUMBER OF UKRAINIAN DIOCESES CALL FOR QUESTION OF AUTOCEPHALY TO BE RAISED
                      Ukraine, March 2, 2022”

                      https://orthochristian.com/144768.html

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      I’m sure it’s true.

                    • Johann Sebastian says

                      there are a lot of us with roots over there that are very much torn by this; one moment cheering on the liberation of our people from this artificial division and at the other horrified and outraged by the bloodshed.

                    • Theodoros says

                      How about this link: https://orthochristian.com/144768.html
                      where the good people of pravoslavie.ru titled the article “A NUMBER OF UKRAINIAN DIOCESES CALL FOR QUESTION OF AUTOCEPHALY TO BE RAISED”. About bloody time!

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      I’m fine with autocephaly as long as the clergy are ordained in the canonical Church and they don’t steal parishes and monasteries belonging to other autocephalous Churches.

                    • I didn’t know that about Union of Orthodox Journalists, I thought they were just essentially another version of OrthoChristian

                    • Gail, you have to understand that the Ukrainian state has been for all these years, to the canonical Orthodox Church, like a conquered and controlled land.
                      Whatever people like the Union of Orthodox Journalists say is scrutinized, quoted and used against them in the good old “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t” way.
                      Being “wrong so often”? It’s basically a series of various points of socio-religious analysis: whatever happens, every analysis is bound to be wrong in a way or another. A collection of viewpoints on a spiritual battle will never be a morning-after spiritual war bulletin!
                      Yet, I would suggest you to try a very fruitful exercise: try to read the UOJ articles about the canonical bishops or clergymen with an eye at what they do NOT say, instead of what they do say. Sometimes, this tells a lot to a careful reader…
                      Not naming the Patriarch in a turbulent wartime period means next to nothing: it could be (and personally knowing many of those bishops, I could state this with closed eyes) that they do not want any provocation to erupt during services at the naming of a much hated name. So long as everyone names Metropolitan Onuphry, who names the Patriarch, we should not even mention such small trivia.
                      I would also like to point you a very telling detail: have you noticed that the UOJ articles, which up to a couple of months ago had mostly male journalists as authors, now are almost exclusively published under female names? How do you explain that? Could it be that, unlike clergymen, laymen journalists are the first to be targeted for conscription?

                    • “If Met. Kirill’s bishops are not commemorating him, that’s Pat. Kirill’s problem.”

                      This allegation and issue has come up in the past, with people claiming that the UOC-MP clergy are somehow opposed to the MP because they don’t name the MP in liturgy. In reality, this has been a long practice going back even before the Ukraine conflict and the reason has to do with the UOC’s autonomy, rather than whether they consider themselves part of the MP.

                      Are they still commemorating Met. Onufrey? Yes. Does Met. Onufrey still consider them and himself part of the MP and vice verse? Yes.

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      Why would the UOC not commemorate their own patriarch? I find that difficult to believe, honestly. They would also commemorate Met. Onufrey.

                      Met. Onufrey is under Moscow.

                      I’ve got to warn you. Some things you out of Ukraine are not true. It’s interesting that after the schism happened (tomos given to the OCU), Met. Onufrey barely said a word when his own parishes and monasteries were being confiscated.

                      I bring this up because Met. Onufrey is pretty much the last person you would expect to say the words attributed to him. Frankly, I’m not sure we can believe it. Met. Onufrey absolutely feels he belongs to the MP.

              • George Michalopulos says

                Joseph, you’re quite right.

                One of the things I noticed right off the bat (about 7 days ago) was Met Tikhon’s initial response. He mentioned Met Onuphriy –and only Met Onuphriy–as the Ukrainian face of this crisis. The dog that hasn’t barked is “Met” Epiphony being the point man. It’s almost as if he’s fallen off the face of the earth.

                It’s a silver lining.

                • Yea, he and Bartholomew have been eerily quiet

                • Joseph Lipper says

                  It sounds like Metropolitan Onuphry is being pressured to request autocephaly from Moscow. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really sound like a viable option. Such a request would likely be denied by Patriarch Kirill.

                  Interestingly, the EP currently considers all Ukrainian bishops not part of the OCU as under the jurisdiction of Patriarch Bartholomew. So by right, any Ukrainian bishop not part of the OCU could stop commemorating Patriarch Kirill and instead start commemorating Patriarch Bartholomew. According to Archimandrite Cyrill Hovorun, there is already talk in Ukraine about doing this.

                  https://orthodoxia.info/news/epilysi-oykranikoy-katadiki/

                  • Gail Sheppard says

                    Of course, he does. – What Church does this Archimandrite Cyrill Hovorun come from?

                  • Joseph,
                    The article reads in part:

                    Following the Synodal decision of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in October 2018, the Metropolitan Church of Kiev under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate was restored as it existed before 1686. This means that all the churches in the territory of the once Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth returned to it. Patriarch of Constantinople, regardless of whether they recognize it or not. Based on this decision, all the bishops were invited to participate in the founding of a new Church. Some responded and decided to establish the self-governing Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

                    But what happened to those who refused to take part in the Synod of St. Sophia?

                    There is a third solution that I suggest. Because the Ukrainian clergy and high priests who were not united with the autocephalous church remain, as is normally the case, under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, they can already begin to commemorate Patriarch Bartholomew in the Divine Liturgy. Some people have already informed me that they want to do this. Then, when things calm down, a synod could be convened to complete the unification of Ukrainian Orthodoxy that began in 2018.

                    The author’s theory seems to be that when P. Bartholomew claimed to restore Kyiv’s dioceses back from the MP to Constantinople, all bishops in Ukraine automatically switched from the MP back to Constantinople as well. That is, the author considers the situation in Ukraine for the UOC-MP parishes to be the same that it was in November-December 2018, before the creation of the OCU.

                    However, the author’s theory does not work, for a couple reasons. One issue is whether Constantinople’s decision to transfer Kyiv was canonically valid. The answer seems to be No, because Chalcedon’s canons say that there is a statue of limitations of 30 years on transferring territory.
                    The second issue is that supposing that Kyiv was transferred validly back to Constantinople in the 16th century, then when that original transfer occurred, did some of the territory of what is now Ukraine belonged to the MP, not to Kyiv? The answer seems to be Yes as to eastern or northern Ukraine.
                    A third issue is that in the late autumn of 2018 when Constantinople claimed that it transferred Kyiv back to Constantinople, almost all the UOC-MP’s bishops considered themselves to still be under the MP. That is, if Constantinople succeeded in transferring the territory of Kyiv in 2018, does this automatically mean that the bishops like Met. Onufrey who did not recognize the transfer automatically transferred anyway? In his letter to Met. Onufrey after Constantinople’s 2018 decision, did P. Bartholomew present it that way, as if Met. Onufrey was now automatically a bishop of Constantinople?
                    By comparison, Constantinople claims America and Western Europe, but that does not mean that the bishops there are part of the Church of Constantinople.

