Posted on 04/06/2005 1:41:08 PM PDT by sergey1973
MOSCOW, April 4. (RIA Novosti political commentator Pyotr Romanov) - It seems the only place the pope wanted but could not visit was Moscow. His patience was boundless, but he did not live long enough to see changes in the Russian Orthodox Church.
He, however, was open to the whole world, including Russians. It turned out that establishing contacts with the secular authorities of the new Russia was much easier than with the hierarchs of the Russian Church. The pontiff received Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Putin, the latter of whom has sent the Vatican an unusual letter of condolences. More than a matter of protocol, it was warm and sincere, evidently expressing the President's respect for John Paul II.
Polish-born Karol Wojtyla was the first pope since the Apostles to enter a synagogue. He called Jews the elder brothers of Christians and prayed at the Wailing Wall. As the head of the Catholic Church, he visited a mosque and almost every country, including Orthodox ones, but was not allowed to pray in only one place, Moscow. The pope respected the Christian canons and waited for the Russian Church to change its mind. He has been waiting until his death.
(Excerpt) Read more at cdi.org ...
PING.
Putin was afraid to cross the Russian Orthodox Church in his country. He was unwilling to invite the Pope to Russia.
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It isn't right for Christians to distrust each other. John Paul was a good man and wanted the best for ALL Christians, Catholic, Orthodox or Protestant. I feel very bad that the good Russian Orthodox people couldn't have a chance to see this man in person.
In Soviet Union, contrary to popular opinion, religion was not completely banned. Soviet Authorities allowed Russian Orthodox Church to function if the authorities could control it. There is also Russian Orthodox Church abroad that broke from Moscow Patriarchate in 1920's after Moscow Patriarchate proclaimed it's loyalty to Bolshevik Regime. Practically every major delegation from Orthodox Churches not under current Moscow Patriarchate are attending Pope's Funeral. I.e. Orthodox Church in America (that takes its roots from Russian Settlers in Alaska as well as other previously ethnic denominations) is sending it's high ranking priests to Vatican to attend Pope funeral.
Oops--yep the article I posted was posted already. My fault ! I took it from different site. Well--maybe FRpers want to continue discussion here or on the previous post--does not matter.
There are so many articles about the Pope on FR today that it's easy to miss one.
Make that: infested by KGB agents dressed as "priests" and still fighting the real priests and religion under rasPutin's "leadership".
Who are YOU to bash any Church????
The Russian Orthodox Church will be there as well. They will be sending Metropolitan Kirill, the foreign minister.
As far as infestations... certain folks on this very forum have been mentioning another church which was seemingly "infested" with a large number of child molestor clergy/priests... and another Church was "infested" with gay priests and a gay bishop.... and yet another church was "infested" with fundamentalist Christians>
Lets us ALL here on FR just give up this "invested" garbage.
The MSM just keeps bashing ALL Christians as "infestations of radical religious people" in USA and in the world.
The Russian Orthodox Church was a tool of the KGB during the Soviet era. The Communists appointed it's priests and bishops and they informed on each other and their congregations to the KGB. It's not a secret.
I'm Freeper like you and you and I can bash the Church if the behavior of the Church is totally illogical contrary to the heart and soul of Christian teaching of unity and brotherly love. Current Moscow Patriarchate came into existance in 1920's after top cleric Metropolitan Sergius in 1927 declared loyalty to Bolshevik Regime. The Russian Exiles abroad from Bolshevism in turn split from Moscow Patriarchate and created Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. You can read this history.
http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/english/pages/history/briefhistory.html
SO WHAT???? People can be weak and afraid in the face of political danger!!People can be frail!!
The fact is communism hurt CHRISTIANS and killed hundreds of thousands, if not MILLIONS, of Christians where ever they took over. The denomination did not matter. Baptists, Orthodox, Roman Catholic... ALL suffered!!
I even read that some Priests in Germany and Croatia even COLLABORATED with NAZIS!!
SO WHAT????? Again, people can be weak and afraid in the face of political danger!!Humans can be frail!!
The gulags of Russia were filled with Orthodox priests and other members of their church. Baptists faired no better in Russia!!
I HATE TO SEE ANY CHURCH WHICH SUFFERED AS GREATLY AS ALL CHURCHES DID IN RUSSIA UNDER THE COMMIES, GET BRANDED AS TOTALLY HEINOUS CRIMINALS.
Right now in China Christians are under the gun so to speak. Their priests and ministers are arrested.
Right now in Iran a Christian minister is under arrest and faces the death penalty.
ALL AROUND THE WORLD CHRISTIANS ARE PERSECUTED.
I often wonder if Christ would like to see people who profess to be Christians casting stones at OTHER CHRISTIANS.
Just because the Pope and the Russian Patriarch had issues between them.... is no reason to dismiss the Russian Orthodox Church as evil.
In fact, GOD Himself is CONTROL and when HE deems it OK... ALL the Christian CHURCHES in the world will unite. I PRAY FOR SUCH A DAY!!!! AMEN!!
THAT IS HIS DECISION. Not mine, not yours, not a Protestant's, not a Pope's or a Patriarch's decison.
I trust GOD to do what HE wants!!
I pray for a strong Russian Orthodox Church and a Strong Baptist Church in Russia!!
I pray that European Roman Catholics will see the light and have a revival of their faith in the face of the awful EU and its anti-Christian ways!!
Did you see also my post #11 on Father Aleksandr Men ? I really hope and pray that Russia Becomes Democratic without being radically secularized like Western Europe and Russian Orthodox Church will become a respected institution there and around the world--independent of Kremlin.
Isn't FORGIVENESS WHAT CHRIST TAUGHT???
As I said before.... GOD IS IN CONTROL!!
IT was NEVER about theology... it was always about something "political".
And it never gets settled because it is political. The offended folks move to a new congregation... and that is the end of it.
Forgiveness seems to be an unheard of commodity.
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