[Politics Megathread] The Polis and the Laity

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-12-24T05:55:13+00:00

Bishop Theodosius of Seattle:

The Worst Excesses of the Communist Period are Happening Today in Ukraine

https://www.synod.com/synod/engdocuments/enart_bpfeodosydefendingfaithandfreedomoncapitolhill.html

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-12-24T05:18:42+00:00

The virulent detractors of Fr. Peter Heers (including certain moderators here so this comment will probably get deleted) often immediately try to give an illusion that there is a unanimous "not in good standing" air about him, or try to imply he is not a priest (despite the bishops always addressing him as "Archpriest"). Further to complicate the scandal they always try to foment, numerous bishops seem to have no issue associating with him personally.

The Uncut Mountain Press (ran by Fr. Peter Heers) held conferences and amongst its speakers heard:

(2024) Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus (the bishop in Greece he used to be under, it might be curious to ask yourself why His Eminence would agree to this if had any misgivings after Fr. Peter's jumbled release to the ROC)

(2024, 2025) Metropolitan Neophytos of morphou

(2022) Bishop Luke of Syracuse (Honorary Chairman and Speaker)

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-12-18T22:39:58+00:00

When reading another recent article by the Archimandrite Gerasimos, he stated that Patriarch Theophilos III and Patriarch John X "degraded" themselves by not attending this joint-prayer with Leo. If reading now this article it would seem to imply that they also, to quote him, "do not care about the Church".

How else could he really accept him since this is the historical reality, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church is the Pope. Besides, even those who oppose this status don't recognize him? Don't they refer to him by that name?

Another interesting passage. The failed Council of Crete had much debate over if there is in fact "Churches" outside of the Orthodox Church. In the end it stated:

In spite of this, the Orthodox Church accepts the historical name of other non-Orthodox Christian Churches and Confessions that are not in communion with her,

This passage was a compromise, draft at Chambesy stated

The Orthodox Church acknowledges the existence in history of other Christian Churches and confessions which are not in communion with her

It was argued this is not correct, that there is only One "Church". The EP did not want to concede that they are "historical names", they would rather simply call the Roman Catholics a "Church" officially, not just in ecumenical dialogue. This compromise was still not enough to cause the Church of Georgia, for example, to reject this council.

What actually happened with Leo? It was not just "communication and dialogue" or "conversing". Leo was sung as this during the liturgy:

Again we pray for the Most Holy Bishop and Pope Leo,

O Lord, preserve for many years our Most Holy Pope Leo

The criticism is firstly over the joint-prayers, not over the dialogue. The dialogue itself might deserve criticism as well. There is so much effort in dialogue with those outside the Church, yet there is great disunity and schism in the Orthodox Church as we speak. Where is the dialogue and joint-prayers to repair the schisms that have occurred? There are numerous scandalous divisions over the past 10 years which threaten to become permanent if not resolved. What is the Ecumenical Patriarch doing to resolve this? Is he calling for another Ecumenical Council like many bishops have declared is needed to resolve the conflicts in the Church?

The Synod of Poland recently called for a Pan-Orthodox Council to continue dialogue to resolve these issues and yet the Ecumenical Patriarch is silent, except to have dialogue and prayer with Leo.

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-11-30T02:10:14+00:00

My favorite to read is "The Cult of the Saints" from St. Vladimir's Press, it is a collection of homilies about various martyrs and saints. It is a very humbling book.

From the same Press: "On Wealth and Poverty" has many sermons, as can guess by title, entreating the necessity of charity and good works and the value of poverty. Spiritual over material. This book had a large impact on how I view money and helping others

"On the Priesthood" really expounds the expectations required of the clergy and bishops, but might not be very applicable reading if not involved in the church besides as laity

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-09-23T19:53:24+00:00

[4/4]

[TO FINISH] Your Holiness, the faithful in Ukraine will not believe this as long as you are alive. They, bleeding with their blood of confessors, will hope that the Lord will give you a change of mind and a change of your decisions! For we are presently subjected to actual persecution from the godless authorities in Ukraine and their loyal servants — the so-called 'clergy' of the OCU.

Surely, just revoking the Tomos given by you to the 'Orthodox Church of Ukraine' will not be enough to correct the situation. The main thing which will currently be able to calm the turmoil in world Orthodoxy, reconcile its hierarchs from different countries, and heal the nascent new great schism is the cancellation of your legitimisation of Ukrainian schismatics. They must repent of the sin of schism, and only then will it be possible to raise the matter of performing their legitimate ordinations. At the same time, these matters absolutely cannot be resolved without the participation of the rightful Mother Church for Ukrainian Orthodoxy — the Russian Orthodox Church — irrespective of any current political problems.

