Lithuanian Orthodox Church says it condemns Russia’s war in Ukraine and is seeking greater autonomy from Moscow Patriarchate. "We pray for Putin and for God to give him reason," Amvrosijus, Vicar of the Lithuanian Orthodox Archdiocese and Bishop of Trakai, told LRT TV.
Patriarch Kirill believes that the “Russian world” is not only about Russia. Does the Lithuanian Orthodox Church also belong to the “Russian world”?
I would like to comment on what this “Russian world” means because it is very often talked about nowadays. It is now commonly accepted that the “Russian world” is a political concept, associated with Putin, Patriarch Kirill, and some political activity. But that is not really true. The “Russian world” is a cultural, religious, and spiritual concept. When we talk about it, we are referring to a spiritual tradition, also linked to our Church.
We are talking about the Orthodox religion, about Russian writers who, for example, wrote many important works in the 19th century. Thanks to Dostoyevsky and others, many people came to think about God in general and became Christians – Catholic or Orthodox. That concept also includes composers who were believers and who expressed their love for people and God through their works. This concept is certainly not political. It is a certain expression of civilisation.
But the Kremlin and Putin use the concept of the “Russian world” as the basis for state policy. Does it hurt you?
Of course, it hurts! People can interpret concepts that are very important for the whole world in their own way. And I would like to see that in our democracy in Lithuania, this concept is understood in exactly the way I mean it and the way it is understood around the world.
However, the Orthodox Church is not asking the Kremlin’s political strategists not to use this concept in their political ideology.
Well, how we can ask Putin to do or not to do something? We pray for him and for God to give him reason. We hope that he will behave in the way a Christian should behave.
Recently, the question of the independence of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church has been raised. How would your Church’s activities in Lithuania change if it became independent?
Our activities would not change. The Church opens its doors, and people can come even without knowing anything about Orthodoxy or Christianity. Maybe even non-Christians come, see, and feel the religious atmosphere. When a person who has never prayed before comes to the house of prayer, maybe he at least thinks about God.
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Our Church activities are religious, although there are those who try to say that we have some other activities. But our activities are religious, and the main purpose of our Church is the salvation of people. As the Pope said, “I am not a politician, I am a pastor”. Every priest and bishop of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church can say the same.
If you are granted independence, what will be the relationship between the Lithuanian Orthodox Church and the Moscow Patriarchate?
If independence is granted, the relationship will remain canonical. Only canonical. Not an administrative relationship, not some kind of subordination relationship, but a canonical relationship.
What does this mean? It means that through this canonical eucharistic relationship, we will have a relationship with the whole Orthodox Church. This is our Mother Church just like Catholics have a canonical relationship with Rome.
Would then the Orthodox of Lithuania continue to mention the name of Patriarch Kirill in their prayers before Mass? This is what the controversy is about.
Well, we have said many times that this mention is first of all a prayer. When people mention the Patriarch, they are mentioning their canonical leader and are praying for him. But that does not mean that they agree with his statements that, as we have said many times, do not bind us. Patriarchs come and go, but the Orthodox Church remains. That is why this mention of the Patriarch, is of the Patriarch of Moscow and not of Kirill.
But there are people in Lithuania of Russian and Belarusian nationality, who are fleeing persecution in their own country. There are also Ukrainians who are fleeing the war.
Yes.
Would these people still need to mention Kirill before their prayers?
Firstly, the doors of our churches are open to everyone: Ukrainians, Belarusians, and Russians who fled Russia for some reason. And these people come to our churches.
Secondly, according to the blessing of our Eminence Metropolitan Inokentiy, there are services and churches where Patriarch Kirill’s name is not mentioned to make it easier for people to pray. For example, Saint Parasceve Church, where services are held in Lithuanian, is known for not mentioning the name of the Patriarch. Also, in the Orthodox Cathedral of the Theotokos, there are services every week in Ukrainian, Belarusian, Georgian, and Greek. All those people who want to pray in their own language have the opportunity to do so, and Patriarch Kirill’s name is not mentioned during those services.
Prime Minister Šimonytė has written to Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople in support of several Lithuanian Orthodox Christian’s desire to break away from the Russian Patriarchate. What do you think of this perspective?
We remember that story, and I would like to stress that representatives of our Church noticed the fact that the Lithuanian ambassador in Turkey forwarded a letter to Patriarch Bartholomew I, and that a post about it appeared on the Patriarch’s website. We regret very much that this was not made public, and that the Lithuanian society learned about it only thanks to our Church representatives.
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Our Eminence Metropolitan Inokentiy has very clearly and rightly expressed his opinion that it is very interesting that the fate of our Church members, of whom there are over 150,000 in Lithuania, is decided without their knowledge. This is a large number of people, but the prime minister has somehow decided to disregard the opinion of our Eminence Metropolitan.
Also, only 50 people have publicly expressed their wish to move to the Patriarchate of Constantinople. If we compare this number with the 150,000 people, as I said, it is very little. Of course, we are very grateful to the prime minister for her concern for our faithful. Our Metropolitan Inokentiy has expressed his desire to talk to the prime minister on this subject, and we are still waiting for her reply.
You have met Patriarch Kirill in Moscow. Did you ask him how he feels about the fact that people are being killed in Ukraine?
Firstly, I would like to stress the fact that the leadership of our priests is Metropolitan Inokentiy. And he has very clearly and publicly stated his opinion on the events in Ukraine and the war. He condemned the war in Ukraine. I, too, personally endorsed his statement. So did all the rest of our priests and people of faith. We are no different from the expelled priests in this matter.
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Secondly, our Metropolitan, in a statement, also expressed his disagreement with the Patriarch’s opinion, and this statement has spread throughout the world. Everybody took notice in Poland, in other countries and, of course, in Russia. I personally told the Patriarch that some of his statements were interpreted ambiguously in Lithuania and that this was understandable.
And what did he say to you?
He told me that he did not openly support the war in his statements. I’m quoting him. Obviously, it is his right to say that. We accept his answer, and I pass it on to you.
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