Putin, the United States elections, and the upcoming Conclave - by Roberto de Mattei

 [Rorate Note: Hours after the original Italian article was published by Professor de Mattei, Washington was abuzz with the news that there is a severe, though not imminent, national security threat posed by Russia regarding nuclear developments in space, in defiance of standing treaties. House Republican leadership has urged the White House to make as much information available as possible on this grave matter.]

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PUTIN, THE UNITED STATES ELECTIONS, AND THE UPCOMING CONCLAVE 

Roberto de Mattei

February 14, 2024

A mantle of concern looms these weeks over the decision-making centers of the Western world.  On Jan. 24, General Patrick Sanders, chief of staff of His Majesty's Army, said that British nationals may be called upon in the not-too-distant future to fight against Russia (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-68086188). For Dutch Admiral Rob Bauer, head of the NATO Military Committee, it is also necessary to prepare for an imminent conflict (https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/russia-war-nato-military-exercise-admiral-rob-bauer-brussels-cold-war-b1133399.html). In the same days, the Swedish Minister of Civil Defense, Carl-Oskar Bohlin, said that everyone must prepare for the worst-case scenario, such as a war with Russia, before it is too late (https://www.anews.com.tr/world/2024/01/19/could-russia-go-to-war-with-sweden).

Lenin's Back

 The greatest hater of Christianity in the 20th century, whose pernicious anti-Christian influence is strong to this day worldwide; the man solely responsible for the first law liberating abortion in the modern era (Russia, 1920), unleashing the massacre of over one billion babies in the intervening century; the monster who spawned death, destruction and hell for billions: this man is now being celebrated once again in the southern Ukrainian city of Henichesk (Kherson), occupied by Russian forces.

In the Kherson region of Ukraine, Russian soldiers have installed the Lenin monument. pic.twitter.com/o1GAPLpTN7

— Franak Viačorka (@franakviacorka) April 18, 2022

 

Whatever this horrible invasion is, it isn't a promotion of Christian values... Don't let yourself be fooled by the same Cheka/NKVD/KGB/FSB that has worked incessantly since 1917 to destroy Christian civilization, also through infiltration of all our institutions. This same KGB whose agents now promote the heresy of "Moscow Third Rome" as some kind of "conservative idea" in the highest echelons of our College of Bishops.

‘The Council and the Eclipse of God’ Installment XIX: The Council’s Failure to Condemn the Moral Evil of Communism - by Don Pietro Leone

 

A.   The Council’s Failure to Condemn the Moral Evil of Communism [1]

 

 

John XXIII with Vitalij Borovoj and Vladimir Kotjarov. the two observers of the Russian Orthodox Church who partcipated at the Second Vatican Council.

Historical Sketch

Bizarre move: Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople writes article for L'Osservatore Romano endorsing Amoris Laetitia.Revisiting the contrasting positions of Moscow and Constantinople at the Synod of 2015

In what is surely one of the most bizarre twists in the debate on Amoris Laetitia, Pariarch Bartholomew, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople, has penned an article unabashedly endorsing that exhortation. While it is no secret that the Kasperite and liberal wing have partly taken inspiration from Eastern Orthodox praxis, that L'Osservatore Romano would go to the extent of publishing an article from Bartholomew in support of AL will only exacerbate the concerns of those who do see this document as intending a departure from perennial Catholic teaching. 

The full text of the editorial, in English, can be found here: "God is Love (1 John 4:8)".

"The 'historical' meeting between Francis and Kirill"

Roberto de Mattei

Corrispondenza Romana

February 17, 2016

Among the many successes the mass-media attributes to Pope Francis, is the “historical meeting” with the Patriarch of Moscow, Kirill, which took place on February 12th in Havana. An event, it is written, that saw the collapse of the wall which has divided the Church of Rome from the Eastern Church for a thousand years. The importance of the meeting, according to the words of Francis himself, was not in the document - of a merely “pastoral” nature - but in the convergence towards a common destination, not political nor moral, but religious. As for the traditional Magisterium of the Church, articulated in documents, Pope Francis seems to want it substituted by a Neo-Magisterium, transmitted through symbolic events. The message the Pope aims to give is that this is a turning-point in the history of the Church. Yet it is precisely the history of the Church we need to start with to understand the significance of the event. Historical inaccuracies are indeed many and need to be corrected, since it’s exactly upon false historians that doctrinal deviations are frequently built.

