The Nizhny Novgorod sect named after Putin thundered at the beginning of the president’s second term in the mid-2000s. A certain Mother Photinia announced that in a past life she was the Apostle Paul, and began to pray with the adherents at the “myrrh-streaming” icon with his image. “Sobesednik” (“Interlocutor”) correspondent Olga Kuznetsova, reporting in June 2023 from the Church of Mother Photinia in the village of Bolshaya Yelnya, Nizhny Novgorod region, found out what is now happening in the monastery.
Tales of Mother Photinia
Mother said that you can’t kill anyone at all, not even plants. She had not heard of a law punishing the “killing” of rare mushrooms, but she would probably support it. And she also reminded me, just in case, that people are sinful and greedy. She recently built a path to her temple for everyone for 95 thousand rubles, set up a collection jar, and they gave her 105 rubles.
Mother spoke a lot about the reincarnation of souls, referring to the Bible, saying that John the Baptist was Elijah the Prophet in a past life. The Russian Orthodox Church does not recognize this, but various religious pseudo-Orthodox movements and sects often exaggerate this.
In general, reincarnation is Photinia’s trick. She believes that in a past life she was the abbess of the Diveyevo monastery, Maria (she signs herself “Mother Maria”), Princess Olga (Putin was then Prince Vladimir), and many others, but the most important thing is that she, in her words, is the embodiment of the feminine the divine principle, the Mother of God herself and Eve.
Instead of Putin, the cross is crying
Photinia herself took me to see the temple on the top floor. Its walls are also painted pink. “This is the color of love,” mother explained. There are a lot of fresh flowers and icons in it, and there are also old ones – they were donated by parishioners when the temple opened. There is no Putin icon among them; they say Photinia keeps the “image” somewhere in the distant bins. After the surge of interest in the Putin sect, they probably had conversations with her, and now she doesn’t mention the president’s name in vain.
The temple needs miracles in order for people and money to flock, and now instead of the myrrh-streaming image of Vladimir Vladimirovich, the cross is crying with peace, while the old icon Mother of God of Kazan is crying “blood” (red stains are visible, according the correspondent Kuznetsova).
“I carry out all the rituals: I baptize, and I perform the wedding, and I perform the funeral service,” Photinia said. “I don’t conduct unction; the channel for the Lord’s unction has been closed for two years now.”
But Photinia conducts rites of exorcism, driving out demons. Recently I “kicked the demon out” of a girl who suffered from gluttony. “You have to be very pure, because you take the essence upon yourself,” she noted.
It was not Putin who launched the special operation, but the Heaven
Photinia was in a great mood and started talking. It began with the fact that people today live in sin, “are proud of knowledge that is of no use to us at all, they travel to different countries” instead of developing spiritually, for example, reading spiritual literature of its own production. Photinia publishes a magazine, Temple of Light, which is distributed free of charge by her supporters.
Mother said that we must “love, be wise, have compassion for others, not divide the world into strangers and ours, we are all brothers and sisters,” and moved on to the more specific topic of the special operation, which she does not particularly approve of.
– But wasn’t it Putin, whom you yourself call the Apostle Paul, who announced it?
It was interesting how she would get out, but Svetlana Robertovna did not blink an eye.
– One person can never do anything; there is a group managing the country. If we are talking about world conflicts, the Patriarch of Russia is sure to take part in this, and now there is also the Duma. “It’s not the president who makes decisions,” my mother said and told me the story of the Apostle Paul, who used to be a very bad man, a pagan Saul, who reached the extreme point of darkness, saw the light and believed in Christ.
– Now Putin is Saul, and he needs to cross this line (between light and darkness – Ed.). “He doesn’t want any [word prohibited by the Russian laws] now; it has dragged on, people are dying, there is suffering. But he didn’t untie it, this is heaven. It’s just time to take the souls of people,” Photinia concluded and stated that we have the power we deserve.
She says she hasn’t heard about Navalny and those who disagree, but just in case she prays for everyone, probably for foreign agents too. Holy woman…
– What to do if a person was mobilized for this, in your words, murder? – I couldn’t stand it.
Mother came up with this too: they say, you can’t desert, it’s “cowardice” and “a form of pride,” but you have to go and pray. One of her children, who did not want to go, was called up, but he has been in reserve with his regiment for a long time.