                    • Joseph Lipper says

                      Hal, the main stipulation of the 1686 transfer was that the Metropolitan of Kiev would henceforth commemorate first the Patriarch of Constantinople at Divine Liturgy. It’s a very strange stipulation, but it makes sense if you read the letters back and forth between Moscow and Constantinople leading up to this. Moscow was not requesting to own the Kiev Eparchy, but rather to manage it. Constantinople agreed, and in 1686 delegated its authority for Moscow to manage it.

                      Could this agreement from 1686 be revoked? Since it was not understood or intended at the time to be an actual transfer of ownership, not by Moscow, nor by Constantinople, then the answer would be yes.

                      Yet regardless of whether the 1686 agreement could be revoked, the Metropolitan of Kiev is still supposed to commemorate first, the Patriarch of Constantinople. That was the given ecclesial order, both before the 1686 agreement, and also after.

                      What’s different now is that the EP no longer recognizes Metropolitan Onuphry as “the Metropolitan of Kiev”. The EP gave that title to someone else. However, Metropolitan Onuphry is still recognized by the EP as an Orthodox bishop, but as operating in the jurisdiction of Constantinople. That is, because he did not agree to be under the jurisdiction of the autocephalous OCU.

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      Moscow requested to “manage” Kiev?! That’s a strange thought. Shouldn’t someone tell Met. Onufriy, the Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine, that he has been managing the MP’s territory for Constantinople all these years?

                      The thing about the Church, Joseph, is no one can say, “It is because I say it is” and wave the terms of a letter that was never executed.

                      The vast majority of the Church does not recognize the OCU which, of course, would include Epiphany, so it matters little what title Bartholomew gave him.

                      The lunacy of this lastest proclamation is particularly convoluted because Bartholomew recognized Met. Onufriy as the primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church for years. I believe Metropolitan Vladimir held the same position before him. What is done cannot be undone.

                      “Would of, should of, could of”, doesn’t count.

                      Bartholomew is over, Joseph. He was given ample time to repent. He walked away from his brother bishops and he chose not to come back. The Local Churches, as well as Antioch and Jerusalem, do not support him.

                      Even the POPE doesn’t support him on this. Francis made a public statement that the only hierarch the Catholic Church recognizes over Ukraine is Pat. Kirill.

                      Bartholomew is looking more and more like he’s not in touch with reality.

                    • Hello Joseph.
                      The CP’s claim of supremacy over all EOs and his decision on Ukraine does not work rationally and logically for many reasons, and likewise nor does the theory that the UOC-MP priests are now automatically part of Constantinople. Father Hovorun may be trying to theorize about this, but it’s not even CP Bartholomew’s position at this point.

                      The formal request by the MP said:
                      “…, so that the whole Kiev eparchy should be under the Moscow Russian patriarchal throne, and in the spiritual ruling of the Eastern Church, henceforth to give obedience to and perform ordinations of Kiev metropolitans”.

                      The Ecumenical Patriarchate responded:

                      “I am writing this letter, since I have subordinated the Kiev Metropolis to the Moscow throne; let them be free to elect anyone they want to be metropolitans of Kiev. Let him undergo the whole ordination procedure and all the necessary actions, and let him know his elder and senior, the patriarch of Moscow.”

                      The UOC-MP stopped commemorating the CP, and then the CP did not contest the transfer of territory for more than 30 years, outrunning the 30 year Statute of Limitations under Chalcedon’s canons.
                      SOURCE: Kirill Aleksandrov, UOJ
                      https://spzh.news/en/zashhita-very/57204-ta-samaja-gramota-tak-peredaval-li-konstantinopoly-cerkovy-ukrainy-moskve

                      The article by Alexandrov explains:

                      he only thing that distinguishes the essence of the request of Moscow from the essence of the consent of Constantinople is the instruction addressed to the Metropolitan of Kiev to commemorate the patriarch of Constantinople prior to the patriarch of Moscow at divine services. Adepts of Ukrainian autocephaly indicate here, firstly, that the Kiev Metropolis was not withdrawn from the subordination of Constantinople, and secondly, the failure to fulfill an essential term for the transfer of the Kiev Metropolis, which allegedly entails the annulment of the whole Letter.

                      However, the reason which the Kiev Metropolitan had to liturgically mention the Ecumenical Patriarch was the claim of the Constantinople throne to supremacy in the entire Orthodox World: “since he is a ruler and bearer of all benefits to all ends of the universe”. But this claim was completely inconsistent with the Orthodox ecclesiology, in which there is no place for the papacy, and, accordingly, it was not fulfilled.</blockquote.

                      CP Dionysius wrote:

                      The future patriarchs also have the right to elect the Kiev metropolitan. In the same way, the Kiev Metropolis shall be subordinated to the Holy See of Moscow. And let all the hierarchs, both present and future, honor their elder and primate, patriarch of Moscow, since they receive ordination from him. Let them only observe the following: when the Metropolitan of Kiev performs a bloodless and divine liturgy in his eparchy, let him remember first of all the blessed name of the ecumenical patriarch, because from him all blessings are served to all ends of the universe, and he is the source of everything, and enthroned the patriarch Moscow, and then the name of the patriarch of Moscow.”

                      The CP’s idea was that the CP was transferring the Kyiv eparchy to the MP, but that the eparchy was to commemorate both the MP and the CP, based on the mistaken theory that the CP was the “source of everything”, not on the mistaken theory that the MP was only managing Kyiv on behalf of the CP.

                    • Joseph Lipper says

                      Hal, the key phrase in the essay you reference is Moscow’s “not wanting to take the eparchy into our possession, but seeking a fraternal union in Christ”.

                      Moscow specifically requests a “fraternal” union, not a paternal one. A fraternal union is a brotherly relation between distinct churches. Moscow was asking to be a “big brother”, and this is exactly what Constantinople provided for.

                      If a paternal union had been requested, then that would have designated a request for ownership, but that’s not what was requested.

                      The stipulation that the Patriarch of Constantinople be commemorated first at all Divine Liturgies preserves the intended paternal union of Constantinople with Kiev. Furthermore, Moscow does not object to this stipulation, not even after 30 years. It is only some 300 years later that Moscow cries foul.

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      Moscow did not want to be Constantinople’s eparchy.

                      A “fraternal” union is one in which there is equality on both sides. No one is the “big” brother. They are one in Christ.

                      In the diptychs, Constantinople is commemorated first as “first among equals“. None of these family relationships (mother, daughter, sister, brother) that Bartholomew frequently employs describes the relationships in the Orthodox Church.

