When it comes to being subservient to Caesar, the Russian Orthodox Church can’t be beat:
The Russian Orthodox Church issued an extremely interesting, very eschatological statement on March 27 about the war in Ukraine: “From a spiritual and moral point of view, a special military operation is a Holy War, in which Russia and its people, defending the single spiritual space of Holy Rus, fulfill the mission of ‘Restrainer,’ protecting the world from the onslaught of globalism and the victory of the West, which has fallen into Satanism.” The “restrainer” the statement refers to is that which St. Paul references in 2 Thessalonians 2: the thing which holds back the coming of Antichrist. I’ve been studying what this mysterious “restrainer,” or “katechōn,” could be, since 2020. I’ve also pointed out that Alexander Dugin, who is supposedly Putin’s “philosopher,” has entitled his website “katehon,” i.e. “restrainer.” Extremely interesting. Especially in light of the prophecies of Our Lady of Fatima, and the as-yet unrevealed full Third Secret of Fatima.
There why Christ commanded that we render onto God, the things that are God’s. The Russians, with honorable exceptions, the Old Believers for example, seem to have that passage missing from their Bibles, at least so their practice would indicate.
I don’t know that I would come down so very hard on the Russian Orthodox Church–not after what happened in the West with Covid, and the mandatory vaccinations needed in the Vatican and among the clergy and lay employees in many (most?) dioceses, Bishops/priests being unwilling (even forbidden) to help with religious exemptions, etc.
The ROC has been an arm of the Russian State for centuries. No comparison.
The exports of the West have become democracy, sexual insanity and race colored glasses. Increasingly the West demands that countries adopt all three products. Restraining is on order.
However, I don’t think that is the basis of Putin’s war. Otherwise, he could just demand a new Ukrainian constitution outlawing the sexual and racial depravity. If such a demand has been made, I have not heard of it. This is about power and territory and likely pride (personal or national, not the rainbow variety!)
Yes, you should. This document is truly idolatrous. They have erected the Rodina in the place of Christ.
And if that’s not enough for you, the Russians have outlawed–again–the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the territories it occupies. And at least two priests of our brother Ukrainians are missing (and probably dead) after being arrested by Russian authorities.
Kirill has chosen to bless this war, and unfortunately Russian Orthodoxy is stained by association. This document is the “I ordered the Code Red” moment.
And if that’s not enough for your, check out the mural which celebrates NKVD officers (interspersed with regular Red Army soldiers) in Russian Orthodox’s military chapel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Cathedral_of_the_Russian_Armed_Forces#Controversies
This is largely the relationship between all of the national Orthodox Churches and the national governments to a greater or less degree. This has even occurred at some periods in Western Churches. Spain and France at various periods come to mind although they corrected course when the relationship became two entangled. In the present matter of Kirill and the war, I rather imagine that the Metropolitan would be well advised to reflect very seriously on his actions. He is of an age where a final accounting approaches and then it will be too late to change course.
Mother Russia as Co-Redemptrix. The Mother of God pointed her out as the font of all errors.
I suspect Putin has forceed Kiril to make this pronouncement. The war with Ukraine is unpopular. Opposition to the war is probably even stronger that is in the news. Mothers continue to lose their sons and for what? Now If the ROC says that the war is a religious Crusade then who can be against it?
We are fortunate that Constantine moved his capital out of Rome, which enabled the popes to stay out of direct imperial contact for centuries. The Orthodox chose “symphony” instead. Reject the Pope and you answer to tsars and sultans, it seems.
Catholicism had its emperor issues, too–the conclave veto the Habsburgs could use until after the election of Pope St. Pius X, for example.
All in all, I don’t think it’s a bad thing for Church leaders to have peers who are co-religionists. If the popes still had to navigate through a welter of influential Catholic monarchs, it would likely have a moderating effect. But now, there’s one Catholic monarch of any significance left (Felipe II of Spain), and he has his own problems (a turbulent Spain and his father’s corruption issues).
As to the Sultans, I think the Orthodox did the best they could with a bad hand. They certainly fared better under the Sultans than under the Turkish Republic.
I suspect Putin has forced Kiril to make this pronouncement. The war with Ukraine is unpopular.
I tend to agree with this. Which makes you wonder if Putin can force the top cream of the Church to make political statements in his favour then he can force anything.
By the way a Holy War entails the war is being fought to protect the Faith and the faithful from ie. Muslim invasion. The Ukraine War is Christian vs Christian. It is NOT a Holy War.
“I suspect Putin has forceed Kiril to make this pronouncement. “
CAM, I think you misspelled the word ‘paid’ up there 😀
“Out of the Roman States, there is no country where I am Pope except the United States.”
Pope Gregory XVI
CAG, I did misspell forced. but yes “paid” is more likely than forced.