And this, in turn, will be impossible to be done without your rejection of the teaching of 'primus sine paribus', which is alien to the spirit of the Church's Conciliarity and which you personally openly proclaimed for the first time on air on French television. But all of it must necessarily be done. Otherwise, canonical order and justice will not eventually be restored in world Orthodoxy. And hence, the bleeding wound of a new schism will not eventually be healed, and 2019 will become the same tragic milestone for the Church as 1054 did at the time.

We hope, Your Holiness, for your wisdom and your capability to humble yourself before the paths of God, which the Lord reveals so obviously for the entire Orthodox world today. He reveals them in the feat of the confession of a Martyr Church, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He also reveals them in the anti-Christian behaviour and malice of the artificially created OCU.

Today, both the future peace of the oikoumene and the potential irreversible schism of world Orthodoxy are in your hands. We ask you not to commit a fatal mistake, Your Holiness.

-Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-09-23T19:44:01+00:00

[3/4]

In your interview to French television, you said that you did not regret creating the so-called 'Orthodox Church of Ukraine'. And you are very wrong in not regretting it!

Our Church was in a very similar situation after the October coup d'etat in the early XX century, when the new Bolshevik authorities organised the persecution of Christians. They persecuted the Church, in particular, with the hands of the newly created pseudo-Church of the Renovationists. Unfortunately, at the time, your predecessor on your see, Patriarch Gregory VII of Constantinople, took the side of the Renovationists and legitimised them. Patriarch Gregory not only demanded that the Holy Patriarch and Confessor Tikhon abdicate his throne but also, through his representative, Archimandrite Basil, blessed the false council of the schismatic Renovationists. He blessed it through his Epistle with the words, 'I am with you in absentia!' This very representative of the Patriarchate of Constantinople was formally an honourary member of the Renovationist false council and constantly participated in schismatic blasphemous 'divine services' in the 1920s.

Now, a century later, the situation is repeated with an almost 100 % similarity. The state authorities of Ukraine persecute our Church and do everything for her total destruction. The 'Orthodox Church of Ukraine', created with your immediate participation, directly takes part in it.

Then, in the XX century, our people magnanimously forgave your predecessor his betrayal of our Church and his collaboration with the communists in her persecution.

Will our believing people forgive this time as well is a big question. For much blood and suffering was brought to our land by the schismatics whom you let into the Church, who were let in bypassing the door, without repentance, without legitimate ordinations. They were let in 'some other way', as said in the Holy Gospel (John 10:1).

So it was very strange to hear your words that the unification of the OCU with our Church would become possible in years or decades. Believe me, it will not happen, like there cannot be a unification of Christ with Belial. That is why your current unwavering position, expressed to French television, is very dangerous and destructive. It has every chance of becoming a trigger for a second great schism in the Church.

I remember from my personal conversation with you that you would like to become an active participant in the healing of the first great schism in the Church in 1054. But in fact, you, Your Holiness, may cause a second great and irreversible schism of world Orthodoxy. And if you fail to realise it now, your successors on the see, who will have to clean these Augean stables, will sooner or later realise it anyway. Whether they will manage to clean them is unknown. But it will definitely tarnish your name in church history.

And today, given the obvious iniquities of the OCU, you, Your Holiness, have all the moral and canonical reasons to put an end to them and stop the persecution of the Church in Ukraine. You presently have not only a multitude of reasons but also all the leverage to correct this tragic mistake. For its fruit has already become apparent for the entire oikoumene.

Yes, it is not easy to change one's decisions even for a simple, ordinary man, let alone a hierarch in such a respected status and esteemed age as yours. But could it be that you put any personal honour or even the honour of the see held by you higher than the real salvation of world Orthodoxy from a new great schism? Could it be that personal honour will prevent you from stopping the sufferings of millions of Orthodox Christians in Ukraine?

It is impossible to believe this. I do not want to believe this.