                      In Orthodox Teaching:

                      Father = Christ
                      Mother = The Church
                      Bishops = Brothers

                      You indicate that no one is “objecting,” but that doesn’t mean they’ve accepted anything. Unless one concelebrates with the schismatics, they do not exist in the Church.

                      Moscow is not “crying foul” over some esoteric “stipulation” made 3oo years ago! She is crying foul because Bartholomew came into her territory and rearranged it so that existing communities under the Russians were consumed by Constantinople. The canons strictly forbid this. Every bishop warned Bartholomew not to do it and when he did, they turned their backs on him. The only exception were those beholden to him, i.e. the Greeks who were divided, as there are some really good bishops on that synod and some who are vulnerable because they compromised themselves in the past. Cyprus and Alexandria both begged Bartholomew not to go into Ukraine without consensus and only supported him after the fact when there would have been political and/or financial repercussions.

                      Bartholomew went ahead anyway, ignoring his brother bishops, and set up a schismatic institution that was created for the Nazis (not the Ukrainians) so Poroshenko could pick up enough votes to remain in office. True to form, the Nazis pushed their way in, confiscating parishes and monasteries belonging to the MP.

                      Of course, Moscow is objecting. The poor Orthodox Ukrainians are bearing the brunt of Bartholomew’s actions which I’m sure pains Moscow. Bartholomew hurt those people to cater to Ukraine’s crooked politicians and his Nazis friends.

                      Our Mother is the “conciliar” Church, of which Bartholow wants no part, and our Father is Christ, the sole head of the Church. Neither is under Bartholomew’s providence. Bartholomew is in no position to grant “ownership” of anything.

                      Joseph, you are making all these assumptions: Bartholomew said this, and Bartholomew can do that, seemingly unaware that Bartholomew LEFT THE CHURCH the moment he stopped listening to his brother bishops and stopped following the canons. Maybe he didn’t do this sort of thing 30 years ago. I don’t know. But I know what he’s done since I came into the Church. I see his overtures to Rome. I see how he has been influenced by them and believes he occupies some lofty position akin to an Eastern pope. I also see his frequent delusions with his role within the Church. We all have our day in the sun, Joseph, and Bartholomew’s days are over.

                      If Bartholomew thinks he has a hand to play, then he should play it. Otherwise, he is nothing in the Church because he willfully went against the better judgment of his brother bishops and violated the canons. There are significant damages. When all is said and done with the war in Ukraine, I predict a lot of things are going to change.

                    • Well said Gail,
                      much better than some theologians and/or bishops!

            • Making statements where taking sides in this conflict is ecclesiological nonsense and is completely wrong in the Church life, you are absolutely right. Just shows the ties with the earthly passions and obsession with earthly powers. And also is always hypocritical as it chooses sides and implores division.
              Except for OCA and Churches that have recognized schismatics other Orthodox Churches did not side in this conflict. Patriarch Kirill never took side for Putin.
              There was anothor war in Georgia rescently and two Churches came out together from that mess that was also organized in US.

              • VSWR, exactly what schismatic church has the OCA recognized? Can you please clarify or elaborate? Are we all missing something here?

                • Gail Sheppard says

                  VSRW the OCU can’t do &*&* without the EP and he is not about to recognize an autocephalous Church in a region that he thinks is HIS diaspora. If he did, he would have no claim to America.

                • Alex, you are misreading what VSWR wrote.
                  He meant:
                  “Except for the OCA, and except for Churches (eg. Constantinople) that have recognized schismatics (eg. OCU), other Orthodox Churches (eg. Serbia) did not side in this conflict. “

                  • Gail Sheppard says

                    The OCA does not recognize them. Greece, Cyprus, Alexandria are the only Churches that recognize them.

                    • The comma after “OCA” excludes it from
                      “the Churches … that have recognized schismatics.”

                    • Hal is right, what I meant was that OCA prime sided with the Churches that recognized schismatics in accusing Putin for aggression.
                      If you check Orthodox times every day they are monitoring which Church is accusing Putin and keeping tabs.
                      Today chief schismatic said that he is No 5 on the list the Russians will kill :))

                      https://orthodoxtimes.com/metropolitan-epiphanius-of-kiev-i-am-the-target-no5-at-the-kill-list-of-russians/

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      Be careful of what you read about in the Orthodox Times. The State Department gave them 100K to get it started to give us the “correct” news. It’s usually not news (more about who is celebrating what and where) but sometimes they slip up and post something like about that letter from Alexandria the EP didn’t want us to see.

                  • Hal, I”m sorry…I didn’t intend to misread VSWR’s statement. It just wasn’t worded very clearly or well.

                    • I have problem with English as I am born Serb but I ackonwlidge Your support with the truth which is our Lord. He never talked about unjust wars or about slavery but he said give Cezar his cut. St. Xenia had two slaves till the end of her life. So what Bishop of OCA did when he accused Putin was a sin but he does not understand as he does not understand Orthodoxy. God help him and clear his mind to the truth.
                      In terms of commemorating Patriarch Kirill is a problem with Russian Church as they required to commemorate both the ruling Bishop and the Patriarch or the prime which is wrong. Priest should only commemorate his Bishop who is the one who is Icon of Christ and guarantees union. They do not need to commemorate the prime Patriarch. It is when the Bishop serves that he commemorates the prime and Patriarch commemorates other Patriarch. We do not have Pope to say it simply he is full Church. But for some reason Russian insist that the priest also commemorate Patriarch which is wrong and in OCA priests commemorate Metropolitan Tikhon together with the ruling Bishop and that is wrong.
                      So the Russians now have this problem of not commemorating Patriarch Kirill because of wrong ecclesiology in the first place.

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      I’m glad you made this point. So it’s not because Metropolitan Onufrey has no respect for Pat. Kirill that he may not be commemorating him.

                      If he isn’t commemorating him it’s probably because of the wrong ecclesiology. That is good to know.

                    • VSWR, the whole point of commemorating the Patriarch alongside the ruling Bishop cannot be understood if we do not consider two factors:
                      1. The size of the Russian Church; and
                      2. The presence of schismatic bodies (like the priestly Old Believer Synods).
                      When a Church is so large that there will be a good chance that in some remote area they do not even know about the development of a schism, the only practical way to see if any given church does not align with the schism is to hear the mention of the primate. Naming a local bishop may not be sufficient, since very few can know which side any given bishop has taken, and because in a large Church bishops may change their cathedras more easily (and this last point could be the real departure from the ancient practice of bishops staying in their diocese until death, even more than the practice of a double commemoration)
                      So, when we hear that the double commemoration is “wrong”, please remember that this accusation comes from Churches which historically never felt the need of pointing to their faithful which Liturgies are canonical.

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      This breaks my heart.

