STALIN and the MOSCOW PATRIARCHATE
Historical Notes
Soviet Commissar Speech in 1945 after the election of
Patriarch Alexy, when Stalin organized the Moscow Patriarchate for the purpose
of using the Church to gain support for the War effort: Prior to this time the Russian Church in
Exile was recognized as the "true" representative of Russian
Orthodoxy. Note the world orthodox leaders that allied themselves with the
Stalin effort including the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Rapprochement between The Orthodox Church and Soviet
Government.
Speech of M. G. Karpov at Council of the Russian
Orthodox Church, 1945.
Reverend bishops, priests and delegates of the
faithful of the Russian Orthodox Church! The Government of the USSR has
instructed me to greet in its name this exalted assembly and to convey its
wishes for the success of your labours in organizing the higher administration
of the Church. The Soviet Government has also asked me to greet the guests of
honor of the local Council, who have come from the Orthodox East – Patriarch
Christophoros of Alexandria, Patriarch Alexander m of Antioch, Metropolitan
Germanos representing the Ecumenical Patriarch, Archbishop Athenagoras
representing the Patriarch of Jerusalem - as well as those who come from our
Georgia - Catholicos Callistratos of all-Georgia - and from the Slav nations,
our brothers - Metropolitan Joseph representing the Synod of the Serbian
Church, and ail the bishops and priests who accompany them.
The present local Council, called to elect the
Patriarch of Moscow and all the Russias, and to adopt a rule for the
administration of the Orthodox Church, will be a landmark in the history of the
Russian Orthodox Church. I am deeply convinced that the decisions of this
Council will be of value in strengthening the Church, and will form an
important starting point for the further development of its activity in helping
the Soviet people to fulfill the major historical tasks which confront them.
The local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church has met at a time when ail the
nations of our great country, together with ail the freedom-loving nations of
the world, are fighting a holy war of liberation against the imperialist German
bandits and are straining every nerve for victory at the cost of lives and
possessions of millions of people sacrificed on the altar of patriotism.
Throughout the sore trials to which our country has so often been subjected in
the past, the Russian Orthodox Church has never broken its links with the
people: it has shared their needs, wishes and hopes and contributed its full
measure to the common task. It was in its churches and monasteries that
learning arose and the earliest chronicles of the life of our country were
completed; the walls of our churches and monasteries have more than once
withstood the assault of foreign invaders, and many eminent churchmen have
given their lives for their country.
And now, when the Hitlerite bandits have viciously attacked our sacred
soil, when all the nations of the Soviet State have risen and surged forward to
fight this great patriotic war in defense of their honor, their freedom and
their independence, the Russian Orthodox Church has from the first taken the
fullest part in defending the country with ail the means at its disposal.
Having fully grasped the significance of the events, that eminent churchman,
that wise and venerable man who was first Metropolitan, then Patriarch Sergius,
bestowed his blessing upon the faithful in their task of participating in the
defense of the frontiers of their country. In his many sermons and messages to
the Church, he ceaselessly called upon her loyal sons to fight to the death
against the barbarous enemy of the Soviet land - Hitlerite Germany. Last year,
the Patriarch Sergius died to the great loss of the Russian Orthodox Church. In
accordance with his testament, the government of the Church passed into the
hands of the senior Bishop, Metropolitan of Leningrad and Novgorod, Alexis, an
outstanding churchman and an ardent patriot who never once left his post during
the 900 days of the siege of Leningrad and who, in total unanimity with the
other members of the Holy Synod, has guided the Church from the death of the
Patriarch to this day. The Church has not confined its patriotic action to
letters and sermons but has collected funds for building tanks and aeroplanes
and for helping the sick, the wounded and those crippled or orphaned by the
war. The Soviet Government has shown
and continues to show deep interest in the Church's part in the struggle
against the enemy. In our country, the triumph of the new regime, a Socialist
regime unprecedented in history and the most righteous in the world, has also
brought about a new relationship between Church and State. The great Socialist
October Revolution which liberated our people from slavery and gave them
freedom, has also freed the Church from the shackles which impeded its internal
activity. Freedom of conscience, promulgated by the Decree of 23 January 1918,
has been consolidated by the basic laws of our country as embodied in the
Soviet Constitution. The Council of Church Affairs which, by Government
decision, has been created and attached to the Council of People's Commissars
of the USSR, forms a link between the Government and the Patriarch of Moscow
and all the Russias, and provides liaison in all matters needing government
approval. Without in any way interfering with the spiritual life of the Church,
the Council promotes normal relations between Church and State by seeing to the
proper and timely application of government laws and decrees concerning the
Russian Orthodox Church. There is no doubt that the normal relations
established between the Council and Patriarchate have helped to strengthen the
Church administratively; the Council will continue in future to take all
necessary steps to remove obstacles of whatever sort which may hinder the
Soviet citizen in the exercise of the liberty of conscience granted by the
Constitution. Once again, I sincerely wish the members of the Council success
in the task which awaits them.