The beginning
In the village of Bolshaya Elnya, Nizhny Novgorod region, in a private three-story house with a turret, the sect “Mother Photinia the Light-Bringer” is actively operating. The sect gained wide popularity by declaring Vladimir Putin a saint and his icon as a myrrh-streaming icon. Mother Photinia calls herself the reincarnation of “Christ-Eve.”
Queen of Sheba d’Arc
The real name of “Mother Photinia” is Svetlana Robertovna Frolova. Until 1996, she worked as the director of the trade and purchasing base of the Gorky Railway, and in 1996 she was sentenced to one and a half years in prison for fraud. After leaving prison, Svetlana Frolova took up healing and soon acquired a mansion in the center of Nizhny Novgorod. According to one version, the mansion was purchased with income from healing; according to another version, money remained from earlier times.
Soon Frolova expanded her range of healing services and declared herself a priest and the reincarnation of “Eve-Christ.”
Back in 2005, Photinia wrote to Putin with a call for spiritual perfection and to Patriarch Alexy with a request to ordain her to the priesthood.
There was no answer, and Photinia declared herself a priest. Soon she senses new spirits within her:
“Before becoming Photinia and Eve, Svetlana Frolova was the Queen of Sheba, Queen Helena, who found the tree of the Holy Cross, Joan of Arc, an Indian guru who communicated with the merchant Afanasy Nikitin, Abbess Maria of the Diveyevo Monastery at the beginning of the twentieth century and, finally, Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya,” noted religious scholar Roman Lunkin, who spoke in detail with Photinia in 2005.
Revenue percentage
“Unfortunately, the sect enjoys a certain popularity and is clearly concerned about expanding this popularity. It is known that the creation of a pseudo-religious movement is a very profitable business, only slightly inferior in profitability to trafficking in drugs and pornography, organizing prostitution and the like,” Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin comments on the activities of the sect in a comment to PRAVMIR.
For several years, Photinia distributed a periodical in which articles were signed by the Heavenly Father and Seraphim of Sarov.
At the “worship” they sang “May there always be sunshine” and sat on rugs (borrowed from Islam). Eyewitnesses reported that worshipers at these meetings were put into a trance.
Gradually, Photinia synthesized all religions, calling for “asceticism from Orthodoxy, mercy from Catholicism, morality from Islam, and from Buddhism – Buddha himself and reincarnation”.
The sect was not in poverty: according to the testimony of village residents, Mother Photinia invited people to her community, promising that the trustees would solve financial difficulties. As the Nizhny Novgorod Diocesan Gazette reported, “according to the local police department, Svetlana Robertovna Frolova regularly submits requests for financial assistance to various entrepreneurs and organizations, signing herself as “Orthodox community” or “true Orthodox Christians.”
Bob Marley, Barack Obama, Putin
In addition to attracting people to the community, Photinia is active in publishing: about 40 of her books, published in Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, and Ukraine, can be found in online stores. By the way, sometimes her creations are found in Orthodox bookstores. To expand the “subscriber base,” Putin was declared a saint, and his “icon” streamed myrrh.
Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin believes that this is a very natural move for the sect: “Of course, this industry is fueled in a certain way. It is known that one of the best ways to promote a new religious movement is to associate it with famous names. Thus, Rastafarianism was revolved around the names of Bob Marley and the Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I, in Kenya there is a pseudo-Catholic sect that declared Bark Obama a saint, and here they exploit the name of Putin. There is nothing original in this approach.”
Press secretary of V.V. Putin, Dmitry Peskov told the media that Putin “winces at the cult of devotion fueled by Frolova. Of course, he is the most popular person in this country and has his own fan club, but it is not a cult.”
The Nizhny Novgorod diocese has been conducting explanatory work among residents for many years: there have been official statements and publications in diocesan bulletins:
“It has been repeatedly reported in the media, in our diocesan newspaper, that Mrs. Fotinia is not Orthodox, and the activities she carries out can only be called sectarian. We hope that law enforcement agencies will pay attention to its activities, and the illegal existence of this religious group will be properly assessed,” said Archpriest Andrey Milkin, who was then the press secretary of the diocese, back in 2005.
Local residents demanded 10 years ago that Svetlana Frolova be evicted, but the head of the self-government, Evgeniy Polavin, did not see any legal grounds for this.