              • George Michalopulos says

                VSRW, I’m not aware of any schismatic sects which the OCA has recognized. Please correct me if I’m wrong.

                • Solidarity Priest says

                  I think the gentleman(or lady) is not a native English speaker. I do know that if the OCA ever officially recognizes Epiphany’s sect and/or submits to rule by the EP, I will leave my parish. Unless, of course, they agree to leave the OCA

                  • I never said that. I did say they aside with the Churches that recognize schisamtic and is a shame. Why is that I dont know I hope they will not recognize them but I am not sure any more.

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      Solidarity Priest only referred to himself and how he feels.

                      I checked out the link you posted from the Orthodox Times. Thank you!

                      This is the kind of story I warned about. I don’t think it’s true. Epiphany and his group are not known for their trustworthiness. I am not a fan of Filaret, Epiphany’s former mentor, but Epiphany pulled the rug right out from under him to get the UOC-KP.

                      None of the Local Churches support him, except, as you said, Alexandria, Greece, Cyprus, and the Ecumenical Patriarch. Unless the OCU repents, they are as schismatic as the rest of the OCU.

                    • Gail: “Unless the OCU repents,
                      they are as schismatic as the rest of the OCU.”

                      Err… Yyeeessss…. 🙂

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      You don’t find that profound!

                  • I hope not either, Solidarity Priest! If the OCA ever recognizes the OCU, which I highly doubt, but insane things do happen occasionally…I know that my parish will leave the OCA. In fact, I would suspect that lots of parishes will leave the OCA!

                  • George Michalopulos says

                    SP, I see a silver lining on this unpleasantness, and that is that Metropolitan Tikhon announced his solidarity with Metropolitan Onuphriy as “his brother and concelebrant.”

                    That squeezed Epiphony out of the picture rather succinctly if you ask me. So if I had to place my bets, I’d go “all in” on the OCA being all on board with the UOC-MP as the legitimate Church of the Ukraine.

                    Have I read this right?

                    • Solidarity Priest says

                      George:
                      I don’t doubt that Metropolitan Tikhon and the OCA Synod recognize the legitimate church of Ukraine. However, I don’t think they will take it a step further and cut off communion with the EP. It is like the situation when the Serbian church was in communion with the OCA and MP, while being in communion with ROCOR, when the latter did not have communion with either the OCA or MP.

                • Solidarity Priest says

                  To our Serbian friend, for priests to remember only the ruling bishop(or Metropolitan) seems to be a ” Balkan” thing. I notice that in the Romanian churchs, both OCA and Romanian patriachal, only the ruling bishop is mentioned at liturgy. The practices are different, not necessarily “wrong”. It seems that the Romanians, like the Serbs, seem to be halfway between the Greeks and Russians in liturgical practices.
                  Your English is probably much better than my Serbian. I pray daily that the monarchy be restored to all Orthodox nations. Your people have suffered greatly for the faith. I pray specifically for Patriarch Porfirije and his suffering flock and fir Metropolitan Onuphry and his suffering flock.

                  • Gail Sheppard says

                    I am worried that Ukraine is not going to get the food they need. Someone wrote the following to a fellow blogger. I have no idea if this is true.

                    The Russians are warning a famine is being engineered in Ukraine. Here is the message they sent:

                    Ukraine is one step away from a humanitarian catastrophe

                    With the beginning of the military operation on the territory of Ukraine, trade transit and the supply of food to large cities completely stopped.

                    Food is left for two, maximum three days. Then famine will begin in large cities. He’s already coming.

                    The situation is aggravated by Kyiv’s destructive initiative to distribute weapons, which, of course, were taken by the most marginalized sections of the population. Mass banditry and looting is already beginning, shops are being robbed.

                    The police of Ukraine withdrew from the situation, the Nazis worsen it, not allowing people to leave the cities, leaving them as human shields.

                    In Kharkov, the Nazis shot several cars with civilians who were trying to leave the city.

                    Russia needs to immediately form humanitarian corridors and set up refugee camps for the civilian population.

                    Also right now, we need to start a dialogue with the mayors of large cities on creating corridors for the delivery of food to the cities, creating conditions for the survival of the civilian population.

                    If Ukraine plunges into chaos, this will be the reason for the introduction of “peacekeepers” into the country under the auspices of NATO.
                    Responsibility for what happened will be assigned to the leadership of Russia, up to criminal prosecution through the institutions of international justice, which are under the control of the United States.

                    This will be the beginning of the process of delegitimization of power in Russia with all the devastating consequences for our country.

                  • George Michalopulos says

                    SP. this response goes to your comment above. I too, don’t think that the OCA will cut off communion with the EP and his eparchies. My point was this: that gone are the days of the stranglehold of one man on Syosset who constantly bowed and scraped before the EP. This man was also a fervent ecumenist.

                    I should have made that clear.

                    Having said that, in recognizing only Onuphriy as the legitimate Metropolitan of Kiev (which he is) this is a minor thorn in the side of the Phanar. I know the official line is that the OCA is a nothingburger in the eyes of the Phanar, look at it this way: had the OCA recognized Dumenko as Metropolitan of Kiev, the Phanar would be singing the OCA’s praises to the high heavens.

                    • I don’t think the CP can ever practically recognize the OCA’s autocephaly so long as it has GOARCH as a member of the CP in the US. Recognizing its autocephaly would entail recognizing the OCA as the Church with canonical claim to North America.

                    • Gail Sheppard says

                      Which we’ve previously said.

                  • The reason I think it is wrong is because each Bishop with his priests deacons and people gathered on Liturgy which is Icon of Kingdom represents the full Church. Bishop is icon of Christ, priests are apostols and deacons are angels. We don’t need Pope or Patriarch or Synod to be a full Church. Patriarch is only Bishop in that sense of Church fullness. Of course, we need the First and Sabor but that is to show unity of the Church. Why the Russians do differently, I don’t know they must have a reason. But if those UOC priests did not not have to commemorate Patriarch Kirill but only their own Bishop last week we would not have this problem.

    • VSWR,

      Yes. This is a war and it is very important to understand who the enemy is. It is not Russia. It is not China. It is not Iran. America is at war with itself and we, Christian Nationalists, are at war with the neo-liberals and neo-cons who have ruined this country. They control America and we are, in that sense, at war with America – just like the Russians and the Chinese. And we will be at war with America until the neo-liberals and neo-con enablers are defeated once and for all.

      It is unpleasant to be at war with your own country. But we must face the fact squarely. The neo-liberals currently control the levers of power and foreign policy. Making the world safe for democracy and human rights to them means feminism, abortion and LGBT. American Christians have been abjectly stupid in the past to support American military adventurism throughout the world to spread the sick neo-liberal ideology and make the world safe for it. The focus of evil in the modern world is the DNC, not the CCP or the RF.

