We spoke with Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev about the mass HIV infections and deaths from the coronavirus priests, nuns, abbots. It is not a punishment whether it’s in the sublime self – deception- like, coronavirus Orthodox do not touch? Father Andrew gave examples from history explaining how behaved the priesthood in Russia during epidemics, and explained the high incidence among today’s clergy.
Blocked by the police Diveevo. Dozens of the nuns of the convent infected COVID-19. Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where about two hundred of the Ministers was sick with coronavirus. Three of them died.
the Abbot Yelokhovsky Cathedral father Alexander Ageikin and his archdeacon Eugene Trofimov, Bishop of Zheleznogorsk and Lgov Benjamin – the first victim of the epidemic among the representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Andrey Vyacheslavovich, sick priests sick the monks. The reason for this surge – is it Easter?
– let’s Start with the monasteries. In them today is exactly the same as in any other closed groups – military, labor, educational, religious, whatever. Infection in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra has the same nature as on the American aircraft carrier or the cadets of the Nakhimov naval school, where people live in close enclosed space, where they have shared dining rooms, classrooms, bedrooms, etc., and together they get sick.
But the priests are infected in different ways. Including when visiting the sick. Although the Moscow Patriarchate has already explained: when you call home it is necessary to clarify – whether there is suspicion of a coronavirus. If there is, it is necessary to refuse and pass information upward. When Patriarchy works the group of priests who have been specially trained to officiate in such situations, they have the appropriate clothing and safety equipment.
– But until recently, many in the Russian Orthodox Church believed that faith alone will save from the virus?
– it is Sad that the company of boasting in our environment lasted for two months. Superstitions during epidemics threat. When the Head of missionary Department of Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan John publicly declares that the bells kills all viruses are worthless. When residents of the capital said that in Moscow to attend Church, they immediately rushed in a nearby region and may have carried the infection. We have a big country, but 3/4 of cases of still – Moscow and St. Petersburg.
– Any security rule is written in someone’s death. The coronavirus has died, the Abbot Yelokhovsky Cathedral father Alexander Ageikin, after it died archdeacon Timofeev…
– unfortunately, most of the priests are infected from each other. Our etiquette involves mutual kissing of hands, plus the “kiss of peace” at Easter. Temples where recorded of infection are closed.
There are individual prohibition to Ministry. You know, for example, that one priest, the rector was not allowed to enter the temple because he had five young children. Try to keep the elderly and those with kids. And in the Orenburg region, the local Bishop Irenaeus in General to all the family priests were forbidden to see infected patients. Said I am a monk here, he and I travel in dangerous places.
– There is a poem of Vladimir Mayakovsky: “Who and what do tselovalnyk rite”, there is about a village which had a horse abscess, in turn, venerating the icon, on which sat the bacilli. How do you catch coronavirus from objects of worship, those used during the Commission of religious ordinances and spoons, cups for the sacrament?
– we like to say that the Church in its long history has developed methods of dealing with anything. It is not, plus much elaborated was forgotten.
When in early March Chrysostom tryndeli that communion, by definition, is safe and is in itself a cure for all diseases, I cited the example of an excerpt from “Pedalion” – a collection of Church rules the end of the 18th century. Its author is St. Nicodemus of the Holy mount – gave specific instructions on how to give communion to the sick contagious: it turns out that they need to leave in a separate vessel the blessed sacrament, they at home have to be in communion, then wash in vinegar jar and a spoon. This is a concrete proof that two centuries ago the Church recognized the possibility of infection through the sacrament. Late for three weeks about this text is remembered and the Patriarchate.
the Quarantine regulations of the Russian Empire in 1832, the year gave the governors powers in an epidemic to stop the service in the temples. Admiral Ushakov, still in the Russian Orthodox Church as a Saint, when in a subordinate Kherson started the epidemic, did just that. In the middle ages, Muscovy rules were more stringent, for example, was supposed to burn a priest who gave communion to the dying from the “plagues”.
– to burn Alive?! Why does he has agreed to it, to go to a bubonic patient?
– Novgorod chronicle speaks about this 1572: “In which street people will die as a banner (from the plague) and the yards were locked up with people and fed people by the street, and the father of spiritual paravati those people banner is not ordered, and uchnut which the priest of those people Kati, the boyars not dologa, Ino those priests told Jedi with the same people s banago”.
There was nothing said about the motives of the priests. Perhaps someone risked willingly, and someone ordered ecclesiastical superiors or noble sponsor. Some commentators believe that the commandment “Jedi” means burn, and “put”, nabout the dictionary of ancient language such values are not specified.
That is a lie that the medieval plague in cities only in the Church people have found salvation from the plague?
– the fact that the plague and cholera are transmitted differently than the flu. Bubonic plague (the one in the Chronicles was called “the sign”) – via fleas. Cholera through water and food. And the current infection is spread by airborne droplets. All examples from the past should always result in accurately. It is said that once St. John of Shanghai were communed woman, sick with rabies, she had a seizure, and she spat out a particle on the floor, the Saint picked it up and ate it. “What are You doing! — shouted to him. — Rabies is contagious.” — “This Holy sacrament,’ replied the Lord — nothing will happen.”
not sick?
