CHURCH ‘OUTPOST’?
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan

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11:41:01 – 22/03/2010

One of the most noteworthy events taken place in Armenia in the
recent period is perhaps the visit of the Russian Patriarch Kirill
to Armenia. A thorough analysis of his visit is a job requiring much
time so we will focus on a few statements only.

Russia’s history shows that the religious power has always supported
the Russian political government and has always been one of the
fulfillers of its political directions. Being the cultural and
religious inheritor of the Constantinople Church, the Russian Orthodox
Church headed by its new Patriarch, continues emperor-worshiping
aspirations of the church becoming the inheritor of Constantinople
politically too.

On the other hand, it is well known to all that under strong political
power, the church has always been under someone’s influence or in some
political vector, and in case of contradicting it, it has been strictly
punished- persecutions and physical vendetta. We have to note that
under current situation of the Russian political power, only through
cooperation, it was possible to become Russian Patriarch. We have to
add also Kirill Patriarch’s appeals and orders directed to the power
to resist local and global challenges, after which we will find out
that the appeals and the persuasions made in Armenia by the Patriarch
Kirill are to be perceived in the political context. In particular,
we do not have to overlook his statements about the Armenian and
Turkish relations, and invitation of Garegin II to Baku to take part
in the CIS inter-religious conference.

At the State University, Russian Patriarch Kirill noted that anyone,
before holding a speech, is to think about their audience, its
mental abilities, and to build their speech in accordance with this
circumstance. Right from this point, the speeches of the Patriarch
in St. Grigor Lusavorich Church and in the university are to be viewed.

The point is especially about the fact that the Patriarch called the
Armenian Apostolic Church Armenian Orthodox Church. If the Patriarch
used the expression "Armenian Orthodox Church" only once in the
university (the same expression used one of the students when asking
him a question) so in the church, the Patriarch used this phrase more
than once.

The Armenian Church is understandable to belong to the family of
Eastern Orthodox Churches, and it is usually called Orthodox by
foreigners. On the other hand, the Armenian Church is Orthodox from
the point of its belief too. In other words, the terms Apostolic,
Orthodox, Catholic can be applied to nearly all the churches of the
world, but they are used only in professional literature.

Consequently, Patriarch Kirill could not but realize this reality
as well as the fact that his calling the Armenian Apostolic Church,
Armenian Orthodox Church could create grounds for misunderstanding
within Armenian believers.

>>From this point, I am sure that his expressions were result of
purposely use: the "outpost" logic of state and public circles cannot
but apply churches too. By the way, we have to remember about the
fusion of the Russian state system and the Orthodox Church and its
projection in the Armenian reality, the best proof of which is the
scandalous events regarding the open-air hall of Cinema Moscow.

In fact, we have to presume from all this that the Russian
emperor-worshiping aspirations apply not only to the Armenian economy,
political field, energy and other resources, but also the Armenian
church, because according to patriarch Kirill himself, the Armenian and
Russian Churches are in the same axiological field. Though, I am almost
sure that this axiological identity will not be commented in favor
of the Armenian church, which I think, is full of serious dangers not
only for the Armenian Church but first of all for the Armenian society.