      That is why I wholeheartedly support the Russian war in the Ukraine. It is a war against the Whore of Babylon – America, which has established a criminal client state through a coup d’etat in the Ukraine. Russia is cleaning that situation up and should be commended for it.

  20. George Michalopulos says

    This is the take of foreign policy realists from many different political parties as to why the West bears responsibility for the Russian invasion:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H0rCqaGtJw

    For the record, I’m not a Leftist and have no truck with Jimmy Dore’s economic theories but I completely agree with him about the international situation. He’s an honest Leftist, not like the professional Democrats and/or liberals who provide cover for war-mongers.

    And for that I give him credit.

    • George,
      That’s an interview with Max Blumenthal. He has such a sense of humor and strong presentation style, like in his book title:
      Republican Gomorrah: Inside the Movement that Shattered the Party

      Here is his twitter feed:
      https://twitter.com/MaxBlumenthal/

      What are some of the factors that may have contributed to the Ukraine conflict?, Mar 1, 2022
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiDKJVCerRY&ab_channel=CGTNAmerica

      He makes a strong point that according to the UN, since 2017, in the Donbass, 80 percent of victims have been on the Russian-speaking side. This is an important point because the Donbass situation is one of the main issues in the current conflict and that Russia has been using for its justification.

      Despite his sense of humor and wit, when it comes to the Ukraine issue, he treats it with seriousness and intelligence too, and unfortunately we are dealing with a sad, tragic, traumatizing situation there.

      Peace and Best wishes to you in these risky and tough times, George.

      • Ben David says

        Pepe Escobar is another great journalist whose work is posted all over the political spectrum.
        Below you can find a two part interview on his take in Ukraine.

        https://youtu.be/T8syVHWRv_k

        https://youtu.be/lY_9KAFblEQ

        • Gail Sheppard says

          It’s great to have these.

        • Thanks for sharing this. I have to add, I think the best commentary I’ve seen so far has been from The Duran.

          They have made me think about leaving the U.S lol (at least indirectly through their commentary). Not sure if I would ever follow through cause I think there’s still hope for the U.S, at least on the state level, but should I decide to leave I’m fortunate that my job is universal around the globe so there’s that.

  21. It is a bit disconcerting that the US is quickly slipping into psycho-political freefall chaos over the Ukraine thing and our economic response. All the touting of sanctions is preaching to the choir and it is increasingly clear that Russia (and China and India, etc.) have already factored in “the worst that the West can do” economically into their calculations. The MSM can run stories 24/7 wishful thinking about how they are going to destroy the Russian economy and displace Putin, but that does not make it so.

    No one across the political spectrum, besides realists like Steve Turley and the guys at the Duran, Scott Ritter and a few others, has any idea what to do and everyone else is gradually becoming increasingly hysterical.

    They’ve cancelled Russian cats, for God’s sake. Assaults on felines and central banks are not the actions of confident players but rather reek of anxious desperation.

    Lyndsey Graham and Mdme Hillary exhorting the Russians to take Putin out is a case in point. They are rabid with fear that he is out of their control or even influence. They can see the triumvirate or troika of Russia/China/India emerging and it terrifies them. The Biden Regime is even talking about sanctioning India. Sheer madness.

    There’s nothing good down this road. Buy gold. Pray.

    • Gail Sheppard says

      We’ve created a world of “Karens.” That they’re canceling “cats” (or frankly, are even having cat shows) shows how “interesting” they are. – Don’t know if you’ve noticed but there is a strong campaign out there to make Putin look crazy. I guess he wore a hazmat suit to a COVID hospital in 2020, which frankly makes sense given it was 2020. (As I recall, unless you were sick, NO ONE was allowed in COVID hospitals here.) Some crazy priest with an interesting history is now performing the rights of exorcism (Putin has no idea) on Putin. This is all BS. Where were these stories a week ago? This is how the mainstream will take you down the river. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn HRC and Lyndsey Graham had something to do with it. Talk about c-r-a-z-y.

      • Galinushka,

        When I was growing up, we called this “neurotic“. It’s kind of a compulsion to climb out on a psycho-emotional limb through highly questionable activity in an unconscious effort to quell internal anxiety.

        • Gail Sheppard says

          Yeah, you’re right. It’s not “interesting.” It’s neurotic. We used to call it just plain weird!

  22. Both Lindsey Graham and HRC have called for the murder or ouster of Putin. Up until the present crisis, I had not heard of the pejorative epithet “snow n*gger” before. There is a certain mix of unbridled arrogance and seething contempt in the aura of Western elites regarding Russians which should be a bit unnerving considering the importance which Russians place in general on personal respect. Westerners are not easily offended by over-the-top rhetoric. Beyond a certain point, I don’t think that can be said of Russians.

    The harsher the economic and rhetorical treatment the Russians receive, the more likely it is that in the long run, they will exact vengeance at a time and place of their choosing. They have done virtually nothing thus far except close off Russian airspace to certain Western carriers in retaliation for similar sanctions from the West. My guess is that they prefer to fight one conflict at a time.

  23. My family’s friends are dying at the hands of people who – as you half-note in the first paragraph – ought to be their brothers, and you’re busy going on about how “Russia is the best thing that could happen to the Ukrainian people.” This is not a good look, and I was hoping for better from you.

    • Gail Sheppard says

      Go reread what I said. I was talking about families in Donbas, for example, who have been dying at the hands of their “brother” Ukrainians for YEARS. What’s the number? 14,000 dead? If you’re going to allow Nazi nationalists to walk the Ukrainian streets let the Russian Ukrainians go to Russia where they’ll be protected.

      Everybody’s got a family, DJA, and when it comes to Ukraine, everyone’s got a story.

      • I’m aware of what you’ve said; going by the words of your own article, you note that the invasion is not at all confined to Russian-Ukrainian separatist regions, and you make a number of statements in country-wide terms.

        Perhaps “everyone’s got a story,” as you dismissively note, but I get no impression that your own stories reflect any direct connections or genuinely broadbased knowledge.

        I could say more or try to debate details, but there’s clearly little point in doing so.

  24. This is most excellent from Coach Red Pill. It explains in meticulous detail as to why Zelensky is a puppet, who’s behind him and what they want.

    • Gail Sheppard says

      Why can’t my browser play this video? 🙁

      • Not sure. I just clicked on it and it came up at just the place where I left off. There may be some cyber censoring going on here and there though. Hard to say.

  25. This is Alexander Mercouris describing what he thinks the Russian strategy and endgame is. It is prefaced with a brief interview of MacGregor by Stuart Varney.

    Essentially what the Russians seem to be attempting is to separate the wheat from the chaff. The cauldrons that the Russians are forming have artificial escape routes through which civilians and even military (if they leave their heavy arms, not personal and side arms) can pass if they wish to give up the fight and seek greener pastures in the western part of the country (around Lvov/Lviv for instance).