– So mad from person to person not transmitted. But this is storytellers prefer to remain silent. Manipulations, omissions and interpretations of anything in their favor now, as pathetic Church rhetoric. Say, through the sacrament of Contracting not? So with the communion of the people even killed! Poisoned a Cup of wine and all. And not only Catholics, but also in our Orthodox world. In 985 the Georgian king David brought such poison Archbishop Hilarion. Incidentally, on Easter. And in 1451 in Moscow poisoned Duke Mikhail Sigizmundovich.
– After a month of isolation many Russians literally go crazy. Atheists need to psychoanalysts, believers in repentance. Perhaps, at least online confession to temporarily allow, since we are still in other aspects go into the virtual world?
– All leaked to the Internet, and remains. So decide for yourself…
– And yet this unprecedented ecclesiastical quarantine, as now, he for the first time in history?
– Everything was. And more than once. For instance, the interdict is a temporary prohibition of all religious actions and prayers, imposed by the Pope or a Bishop on some cities and even States for reasons not only epidemiological, but also political and religious. It is and we have.
In 1363 when 15-year-old Prince Dmitry Donskoy, Metropolitan Alexius intervened in the question of succession to the throne of Suzdal (two brothers could not share the throne) and his ambassadors left an interdict at Nizhny Novgorod, ordered him to close all churches (often, but mistakenly, Ambassador of St. Alexei in this case is considered Sergius of Radonezh).
– Now in the Church environment movement is growing cowed the dissidents, that is, those who believe that coronavirus does not exist and the epidemic inflated on purpose.
– Let these cowed dissidents will try to explain the death of a young father of Alexander Ageikin. Good to have them to go to the hospital to see how people in intensive care sadygeytsy, to communicate with the doctors from the “red zone”. I think after that their views will change. Although there are pundits that believe that the masons in white coats were causing it to monks.
There is a view that the machinations of the new Church opposition, which is opposed to Patriarch Kirill, specifically today on the closure of churches and monasteries. But what’s next?
I’m not a perspicacious elder, to predict what will happen and what someone’s ulterior motives. But opposition does exist, and when the Patriarch said that the need to close churches, for example, the Assembly of monks of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra refused to comply with his demand.
– I Wonder what they think now, knowing that all of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra by the epidemic – no joke, almost two hundred people infected?
I already compared the monastery with a military barracks. If in the barracks sick soldiers – they are not to blame.
But the barracks is not a point of attraction for other people. There is no queue of civilians who came to kiss the flag of the regiment. But today’s monasteries, alas, this is not the place isolation of the monks from the world. On the contrary, they strongly welcome and encourage a pilgrimage to it. Yes, and advertise themselves and their shrines as a panacea – a cure-all. Moreover, these drugs work only by the contact method (to kiss or to eat).
under these conditions, when the first news about the upcoming sea had to be immediately shut down, turn the head, take responsibility for not only your life, but also pilgrims. Believers who go to you can genuinely be mistaken, though the danger here was not threatening them. This self-deception completely disarm them before the disease, because in the temple they are not configured to comply with even elementary precautions.
In these circumstances, religious hypocrisy and ostentation are not just stupid, but criminal. About two days ago and said the Patriarch. Alas, only two days ago, not the day of his “godfather detour” on the Moscow ring road.
Calling to come to the temple during the epidemic of priests is akin to the ancient Pharisees. As they are current virus-dissidents a little too fearless. After all their bluster God can acquaint them with the disease that they supposedly control. And when, standing before the Creator, they will demand rewards for your integrity and faith, whether they will hear the praise, not censure?
to complicate their search for the answer to this question, remind them about the neo-Protestant pastors who played with poisonous snakes, believing that the poison they are not afraid.
But the bad theology of these pastors threatened only by him. And the selfishness of varusteiden threatened many other people. This pious form of selfishness. “Light does fail, or that I do not drink tea? I skaZhu that the light failed, and so I always drink tea”.
If someone pushes people, hastening first to climb to the Cup – that the communion shall be imputed to sin. But there are fears that the same may be and those who are in conditions of epidemic drives people to the Bowl.
– About what happened in Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, now known around the world. But other Orthodox monastery, Ukraine, Russia, may not we hasten to inform you about what is happening with them behind closed walls.
– Yes, Laura secular authorities imposed a total check of all the brethren. In the result of which revealed that infected the polls. But many monasteries were simply not allowed the inspectors, and they themselves claim that they are all good… by the Way, cemeteries have their own, and autopsies of the bodies of the monks is prohibited.
Judging by what is happening in Moscow, the authorities can be very harsh to those who do not wish to abide by the rules.
In my opinion, while it is an imitation of severity. In such cases, the Church immediately recalls that she was separated from the state… Sometimes it is supported at the regional level and to negotiate, alas, is not always.
see also: Priest, pricemay patients with coronavirus: “the Disease struck suddenly,”
