íÅdvedev Reinforced Orthodox Peoples

His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Cyril acting on Thursday at the ceremony of rewarding of prize winners of the International fund of unity of orthodox peoples, noted efforts of president Medvedev directed on reinforcement of generality of orthodox peoples.

"Especially I want to note efforts of the president of the Russian Federation Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev aimed at reinforcement of unity of peoples, including orthodox Christian tradition. It is extremely important in a context of forming of relations between the countries on the post-Soviet territory connected by common history, culture and, as I am convinced, by general future", - the patriarch said.

As he said, during last years the Russian state livened up the work with compatriots. It gives people not only possibility to identify themselves with the Russian culture but it also gives "impulse to preservation of originality of a great Slavic civilisation which can and should exist as very important spiritual cultural phenomenon enriching all world".

Ceremony of rewarding of prize winners passed in a hall of church cathedrals of a temple of the Christ of the Savior. Patriarch Cyril handed over awards to president Medvedev, to the Serbian film director Emir Kusturitsa, to the Supreme Patriarch and the Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin II and to representatives of Saing-Vladimir orthodox theological seminary from American Crestwood.

From editorial staff: Certainly, international fund created by Russian Orthodox Church has the right to award everybody and for everything. Though penguin from the Moscow zoo. But the president of the Russian Federation is after all not a penguin, he is homo sapience and is simply obliged to possess minimum taste and tact. Well, let alone Obama with his Nobel Peace Prize received for future fulfilments - if the Americans can be an example? Barbarians in general. But Dmitry Anatolevich is Petersburger, he is from an intelligent family, besides he works as the president and not penguin. All the same it's awkward.

Well, what about "unity of orthodox peoples" which was strengthened by president Medvedev? I will remind - Georgians are orthodox people, their Orthodoxy can be estimated by centuries. I want to ask fairly - last year's war with Georgia, irrespective of who is guilty and whether it was fair - whether that war strengthened unity with the orthodox Georgian people or weakened it a little bit?

Further. There are such orthodox enough people - Ukrainians. The same Georgian war together with quite bearish foreign policy of the Russian Federation - whether it strengthened the unity with orthodox people Ukrainians or weakened it a little bit? Even if the head of the Ukrainian orthodox church of the Moscow (!) patriarchy Vladimir (Sabodan) expressed in support of an absurd verdict of the Kiev appeal court which, as a matter of fact, accused heads of the USSR in genocide of the Ukrainian people - if it's strengthening of the unity?

What about defeat of the communists in Moldova after which obviously pro-Romanian power forces came to power, obviously not wishing to have something in common with orthodox Russian people? The Minister of Justice of Moldova Alexander Tinas already informed that his commission would condemn mode in Moldova from 1940 to 1941 and from 1944 to 1991. Thus, the mode in Moldova from 1941 to 1944 will not be condemned and it turns out that the fascist mode suits Tinas and his colleagues much more, than "unity of orthodox peoples".

For last 2 years Russia for the first time had serious disagreements with orthodox Belarus people with whom we were already ready to merge in the uniform state.

In general - whether there is such orthodox people relations with whom for last 2 years were considerably improved? There are no such. At the best they are former, not strongly inspiring, as with brotherly Romanian and Bulgarian people who hate us guts with all our Orthodoxy, autocracy and nationality. Love of the Serbs to the Russians is also strongly exaggerated.

In general "unity of Slavic civilisation" is a myth invented by Slavophiles in 19th century, it's non-existing phenomenon. Moreover, "brothers Slavs" throughout all history killed each other with ecstasy which was bigger, the higher was relationship degree. Let's recollect the Time of Troubles or well-known attack of hetman Sagajdachny - one of the national symbols of present Ukraine.

However there is a question of unity with one more orthodox people - the Russians. Yes-yes, if there's unity among the Russian orthodox people so easily and skillfully managed by president Medvedev? Whether the unity became stronger for 2 years of Medvedev's board?

Judging by number of verdicts of guilty under article 282 condemning appeals to any types of discord among our people our unity thaws each day. Orthodox cops and orthodox officials practically fell off this unity, orthodox business and - the most surprising - orthodox clergy are just about to fall off.

Though there is another unity - though it will hardly please both patriarch Cyril and president Medvedev - it's a unity of the Soviet world. Yes-yes, the Soviet union collapsed but the Soviet people did not disappear suddenly and today formed the Soviet world - not mythical "Slavic" or even "Russian", the more so not humiliating "post-Soviet territory", namely uniform and especial world as the patriarch said "connected by common history, culture and, as I am sure, common future".

That is it's not already Cyril but I am sure of this common future.

ánatoly Baranov, editor-in-chief of FORUM.msk

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