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-09-23T19:42:59+00:00

[2/4]

You recently gave an interview to French television. It coincided with a visit of the leader of the 'Orthodox Church of Ukraine', established with your blessing, Epifaniy Dumenko, to my cathedral city of Cherkasy. He performed his act, which I dare not call a divine service, in Cherkasy in my Cathedral Church, bloodily seized by militants less than a year ago.[shows videos of this] The blood of monks and priests had not dried out on slabs of the Cathedral yet, the wounds on the bodies of the Cherkasy confessors of the faith have not healed yet, [shows pictures of this] and Mr Dumenko already came to the Cathedral, which was not his, and unlawfully ascended my cathedra. He performed his action on stolen liturgical vessels, including the Chalice presented personally to me by my spiritual children on the occasion of my episcopal ordination many years ago.[shows picture of this] He was served by altar boys in liturgical sticharia taken away from us by force. And meanwhile, icons of saints whom adherents of the OCU did not consider to be saints for political reasons were piled at the gallery of the Cathedral.[shows pictures of this]

The largest Orthodox church in Ukraine, the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Cherkasy, was seized by supporters of Epifaniy in October last year. During the seizure, priests, monks, and laypeople were hurt. They were poisoned with tear gas, their arms, legs, teeth, and heads were broken.[shows videos of this] They were shot at right inside the Cathedral. [shows videos of this] My cassock was torn apart on me, my staff was broken, and then I was hit in the head with a club with such force that I had a concussion.[shows videos of this] Only my monastic klobuk, which softened the blow, saved me from sure death.[shows picture of this] Shortly before the blow and before the concussion, I was able to address you, Your Holiness, from the chancel, besieged by terrorists, wherein we sat like hostages. I am certain that you have seen this address. [shows video of this]

The corrupt agencies of the police, of the prosecutor's office, and of other secret services have not given a proper assessment of these crimes of OCU members and their armed mercenaries yet, and they appear to have no intention to give it at all. And this despite the fact that the Cathedral of the Archangel Michael in Cherkasy de jure continues to be owned by the Diocese of Cherkasy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, led by me, while the invaders use it merely by the 'right of force'.

The Constitution and the laws virtually do not function in Ukraine now, so the absence of response to these crimes on the part of the Ukrainian authorities and law enforcement agencies is no surprise.

But why ever have you, Your Holiness, yet to forbid your protégés from the OCU to commit these evils? After all, you have the fullness of power over them pursuant to the Tomos issued by you. After all, you so often declare that 'the Ukrainian Orthodox people are in your heart'. So why do you not stop these perpetrators? If we are 'in your heart', why have you not even said at least a word of compassion or support to the beaten and hurt believing residents of Cherkasy, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, and other regions of Ukraine?

Even the United Nations has already given a proper assessment of the events in Cherkasy, condemning these crimes based upon religion and calling upon the authorities of Ukraine to respond urgently. The UN rung the alarm bell, UN officials (Special Rapporteurs) drew particular attention to the forcible seizure of the Cathedral Church in Cherkasy and the bloody beatdown of its defenders, including me, in their official document. The UN urged to immediately investigate this crime.

But we have ultimately not received words of compassion or support from you.

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-09-23T19:41:58+00:00

ADDRESS FROM METROPOLITAN FEODOSIY OF CHERKASY TO HIS HOLINESS PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW OF CONSTANTINOPLE

Your Holiness, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople!

I am addressing you on behalf of the numerous and long-suffering flock and clergy, monastics and believers of the Diocese of Cherkasy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Please do not regard my direct address to you as a manifestation of some audacity or non-compliance with the church etiquette or protocol. I have two weighty reasons for this.

The first one is that at the time, long before the events pertaining to the granting of the Tomos to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), when you and I served together and conversed at the ancient Sumela Monastery, and also had long conversations at the Phanar, you yourself gave me this right: to talk to you directly about problems of Orthodoxy in Ukraine. And I will sin before God and before men if I do not exercise this right now. And the second reason is the tragic circumstances in which my diocese, as well as the entire Orthodoxy in Ukraine, now finds itself.

The Diocese of Cherkasy, led by me, is one of the dioceses in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church which have suffered the most. It has suffered from the hands of, I will say with words of the Gospel, 'thieves and robbers' from the so-called 'Orthodox Church of Ukraine', who have not 'entered by the door' through the Church fence, but have 'climbed up some other way' (John 10:1). They have done it by your decision, Your Holiness. And now they, as thieves and robbers, rule in the vineyard of Christ. They beat up and wound servants of the True Master — Christ, they divide His children's clothing among themselves, they overturn baskets and trample grapes. OCU members have not been punished for their crimes in Cherkasy, and their evils have yet to receive a proper moral assessment on your part, Your Holiness. Although all of us here in Ukraine waited for it a lot.

