Orthodoxy persecuted
BRIANSK GOVERNOR'S ADVISOR ACCUSES RPATs OF SPYING FOR USA
Portal-credo.ru, 10 June 2008
http://portal-credo.ru/site/?act=news&i ... &topic=574
An advisor to the governor of Briansk province for relations with religious organizations, S.A. Gavrikov (a former soviet ideology employee), has again launched efforts for discrediting the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church (RPATs), summoning up any means for eliminating parishes existing in the region of this Orthodox church that does not recognize the jurisdiction of RPTsMP over it. This is reported in the "Suzdal Diocesan Vedomosti" quoting Archpriest Mikhail Dudarev, rector of several parishes of RPATs in the territory of Briansk province.
In a meeting recently of librarians of Briansk province in Briansk S.A. Gavrikov revived vulgar accusations against RPATs and warned the audience of their responsibility before the motherland in the event of their having any contacts with "schismatics." The governor's advisor declared that RPATs fulfills "subversive" assignments of USA and is "an American sect," spreading "pedophilia" in Russia.
In the opinion of clergy and laity of RPATs in Briansk province, the official has violated the law crudely by inciting religious strife and hatred and offending the feelings of believers. Such activity coexists in Gavrikov with his public profession of his adherence to RPTsMP and the official coordinates his propagandistic plans with the leader of the Briansk diocese of RPTsMP.
At the same time, the stern administrative methods of the Briansk bishop of RPTsMP, Feofilakt, has led to a substantial growth in the region of the number of "alternative" Orthodox parishes of quite diverse jurisdictions which are being filled up with "white" clergy and laity of the Briansk diocese of RPTsMP. Thus, in Brasov region of the province, a former cleric of RPTsMP created a parish of the Romanian patriarchate, in Pogarsk region a parish transferred to the Russian True Orthodox Church along with its building, in Klimov region a parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kiev patriarchate appeared, and the cathedral church of the bishop of the Apostolic Church is located in Lokt, etc.
RPATs has been represented in Briansk province more than 15 years. In the city of Trubchevsk the local Saint Elijah's parish, led by the popular Archpriest Vladimir Kovtun, joined the Suzdal diocese back in 1992. A new flame of "schism" flared up rather recently in Trubchevsk in Surazh region of Briansk province that borders Belarus. Local authorities turned serious attention to the Surazh adherents of RPATs when at the beginning of 2005 the priest Mikhail Dudarev submitted to the provincial department of the Ministry of Justice documents for the registration of the parish of the Holy Presentation in the village of Dalisitsa. Previously, at the end of 2004, he, along with the priest Viktor Zemliakov, announced his departure from RPTsMP. "Portal-credo.ru" has frequently reported on the situation with "alternative Orthodoxy" in Briansk territory. "Moskovsie novosti" also has written about this.
Representatives of RPATs think that the person who inspires a policy of persecution of "alternative Orthodoxy" is the ruling bishop of Briansk diocese of RPTsMP, Feofilakt Moiseev, to whom the governor's advisor Gavrikov is "obedient." As Gavrikov stated in one of the diocesan meetings, "schism is a purposeful action of forces whom we know."
In all, in Briansk province there are six active registered parishes and religious groups of the Russian Orthodox Autonomous Church, which meet in clubs and the buildings of former stores that have been remodeled for purposes of worship. However after the parishes arose in Surazh region, the provincial department of justice did not reregister the RPATs Briansk and Tula diocese, which had been previously registered in Briansk. At the present time the authorities are not able to explain the closing of the RPATs diocese, since a court has not found any violations in its activity or reasons for its closure. But the authorities refuse to reregister the RPATs diocese anyway. (tr. by PDS, posted 11 June 2008).