    This explains why the Russians are not taking Kiev by force much better than some imagined Ukrainian resistance. The Russian army marches forward until it counters substantial resistance near the cities and then fans out to surround the entire area. This traps all heavy weaponry and any Ukrainians who wish to continue the fight. Everyone else, probably with the exceptions of avowed Nazis who would be captured if detected, seems to be free to slip out the humanitarian corridor, effectively exiled to the western part of the country. Mercouris points out that this is similar to what the Russians did in Aleppo in Syria.

    This is why there is very little if any Russian military activity in Western Ukraine up to this point. Part of this stems from Russian humanitarian concerns but mostly it is practical. Encircling and shutting off supplies while opening a humanitarian convoy will allow anyone who wants to leave and is willing to do so without taking, for instance, artillery, to exit. The entire exercise is designed to separate innocent civilians and misguided soldiers from the truly incorrigible dead enders.

    This will create a very strange situation in Western Ukraine which will likely be run by fairly well armed neo-Nazis, perhaps nominally headed by Zelensky or some other Kolomoisky/Nuland pawns, who will operate a sort of mafia state right on the doorstep of Europe . . . a mafia state which the Russians would not hesitate to incinerate if it attacked eastward. This would be a nice parting gift for NATO.

    • Gail Sheppard says

      Yeah, I don’t think so. Once they get the Russian Ukrainians out of Ukraine, the neo-NAZIs who are left might wish they came back. They may not have such an easy time of it. I am sick of TRUE hate groups running the playground and throwing rocks at the rest of us.

    • George Michalopulos says

      Misha, I just saw Mercouris’ analysis. If I would add this: whatever Ukrainian state is allowed to reform, as long as it accepts neutrality (vis-a-vis NATO), I would let it become integrated with the EU. At which point if it is ruled by Ukronazis, it will be a millstone hanging around Brussels’ neck, even more so than Greece or Spain.

      • Now, George, assume Putin successfully seals off the western third of the Ukraine from the rest so that Western Ukraine cannot militarily threaten Eastern Ukraine or Russia.

        Putin will have transformed Eastern Ukraine into a Russian satellite (I’m speaking frankly because I’m not a small “d” democrat and neither is Putin) and that is the part of the Ukraine to which Russians are emotionally attached. Western Ukraine might as well be Poland or Nazi Germany. Putin said as much and it is not historically part of Rus’. Yet if they are well armed (and arms are continually pouring in, just not NATO missiles), in which direction do you think they might turn those weapons having been abandoned by the EU/NATO/US?

        I have some reservations about the economic aspect of this as it affects Russia. I’m not concerned about the nuclear angle. But the rest of it is looking increasingly delicious. Putin, directly or indirectly, will have a mad dog in Western Ukraine which he can watch and even encourage and militarily support in its revenge against EU/NATO.

        Too delicious for words.

        And of course, it is a bargaining chip vis a vis continued sanctions. It’s the old saying about what to do with a mad dog. Don’t kill it. Capture it and throw it into the yard of your enemy.

  26. The boomerang returns…

    Russia’s EU-US sanctions: Ban on cereals – Luxury bread in Greece

    https://www-pronews-gr.translate.goog/oikonomia/anti-kyroseis-rosias-se-ee-ipa-tous-apagoreyse-tin-agora-dimitriakon-eidos-polyteleias-to-psomi-stin-ellada/?_x_tr_sl=el&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

    Let’s go for a global food crisis

    ‘ Russia has imposed sanctions on the United States and the European Union, imposing tariffs on grain exports, creating a huge problem in the West .

    Under the pretext that Russia must have stocks, the country, which is the largest exporter of cereals in the world, will ban the sale of cereals in the West and will export only to countries friendly to it.

    Greece, for better or worse, by decision of the K. Mitsotakis government, is now an enemy of Russia and therefore these anti-sanctions will affect the Greek economy as well.

    Rising cereal prices will put inflationary pressures on highly dependent western markets.

    It will be the third time since 2008, and 2010 that Russia will shut down the “flow” of cereals causing serious problems in the West.

    “Russia has recorded a huge crop of grain this year (104 million tonnes), but the volatility of the ruble exchange rate and high world prices have triggered a surge in exports and the country now needs to safeguard its reserves.” , said Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in a meeting with senior officials, as reported by state news agencies.

    “We must have the minimum stocks that guarantee Russia’s food security. “In this context, I think it is time to consider the imposition of administrative measures to restrict exports ,” Medvedev said.

    “We will prepare a proposal for a decision on an export duty; it will be made within 24 hours ,” Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich said during the meeting, according to Interfax news agency.

    Government officials are discussing a ban and may impose it before exporters can execute orders they have already received from abroad , according to an agro-industry source quoted by Reuters news agency.

    Problem for Greece

    In Greece , the price of bread has already risen by 30% , while increases are also observed in everything related to cereals, from cornflakes to pies for souvlaki.

    It should be noted here that Greece is a country that consumes a lot of cereals. Market participants are talking about a dangerous reduction of wheat stocks in the mills of our country, adding that the increases in international flour prices are already reaching 80%. According to other sources, Greece has low stocks of wheat which can meet the needs of the population for a period of 30-45 days.

    All this shows that bread – which until recently was not missing from the Greek table – tends to become a kind of luxury for Greece.

    Hungary: Prohibits all grain exports

    Global concerns about grain adequacy and prices have intensified since the Russian invasion, and countries are trying to tackle the problem individually amid the war in Ukraine.

    Hungary has issued a decree banning all grain exports, Agriculture Minister István Nagy told RTL Híradó.

    The measure will take effect immediately, due to price increases caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

    The minister added that the government decree was published for the ban.

    This decision by Hungary confirms fears of a rally in food prices due to large increases in agricultural products already burdened by high oil and gas prices.

    China wants to secure raw material supplies

    Concerns over the supply of cereals and other raw materials have prompted China to urge state-owned importers to prioritize security of supply of energy and other commodities, such as cereals, amid concerns that the war in Ukraine could be disrupted.

    Government agencies have been ordered to send executives of import companies abroad in search of goods ranging from oil, gas and iron to barley and corn to cover possible shortages due to the war, according to Bloomberg.

    The information states that no price was mentioned, indicating that the focus is now on the security of supplies and not on prices.

    The world cereals market is under Russian control

    Russia and Ukraine are the granary of Europe. They account for 14% of world wheat production and account for about 29% of exports.

    Russia is the world ‘s leading exporter of common wheat and accounts for 10% of world production and 20% of international exports. Ukraine , on the other hand, is the fifth largest exporter of common wheat, with a share of 10%, and also accounts for more than 10% of international corn exports.