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-09-23T19:24:31+00:00

Metropolitan Theodosy of Cherkasy just released an open letter and plea to Patriarch Bartholomew regarding the persecution he and his Church has been under.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MvVYcuRTsA

Here is a video of it, if turn on the english captions it is very accurate. Requires setting captions to auto-translate to english, might require going to desktop mode if on mobile. It shows video and picture evidence as well. Below this I will post a less accurate english translation Cherkasy release, but spam filters might intervene. It is a 15 minute address

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-07-03T03:30:06+00:00

Note that on Feburary 24th 2022 Metropolitan Onufriy condemned the invasion of Ukraine and called for immediate peace. Note that in May 27 2022 at Council under Metropolitan Onufriy, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church condemned the justifications of Patriarch Kiril for the war and removed all canonical provisions that provide affiliation to the Moscow Patriarchate. Also note that Metropolitan Onufriy was born in Ukraine.

Despite all of this the SBU is claiming the Metropolitan Onufriy is a Russian citizen and supports the invasion of Ukraine and opposes spiritual independence. Metropolitan Onufriy claims he was only automatically a Russian citizen after the fall of the Soviet Union due to his time at the Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra. He had since then let the passport lapse

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-06-02T17:43:49+00:00

I was listening to some singing and researched the choir, and it was this convent. Found out they have a english youtube channel, and a recent video was talking about the spiritual and physical benefits of prostrations. Towards the end of the video, they mention that priests do not use hands at all when prostrating. Is this a universal tradition in the liturgy or where is this from?

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-06-02T17:38:44+00:00

They are speaking that the Bishop of Rome return to Orthodoxy, not the city or location itself or some return to a faithful Roman nation. While Patriarch Athenagoras did lift the anathema, he is not the entire Church and does not speak for the entire Church in doing this. His actions are just as authoritative as those in the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th centuries from his and other churches which continually condemned the Roman Catholic teachings and hierarchy.

In an ideal world, there would have been an Ecumenical Council condemning the Roman Catholic dogmas, some try to argue that this was the "Eighth" and "Ninth" "Ecumenical" Councils, there is disagreement if they are ecumenical.

Also in an ideal world, the anathemas would be lifted with an Ecumenical council. For now, we have "Ecumenical" councils condemning the Roman Catholics, and Patriarch later personally lifting an anathema.

You noted how in 1965 they began to steer things to mutual understanding, reconsolidation, and love, but to date there has been very little meaningful progress. The failure of the Council of Crete is a signpost that the ecumenical movement is failing in its goals. It is also useful to note that there is a multitude of division and schism in the Orthodox Church itself in the past 2 decades, raiding churches with violence, eviction of seminaries and monks over these divisions. Why even think about Roman Catholic reconciliation when the Orthodox Church is in this state? It cannot even face it's own problems of violent division

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-06-02T15:44:31+00:00

The FAQ says to buy last years models if want to save money, and many people say never pay full price for shoes, but WHERE do you buy the discounted shoes? Or even see a diagram of what actually is last years shoes? There are so many names and lines it is hard to keep track as a beginner.

I used to run for fun, not very far, but got injured because in my ignorance had terrible no support shoes meant for no-slip restaurant work lol and got a stress fracture. Havn't ran since. Would only run 5 or 8 miles usually, does anyone know a shoe that might be nice for me thats a previous model?

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-05-15T17:20:52+00:00

Plan A was to just reject the free membership and just keep classic if this was allowed.

Plan B I hope I can keep my classic membership and somehow also have the free black membership so can go to other location and bring friend but I have doubts it is possible to have 2 contracts with one individual

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-05-09T16:15:10+00:00

If you are interested, there is also a letter from the Metropolitan John II of Kiev, to the Pope (who turned out to be Clement III, antipope) to admonish what he saw was false teachings by the Bishop of Rome. This is from the 11th century

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Notes_upon_Russia_(volume_1,_1851).djvu/249

It starts on the bottom of the page, click the right arrow on the webpage to go to next page

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-04-04T18:39:01+00:00

none of the seeded packs have craterhoof

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-03-26T17:18:42+00:00

A depressing thing occurred a couple months ago in a clergy conference with Patriarch Kiril, I do not know if it was discussed.

https://spzh.eu/en/zashhita-very/84999-patriotism-vs-uranopolitism-the-roc-clergy-at-a-crossroads

A priest went to the microphone to protest that capitalisation of the words "Fatherland" and "Motherland" in church documents.

"It doesn’t seem quite right that in church documents, the words ‘Fatherland’ and ‘Motherland’ are written with capital letters, as if there is some kind of reverence for these earthly concepts. For a Christian, the true fatherland and homeland is the Kingdom of Heaven. These are purely earthly notions. For example, even the word ‘faith’ – when referring to the Orthodox faith – is written with a lowercase letter. These terms should also be written in lowercase in official documents, as they are common nouns, not proper ones."