First of all, it is not true that a thousand years of history separate the Church of Rome from the Patriarchate of Moscow, seeing that this came about only in 1589. In the preceding five centuries, and even before that, Rome’s Eastern interlocutor was the Patriarch of Constantinople.

Pope Francis needed the Moscow Patriarch to force him to say some obvious things

We make ours the words of our friends of the Messa in Latino blog:

"An Orthodox Patriarch was needed to make the Church speak up on the family, Christian roots, abortion, and the persecution of Christians..., to make us Catholics say that leaves are green or that two plus two makes four."

As a blog that has always made every effort to keep unity of all Christians regarding the Genocide taking place in Syria and Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria and elsewhere, we know that this is the actual reason for the meeting, and cannot but hope that it bears some fruit for those Catholics and Orthodox actually suffering there in Syria, Iraq and in so many refugee situations in the region and elsewhere. For the record of historical events, the complete statement.

***

Joint Declaration

of Pope Francis

and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the holy Spirit be with all of you” (2 Cor 13:13).

IMPORTANT: Pope Francis, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow to meet in Cuba on February 12Moscow Patriarchate: main topic of discussion will be the persecution of Christians, Ukraine dispute no longer an obstacle to Pope-Patriarch meeting

The Trinity Lavra of Saint Sergius in Sergiyev Posad -- Russia's largest and most venerated monastery for men. 

Today the Vatican and the Patriarchate of Moscow jointly announced that Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill of Moscow will meet in Cuba on the 12th of February, while both are enroute to separate trips to Latin America. Both the Holy See and the Moscow Patriarchate published the following press release:

The Holy See and the Patriarchate of Moscow are pleased to announce that, by the grace of God, His Holiness Pope Francis and His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia will meet on February 12 next. Their meeting will take place in Cuba, where the Pope will make a stop on his way to Mexico, and where the Patriarch will be on an official visit. It will include a personal conversation at Havana’s José Martí International Airport, and will conclude with the signing of a joint declaration. 

EXCLUSIVE: BISHOP ATHANASIUS SCHNEIDER INTERVIEW WITH RORATE CAELISSPX; Women and foot washing; consecrating Russia; anti-pastoral bishops and much more

Last week, Rorate Caeli interviewed His Excellency Bishop Athanasius Schneider, one of the most visible prelates working on the restoration of the traditional Latin Mass and faith, on numerous topics. 

In this wide-ranging interview, His Excellency thoughtfully expounded on issues critical to the Church in this great time of crisis. Read the entire interview so you don't miss His Excellency's thoughts on the current status of the SSPX, women's participation in the Mass and the washing of women's feet, whether Russia was ever truly consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Summorum Pontificum and anti-pastoral bishops and much, much more. 

All may reprint/repost this interview -- but you must credit Rorate Caeli. 

Click here to follow @RorateCaeli on Twitter

*NB: words in bold by Rorate for emphasis:

POST-SYNOD CHURCH & UNBELIEVERS IN THE HIERARCHY

Rorate Caeli: In the recent Synod, we will not know the legal impact it will have on the Church for some time, as it’s up to Pope Francis to move next. Regardless of the eventual outcome, for all intent and purposes, is there already a schism in the Church? And, if so, what does it mean practically speaking? How will it manifest itself for typical Catholics in the pews?

H.E. Schneider: Schism means according to the definition of the Code of Canon Law, can. 751: The refusal of submission to the Supreme Pontiff or of communion with those members of the Church who are submitted to the Supreme Pontiff. One has to distinguish the defect in belief or heresy from schism. The defect in belief or heresy is indeed a greater sin than schism, as Saint Thomas Aquinas said: “Unbelief is a sin committed against God Himself, according as He is Himself the First Truth, on which faith is founded; whereas schism is opposed to ecclesiastical unity, which is a lesser good than God Himself. Wherefore the sin of unbelief is generically more grievous than the sin of schism” (II-II, q. 39, a. 2 c). 