    Ukraine can no longer export wheat by merchant ships due to the situation in the Black Sea ports. It is considering doing this by rail if possible.

    One of the biggest dowries that Russia will have from the control of Ukraine, whatever form it takes, will be that it will have control over cereals. ‘

    You want bread? Here is a stone…

    • George Michalopulos says

      You know, it’s fascinating to me. Whenever I hear about how Russia’s economy is less than Italy’s, I have to ask myself these questions:

      1. Does Italy have oil?
      2. Does Japan have wheat?
      3. Does Germany have LNG?
      4. Does Great Britain have uranium?
      5. Does France have diamonds?
      6. Does Canada have a space program?
      7. Does the United States have a balanced budge?

      Well, Russia has all of these things. Maybe we shouldn’t believe all the propaganda we’re hearing?

      Just sayin’.

      • Nate Trost says

        First off, if you think the GDP numbers are wrong, you’re essentially accusing the economic bureau of the Russian government of sandbagging their own country.

        Second, you listed a bunch of raw material exports. GDP is way more than just exports, and especially material exports. Over the past decade Russia doesn’t appear to have ever exported more than $5 billion in diamonds in any given year. All Russian exports in 2021 totaled around $500 billion. That is, if you believe the Central Bank of Russia.

        Finally, Russia has a manned space program because they inherited it from the Soviet Union, which had it because they were spending as much of a quarter of GDP on their military complex, which included spaceflight for national prestige. Russia’s space program has actually been in a crisis mode for a while, to the point where official state media started talking openly about the problems. The invasion of Ukraine is going to compound the situation.

        • Now we are starting Lent. I like Ukrainians and Russians, and it’s sad for me to see so many dead on both sides. If I see a young Russian soldier lying with a white arm out like a butchered animal, it’s pretty sad. Someone who cares about Ukrainians would also naturally feel the same way about their situation. War, especially like this is a disaster. Christians should be Peacemakers. To do this one should come at the situation with a feeling of care for both sides.

          Often in many news articles and Twitter feeds like those that you posted, I see what comes across as “point scoring” when Russian soldiers are killed. Is that how Americans who opposed the wars in Iraq or Vietnam would feel about photos of US soldiers being killed?

          Certainly, peacemaking is a goal and we should instead come at the situation with a goal to make peace, and feel mutual concern. This involves thinking about what each “side’s” most important concerns are, even if we don’t agree with them. Blessed Be the Peacemakers. May the Lord show goodness and mercy and may people grow in wisdom and caring.

  27. Abp. Viganò: Globalists have fomented war in Ukraine
    to establish the tyranny of the New World Order

    https://www.lifesitenews.com/opinion/abp-vigano-globalists-have-fomented-war-in-ukraine-to-establish-the-tyranny-of-the-new-world-order/?utm_source=featured&utm_campaign=usa

    The Ukrainian people, regardless of what ethnic group they may belong to, are merely the latest unwitting hostages of the supranational totalitarian regime that brought the national economies of the entire world to their knees through the COVID deception.

    It’s a long article, but well worth reading…

  28. Joseph Lipper says

    Three possible outcomes for Orthodoxy in Ukraine after the Russian invasion (as outlined by Archimandrite Cyril Hovorun, a scholar and priest of the Moscow Patriarchate):

    In the first scenario, some clergy will want to remain with the Moscow Patriarchate, but increasingly it seems this would be limited to separatist areas like Donbass.

    The second scenario, which is already gaining traction, is that Metropolitan Onuphry requests autocephaly. Since Patriarch Kyrill does not even recognize a war in Ukraine, that request would likely be denied. Metropolitan Onuphry, or his successor, would then have to unilaterally declare autocephaly much in the same way as Metropolitan Filaret did in 1991. Of course, that scenario is problematic, because it would mean schism, not only with the Russian Church, but also schism with the rest of Orthodoxy.

    The third scenario that Archimandrite Cyril Hovorun outlines is interesting, and it doesn’t even entail joining the OCU. Instead, he points out how the EP currently considers all Ukrainian bishops that are not part of the OCU to be under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate by economia , regardless of whether they agree with this or not. This includes, not only Metropolitan Onuphry, but all of the UOC-MP bishops. In the third scenario, he concludes that any Ukrainian bishop that does not want to join the OCU could, by canonical right, start commemorating Patriarch Bartholomew instead of Patriarch Kirill.

    https://orthodoxia.info/news/epilysi-oykranikoy-katadiki/

    • Fourth scenario:

      Russia wins, the OCU is delegitimized in the eastern 2/3 of the country and confined, if it continues to exist at all, to Western Ukraine (with the rest of the Uniates) and the Ukrainians remain under the MP out of communion with Bartholomew and the Banderastanis (again, not a bad name for a band).

      • Given that the OCU & UGCC mostly reside in the western part of Ukraine, there is a real possibility many of them have already left for Poland, etc.

        What will be interesting will be if they form OCU diaspora communities, or if they will be absorbed into the Polish Orthodox Church – since the POC doesn’t recognize the OCU it would probably require repentance.

        Or, as a third option, just start attending UGCC parishes. This actually seems more likely as they are essentially ideologically the same

        The OCU might be dismantled without Moscow having to even do anything.

        • Gail Sheppard says

          Yeah, they won’t do that.

          • Which one? I am really curious on your opinion on the OCU/UGCC. I’ve heard they have already concelebrated in places and the UGCC is only slightly less nationalistic as the OCU. When the dust settles in Ukraine it will be interesting to see how many of the OPCU laity are even left in the country. It’s unfortunate they will be Poland’s problem now.

            • Gail Sheppard says

              Granted, but I think the OCU and the UGCC are too much alike. Questionable people (non-rule followers) with a lot in common use each other initially and then they compete, eventually killing each other in the process.

              Kind of like mob families who live in the same city.

              Look at what Epiphany did to Filaret. (I believe he was Epiphany’s spiritual father.) He used him to get his followers and then immediately threw him under the bus.

              The crassness comes out of Epiphany if you listen for it. That man would not be able to get along with anybody. He’d throw Bartholomew under the bus in a heartbeat.

              People like Bartholomew are too wrapped up in themselves to see it. That’s why you need your brother bishops. So they can offer you perspective.

  29. Nice sermon by Patriarch Kiril.
    http://www.patriarchia.ru/db/text/5906442.html

    Below English translation. I am not sure if it is correct.

    In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit!

    I heartily congratulate all of you, my dear authorities, fathers, brothers and sisters, on this Sunday, on Forgiveness Sunday, on the last Sunday before the start of the Holy Forty Days, the Great Lent!