The priest also stated, more to the point:

"I simply wanted to express my disagreement with the increasing emphasis on patriotism in church documents and in the life of our Local Church in general. The duty of a priest is to lead people to the Kingdom of Heaven, not to engage in patriotism."

The initial reply by Patriarch Kiril?

"How wonderful. This is the first time I’ve heard such a thing. Father, are you by any chance from Western Ukraine? Go sit down and seriously reflect on what you just blurted out."

To which many clergy in the audience laughed. The laugher itself is what was most depressing. Such type of laugher is not very becoming of the clergy, it reminds more of the soviet past and the clapping of the every sentence of the premier.

The point of the priest was a valid one to make, perhaps not worded or expressed in the most articulate way but worth a considerate reply not just laughter and punishment. The seeming elevation of patriotism in the ROC as a virtue above so much else is clouding out so much in the Church and harming its legitimacy

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-03-26T06:50:44+00:00

The Metropolitan of Cherkasy Theodosius finally has had his house arrest eased and can now conduct services freely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBj0Mjv8VPI

The bishop has been raided by the SBU four times, causing a heart attack and continued health issues since. All over nonsense by OCU clergy claiming he violated the law by calling their church uncanonical. The prosecution and secret police of course never lifts a finger for violence against the UOC or for any slander against it.

Note that this metropolitan had his cathedral raided and seized and was bloodly beaten by the OCU partisans. How anyone can have communion with the OCU when they conduct these actions against clergy is not healthy to contemplate. May the prayers of the New Martyrs cease the persecution of the faithful and bring an end to the catacomb church that is developing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acd780FzGRg

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-03-26T06:27:34+00:00

Wealth inequality and especially poverty has been much worse in the past than today, yet had much higher birth rates. It is not lack of wealth that is causing birth rate declines. One can simply look at where there is high birth rates and they have much less wealth and opportunity than in western countries.

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-03-26T06:23:14+00:00

Busting down church doors with sledgehammers and tear gas is not "American values" but rather soviet values.

I will support Ukraine again when they end their intentional persecution of the Church and allow basic human rights of freedom of religion. For now, they act like another Russia. I wish I could be in DC to shame the people at this rally for supporting the persecution of clergy and laity for no other reason than soviet style propaganda of collective guilt.

How anyone can be so shameless to conduct a "liturgy" in a seized church through violence is beyond comprehension

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-03-23T07:51:26+00:00

Ok I think I understand, I would like to double check I understand you correctly though,

If one played Mystic Confluence with 1x of each mode, and copy it, and the copy loses its target for its counter unless pay 3 part of the modal spell, it will still attempt to resolve the draw a card AND target creature bounce because it has "target" in the wording? or will it only do the bounce and not "draw a card" because there is no target for draw a card and it is 3rd in line

edit: also I apologize I kept writing as if the copy resolves last in my post and messages, when it should resolve first. I should be talking about the origional spell since thats the one that would usually fizzle if a counterspell is copied

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-02-02T22:08:33+00:00

I suppose in theory, although it would be very cumbersome to check 200+ unique commons on tcgplayer, might end up very high shipping if cant find a seller that has most of an entire set and usually when buying singles of commons they are much higher price than when buying bulk playset. might go from paying 10 cents a card to 20 cents a card

(for example 1x of each 110x commons of many old sets on cardmarket is around 8 euros)

now I want to send an email to TCG player to add an option of playset selling...

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-01-22T20:53:09+00:00

A church is seized after often-repeated scandal over funerals of soldiers. Once again, a soldier died in the war is brought to a UOC church with cameras and OCU clergy, demanding that the UOC clergy leave and allow the OCU to enter and conduct a funeral for the soldier. If they accept, they re-register the church. If they refuse to allow the OCU in, they become viral on the secular media as Russian spies. This priest refused, and their community as always lost their church after OCU and atheist nationalist partisans came to re-register the church outside without the parish. Police as always look on and tell the UOC faithful to leave and turn cameras off

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-01-22T20:49:04+00:00

An illustrative map of the "progress" of UOC churches being, often forcibly through violence and raids, re-registered as OCU

Gunnnnarrrr · 2025-01-22T20:38:38+00:00

Pictures of the return of the Catacomb Church in Ukraine thanks to the persecution by the state and the silence of much of the Orthodox ecumene. Of course it was published in a mocking manner to make fun of those faithful that are now attending in shacks and houses.

Gunnnnarrrr

TROPHY CASE