Alexei II: Don’t Politicize the Soviet Holodomor Genocide

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We missed this one. We are wondering why, rather than point out that the Soviets starved Russians as well, the Patriarch cannot actually blame the Soviets for the genocide, only point to non-Ukrainian victims of the Soviet regime. One potential answer, of course, is Sergianism. –NFTU

(Interfax – 6/24) – Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia has criticized those who use the tragedy of Holodomor in their political purposes.

“We shouldn’t forget these bitter pages of history. Commemoration of the victims shouldn’t become a subject of political speculations, but on the contrary should give an impulse for spiritual unity of nations with one history and shared destiny,” the patriarch said at a session of the Bishop’s Council in Moscow.

Alexy II also pointed out that population of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, the Southern Urals suffered from starvation in the 1930s.

He noted that 2008 was the year of the 1020th anniversary of Russia’s Baptism, the date reminding about “one Kiev baptistery where peoples now guided by the Russian Orthodox Church received salvation and gifts of the Holy Spirit in the 10th century.”

According to Alexy II, this date urges the believers to think over centuries-long way of the Church and realize spiritual community of Russians, Ukrainians and Byelorussians.

The patriarch regrets that “certain political forces” do not give up their efforts to destroy spiritual space of the Holy Russia, to bring in mischief and distrust between “millions of Orthodox Russians, Ukrainians, Byelorussians, Moldavians and other nations,” which constitute multinational flock of the Russian Orthodox Church.

“Our church unity is a great treasure, our forefathers managed to keep it in spite of all the trials they had to face. By the mercy of God we inherited precious gift of unity and this obstacle impose special responsibility on as we have to preserve it and convey to our descendants,” the primate stressed.

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