    The Great Lent is called by many ascetics the spiritual spring. It coincides with the physical spring and at the same time is perceived by the consciousness of the Church as a spiritual spring. What is spring? Spring is the rebirth of life, it is renewal, it is new strength. We know that it is in the spring that a powerful juice breaks through to a height of ten, twenty, one hundred meters, reviving the trees. This is truly an amazing miracle of God, a miracle of life. Spring is the rebirth of life; it is a great symbol of life. And therefore, it is not at all accidental that the main spring holiday is the Easter of the Lord, which is also a sign, a symbol of eternal life. And we believe that this is so, which means that the entire Christian faith that we share with you is a faith that affirms life, which is against death, against destruction, which affirms the need to follow Divine laws, in order to live, in order not to perish either in this world or in the world to come.

    But we know that this spring has been overshadowed by grave events related to the deterioration of the political situation in the Donbass, almost the beginning of hostilities. I would like to say something on this subject.

    For eight years there have been attempts to destroy what exists in the Donbass. And in the Donbass there is rejection, a fundamental rejection of the so-called values that are offered today by those who claim world power. Today there is a test for the loyalty to this new world order, a kind of pass to that “happy” world, the world of excess consumption, the world of false “freedom.” Do you know what this test is? The test is very simple and at the same time terrible—it is the Gay Pride parade. The demands on many to hold a gay parade are a test of their loyalty to the new world order; and we know that if people or countries reject these demands, then they do not enter into that world order, they become strangers to it.

    But we know what this sin is, which is promoted through the so-called Prides. This is a sin that is condemned by the Word of God, both the Old and the New Testament. Moreover, the Lord, condemning sin, does not condemn the sinner. He only calls him to repentance, but not to ensure that through a sinful person and his behavior, sin becomes a life standard, a variation of human behavior regarded as respected and acceptable.

    If humanity starts believing that sin is not a violation of God’s law, if humanity agrees that sin is one of the options for human behavior, then human civilization will end there. And Gay Pride parades are designed to demonstrate that sin is one of the legitimate variations of human behavior. That is why in order to enter the club of those “free” countries, it is necessary to hold a Gay Pride parade. Not to make a political statement “we are with you,” not to sign any agreements, but to hold a Gay Pride parade. And we know how people resist these demands and how this resistance is suppressed by force. This means that we are talking about imposing by force a sin condemned by God’s law, and therefore, to impose on people by brutal force the denial of God and His truth.

    Therefore, what is happening today in the sphere of international relations has not only political significance. We are talking about something different and much more important than politics. We are talking about human salvation, about where humanity will end up, on which side of God the Savior, who comes into the world as its Judge and Creator, on the right or on the left, we will be. Today, out of weakness, stupidity, ignorance, and most often out of unwillingness to resist, many go there, to the left side. And all that is connected with the justification of sin, condemned by the Bible, is today a test for our faithfulness to the Lord, for our ability to confess faith in our Savior.

    Everything that I say has not just some theoretical meaning and not only a spiritual meaning. Around this topic today there is a real war. Who is attacking Ukraine today, where the suppression and extermination of people in the Donbass has been going on for eight years? Eight years of suffering and the whole world is silent: what does that mean? But we know that our brothers and sisters are really suffering; moreover, they may suffer for their loyalty to our Church.

    And so today, on Forgiveness Sunday, on the one hand, as your shepherd, I call on everyone to forgive sins and insults, including where it is very difficult to do this, where people are at war with each other. But forgiveness without justice is capitulation and weakness. Therefore, forgiveness must be accompanied by the indispensable preservation of the right to stand on the right side of the world, on the side of God’s truth, on the side of the Divine Commandments, on the side of what the Light of Christ, His Word, His Gospel, His greatest covenants given to the human race, reveal to us.

    All of the above indicates that we have entered into a struggle that has not a physical, but a metaphysical significance. I know how, unfortunately, Orthodox people, believers, choosing the path of least resistance in this war, do not reflect on everything that we are thinking about today, but just follow the path that the powers that be show them. We do not condemn anyone, we do not invite anyone to come to the cross, we just say to ourselves: we will be faithful to the word of God, we will be faithful to His law, we will be faithful to the law of love and justice, and if we see violations of this law, we will never be tolerant with those who destroy this law, blurring the line between holiness and sin, and even more so with those who promote sin as an example or as one of the models of human behavior.

    Today, our brothers in the Donbass, Orthodox people, are undoubtedly suffering, and we cannot but be with them, first of all in prayer. It is necessary to pray that the Lord would help them to preserve the Orthodox faith, not to succumb to the temptation of this world. At the same time, we must pray that peace will come as soon as possible, that the blood of our brothers and sisters will stop flowing, that the Lord will incline His mercy to the long-suffering Donbass land, which has been bearing this mournful stamp for eight years, generated by human sin and hatred.

    Entering the field of Great Lent, let us try to forgive everyone. What is forgiveness? If you ask for forgiveness from a person who has broken the law or done something evil and unfair to you, you thereby do not justify his behavior, but simply stop hating this person. He ceases to be your enemy, which means that by your forgiveness you deliver him to the judgment of God. This is the true meaning of forgiving each other our sins and mistakes. We forgive, we renounce hatred and vindictiveness, but we cannot there, in the face of heaven, accept what is not true; therefore, by our forgiveness, we commit our offenders into the hands of God, so that both God’s judgment and God’s mercy may be administered on them. So that our Christian attitude towards human sins, delusions and insults will not be the cause of their death, but the just judgment of God would be carried out on everyone, including those who take upon themselves the heaviest responsibility, widening the chasm between brethren, filling it with hatred, malice, and death.

    May the merciful Lord execute His righteous judgment on all of us. And so that as a result of this judgment we do not stand on the left side of the Savior who came into the world, we must repent of our own sins. Approach your life with a very deep and impartial analysis, ask yourself what is good and what is bad, by no means excusing ourselves by saying, “I had a fight with this or that because they were wrong.” That is a false argument, that is the wrong approach. We must always ask before God: Lord, what did I do wrong? And if God helps us to realize our own unrighteousness, then repent of that unrighteousness.

    It is today, on Forgiveness Sunday, that we must accomplish this feat of self-denial and move away from our own sins and our unrighteousness, the feat of surrendering ourselves into the hands of God; and the most important feat is the forgiveness of those who offended us.

    May the Lord help us all to pass through the days of the Holy Forty Days so as to worthily enter into the joy of the Bright Resurrection of Christ. And let us pray that all those who are fighting today, who are shedding blood, who are suffering, will also enter into this joy of the Resurrection in peace and tranquility. Because what joy will there be if some are in the world, while others are in the power of evil and in the sorrow of internecine warfare?

    May the Lord help us all in this way, and not otherwise, to enter the days of Holy Great Lent, to save our souls and contribute to the multiplication of goodness in our sinful and often terribly misguided world, so that the truth of God may reign and dominate and lead the human race. Amen.