In the year of historical upheaval, the Orthodox Church – with Lithuania
An important message for the metropolitan
With the start of the fourth week of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Inokentijus, the metropolitan of Vilnius and Lithuania, took the plunge, addressing those “who are inclined to listen to all people of good will and believers in the Orthodox Church in Lithuania.”
He stressed that “an honest man and a God-fearing Christian cannot remain indifferent to what is happening.”
The position of the Orthodox Church in Lithuania does not change – we strongly condemn the Russian war against Ukraine and pray that the Lord will end it as soon as possible.
“Lithuanian Orthodox have greeted the news of the tragedy of the Ukrainian people with a sore heart. From the first day of the war, we prayed fervently to the entire Orthodox Church to restore peace on Ukrainian soil as soon as possible. The Orthodox Church in Lithuania As you have already noticed, we and Kirill Smyena take a different view of Russia’s policy and interpret the unexpected event. Inokentijus.
He openly stated that “the Lithuanian Orthodox, having the opportunity to freely deal with the internal affairs of the Church, seek even more independence, believing that the Lord is also at the right time for the Church.”
“We live in a free democracy. Lithuania is not Russia. It is a different, different society, a country with its own spiritual and moral climate. Orthodox make up at least three thousand active parishioners all over Lithuania, professing a traditional religion, honest and God-fearing people who have made their contribution to the free creation of Lithuania, “wrote Metropolitan Inokentijus in his address.
Supported the pursuit of freedom
Our appeal to the Russian-speaking population is a call for peace and unity. Our happiness, our future is in our hands.
Metropolitan Inokentijus reminded that more than thirty years ago, the Orthodox, together with Metropolitan Chrysostom (now Emeritus), did not hesitate to strongly support the Lithuanian people in defending the independence of the state.
At that time, at a very important moment of historical breakthrough for the state, the Orthodox of the country also stood firmly on the side of Lithuania, which had chosen the path of independence.
The Russian-speaking inhabitants of Lithuania at that time were the then Archbishop of Vilnius and Lithuania, Chrysostom.
The petition was signed by the Archandrites Nikita, Predislav, Nicodemus, the monks of the priests Mykonos, Avgustin, Nestor, the deacon Sergius, and the monk deacon Metelius.
Reaching daily and port city residents. He in 1991 February 6 was published in the daily “Klaipeda”.
“Our appeal to the Russian-speaking population is a call for peace and unity. Our happiness, our future, is in our hands. The parties are coming and going, and the nations are staying. those who are near us “, it was written in the address of the Orthodox clergy to the Russian-speaking population of Lithuania.
The position of the Orthodox did not change
Now Metropolitan Inokentius has once again emphasized that the position of the Orthodox Church has remained completely unchanged because “it cannot be otherwise.”
“Do those who write and talk about Lithuanian Orthodox really know them? Have they visited our shrines, heard people pray for them and what? now we are still praying for the end of the bloody war, for the dead soldiers, for the peace in Ukraine, for the suffering people of Ukraine – we are praying and suffering together with Ukraine. The help of the Virgin Mary and all the saints of Lithuania “, wrote the head of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church.
Metropolitan Inokentijus assured that the Orthodox people would remain loyal to their own and Lithuanian people, guard the unity of the people, next to their national or denominational identity, pray for the people of Ukraine who have experienced many severe disasters and help refugees who have found refuge on Lithuanian soil.
If a man is hopeful and sees wolves tearing a sheep, he will surely not feel like a wolf, but a sheep.
The appeal did not surprise
Vytautas Čepas, a long-term politician of the port city and the first chairman of the Klaipėda City Council, was not at all surprised by the position of the metropolitan of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church, which is completely contrary to the views of Moscow Patriarch Kirill.
“Who could have influenced such an attitude? Of course, conscience. If a person is hoping and sees wolves tearing a sheep, he will certainly not feel sorry for the wolf, but for the sheep. Here the situation is the same. As for the Orthodox Church, not only in Lithuania , but also elsewhere, where the highest hierarchs were not connected with the government, they were very moral.
Vytautas Čepas: there is a very good sign here that the hope is that not all Russians are fooled by Kremlin propaganda.
Klaipėda residents regretted that not all hierarchs of the church are like that.
Some of them have bowed to the government, they are being taken care of for it, but they need to work for that “care”, which some are doing now, in support of Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.
“And we have a province anyway. After all, people see for themselves that no one is hurting the Russians here, they sympathize with the common symptoms. “The orthodox clergyman Father Antonijus Buravcovas was an orthodox priest here in Klaipeda.
The authority of Father Antonius
In a loud voice, Father Anthony heated the fur of his countrymen so much that they looked down at the floor and just swept a sweat from his forehead.
More than 30 years ago, Klaipeda was a real boiler of nations. Then the bloody events in Vilnius caused a great deal of tension.
It was difficult to predict what might happen and how things would turn out if someone needed another foreign neighbor to blame for the blood at the TV tower in Vilnius.
V.Čepas, who headed the city council of deputies at that time, understood better than anyone else the danger of someone’s careless word or step.
V.Čepas repeatedly said that he did not want to happen in Klaipėda what had happened in the capital.
The politician has repeatedly secretly met them with the Soviet military and persuaded them to disregard the orders from Moscow, if any, and not to disarm the civilian population.
One of the most memorable meetings with the commanders of the Klaipėda crew of the Soviet army was held immediately after the bloody violence in Vilnius.
Together with the then chairman of the port city council V.Čepas, mayor Povilas Vasiliauskas and deputy A.Devėnas, the father of Orthodox pop Father Antonijus.
The meeting with Colonels I. Černych and V. Yegorov took place in Jūros Street in the office of the then militia chief Vaclovas Narmontas.
V.Čepas recalled: “We didn’t have to say a word. Father Anthony heated his compatriots’ fur so loudly that they lowered their eyes to the floor and just swept their foreheads. I’m not a fan of sermons, but I listened to it with pleasure, even satisfaction.”
Father Anthony shouted at that time: “Irody, narod chočet svobody, a vy na nich – tankami! Jesli sovesti even, to chot Boga boites! Fear God!
V.Čepas did not hide the fact that then both colonels, under pop pop, left the office of V.Narmont as if they had violated the first ones.
Meaning: Orthodox clergyman Father Anthony after the tragic 1991 Every effort was made to prevent bloodshed in Klaipeda from the events of January, so a quote from the Gospel of John was engraved on his tombstone – “Love one another” – as a reminder to all living things that hatred will never overshadow common sense. Photo by Vytautas Liaudanskis
It was said that Father Anthony had stated to a high-ranking officer of the Soviet army that he would be the first to lie under the tracks of the tanks if they rolled into the streets of Klaipėda.
“In this sense, Father Antonijus was a holy man, and his support and authority at that time greatly helped to prevent violence in Klaipėda. The current head of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church speaks alike. This is a very good sign that hope “And the church is far from central here. I am sure that this address of Metropolitan Inokentijus will have a significant impact on the faithful. .