The very crisis of the Church in our days consists in the ever growing phenomenon that those who don’t fully believe and profess the integrity of the Catholic faith frequently occupy strategic positions in the life of the Church, such as professors of theology, educators in seminaries, religious superiors, parish priests and even bishops and cardinals. And these people with their defective faith profess themselves as being submitted to the Pope. 

The height of confusion and absurdity manifests itself when such semi-heretical clerics accuse those who defend the purity and integrity of the Catholic faith as being against the Pope – as being according to their opinion in some way schismatics. For simple Catholics in the pews, such a situation of confusion is a real challenge of their faith, in the indestructibility of the Church. They have to keep strong the integrity of their faith according to the immutable Catholic truths, which were handed over by our fore-fathers, and which we find in in the Traditional catechisms and in the works of the Fathers and of the Doctors of the Church.   

For the record: the Russian No1. No to change of date for Easter2. No imminent meeting between the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow

These should put an end, at least for the time being, to the never-ending rumors of a change in the observance of Easter for the entire Christian world, and of the meeting between the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow that never, ever materializes. 

Bizarre Silence on Muslim Persecution from a Very Talkative Rome

Asia Bibi, our Catholic sister
condemned to death for "blasphemy" in Pakistan

Antonio Socci

Libero

November 9, 2014

Moscow Patriarch awards patriarchal honor prize to top Russian Communist leader

Forgiving your persecutors? Yes, a Christian attitude. "Honoring the king"? Yes, certainly (I Pt 2:17).

Giving a public prize honoring the leading figure of the organizational successor of the very same unrepentant Atheistic Materialistic Marxist-Leninist-Stalinist political party that martyred as many of your ancestors in the faith as they could and that tried to wipe out any trace of Christianity from your land with cruelty and ferocity unsurpassed since Apostolic times? Well, that is quite unexpected.

From the website of the Moscow Patriarchate:

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill congratulates G.A. Zyuganov's 70th birthday. [June 26, 2014]

To the Chairman of the CPRF [Communist Party of the Russian Federation] faction in the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, G.A. Zyuganov

Dear Gennady Andreyevich!

With all my heart, I wish to congratulate you on this remarkable date.

Being one of the most prominent politicians of modern Russia, you seek to care for the people's wellbeing and protect the traditional moral values.

I hope that your fruitful activity will continue to promote socially important initiatives and the moral transformation of the society.

I wish you robust health, peace, and heavenly aid in all your good deeds and initiatives.

I deem it to be fit to award you with the "Order of Glory and Honor", 3rd degree.

Respectfully,

+ Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia

At least someone is keeping orthodoxy -- party orthodoxy, we mean:

Zyuganov: "I'm with those guys!" [The lettering simply mentions the name of his party]
Campaign material for the 2012 presidential elections, in which Mr. Zyuganov was the Party candidate

Notes: 1. Mr. Zyuganov is also the First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (since 1993) and Chairman of the Union of Communist Parties - Communist Party of the "Soviet Union" (UCP-CPSU) (since 2001), a well-known admirer of the most famous General Secretary of the Party that preceded his, the CPSU, J. Stalin, and an author of many works praising him and his legacy. On the specific matter of religion, Zyuganov declared in 2012 that his party was, “a party of scientific communism, which means also scientific, though not militant, atheism.”

2. The "Order of Honor and Glory" is the second-highest of the honorific awards of the Moscow Patriarchate.

[Thanks to reader for translation]

Adapting modern architectural forms to traditional sacred art: an intriguing example from Cyprus

Our recent discussions on this blog over the Crystal Cathedral / "Christ Cathedral" moved a reader to alert us to the following pictures of a Greek Orthodox church in Cyprus, dedicated to St. Barnabas the Apostle and located in Dasupoulis (Dasoupoleos), Nicosia. It was built in the 1970's and is said to be the only church of this type in the island-nation. 

Meeting possible between Pope and Moscow Patriarch

From Interfax:

Moscow, November 12, Interfax - Relations between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches are improving and a meeting between Pope Benedict XVI and the Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, may be on the cards, a Russian Orthodox bishop said.

"Today it can be said that we are moving to a moment when it becomes possible to prepare a meeting between the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow," Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the head of the Department for External Church Relations, told reporters in Moscow.

"There are no specific plans for the venue or timing of such a meeting but on both sides there is a desire to prepare it," the Archbishop said.