It is obvious that in the pre-election months the Photinia sect will significantly expand the number of adherents, especially since reports of myrrh streaming are replenished with an ever-growing list of “miracles”: “People come to the Nizhny Novgorod village, where the so-called. Mother Photinia, with requests for healing, longs for quick miracles. Exploiting people’s illnesses by extorting money from them is not a profitable activity,” said Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin.
Sources in Russian: Assistant Administrator of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese Andrey Milkin: “Mrs. Photinia is not Orthodox, and the activities she carries out cannot be called anything other than sectarian.” http://www.nne.ru/news.php?id=1615; R. Lunkin. From witchcraft to the creation of a religious system. Keston Institute Research; http://www.keston.org.uk/_russianreview/edition0304/05Fotinya.html.
Following the European Year of Youth in 2022 the European Commission is actively working to ensure that young people have a say in the decision-making processes of the European Union. Today’s announcement is a step forward in prioritizing the perspectives and issues that matter to young Europeans in EU policymaking. With the 2024 European Parliament elections these efforts aim to engage and empower youth giving them influence that goes beyond casting their votes.
One of the groundbreaking initiatives being introduced is called the “youth check.” This mechanism has been designed to consider how EU policies impact young people during their development. By utilizing existing Better Regulation tools such as consultations and impact assessments this approach aims to make EU policies more responsive to people’s needs and aspirations. In addition, specific instruments targeting youth under the EU Youth Strategy for 2019-2027 will facilitate policy dialogues, and roundtables and create a platform for continuous exchange with youth organizations, researchers and EU institutions.
Addressing Concerns of Young People
The Commission is taking steps toward addressing crucial concerns related to health and well-being education, environmental sustainability and employment. All areas are vital for young Europeans. These actions demonstrate a commitment, towards meeting present needs while also looking ahead to future challenges.
The plans ahead involve working towards a European degree by 2024 updating the quality framework for traineeships and establishing a platform for global discussions with youth organizations through the Youth Dialogue Platform in EU external affairs.
European Youth Week 2024
A crucial part of the Commission’s strategy is the European Youth Week in 2024 scheduled to occur from April 12 to 19. This week-long event focuses on promoting participation and elections happening two months before the European Parliament elections. Its purpose is to celebrate and encourage youth involvement, engagement and active citizenship through activities across Europe bringing the EU closer to its younger population.
Expanding on Insights from the European Year of Youth
The actions announced today directly stem from insights gained during the 2022 European Year of Youth. With more than 13,000 activities organized by over 2,700 stakeholders including EU institutions, Member States and youth organizations themselves the Commission has identified over 130 policy initiatives aimed at young people. These actions are a response to calls made by stakeholders such as the European Parliament, Council members and important entities, like the European Youth Forum.
In conclusion, the Commission’s dedication to incorporating the perspectives and worries of Europeans into EU priorities and policies demonstrates their recognition of their value. As we near the 2024 European Parliament elections these efforts not only open doors for a more inclusive and receptive European Union but also emphasize the significance of youth engagement in shaping the future of our continent. It serves as a rallying cry, for people; your opinions are important and it is high time to ensure they are heard at the core of European policymaking.
Olaf Kosinsky, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE , via Wikimedia Commons
Former Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has raised concerns about the recent detention of politicians from the Law and Justice party, Mariusz Kamiński and Maciej Wąsik, labelling them as “victims of political revenge” and stating that “we have political prisoners in Poland since yesterday”. Morawiecki emphasized that the detention of individuals for political reasons was previously considered “impossible” since the fall of communism and compared the current situation to the communist regime.
Morawiecki accused Donald Tusk, a prominent political figure in Poland, of “beginning to dismantle democracy” and highlighted issues such as the lack of freedom of expression, the monopolization of information, and attacks on political opponents, which he believes are characteristic of regimes that deviate from democratic principles. He expressed concerns that the end of the Law and Justice party’s government could lead to “anarchy and injustice,” warning that the new regime could potentially infringe on the freedom of Polish households.
The remarks made by Morawiecki reflect a deepening political divide in Poland, with significant implications for the country’s democratic institutions and the rule of law. The situation has drawn attention and criticism from various international organizations and political commentators, raising concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in the country.
The recent developments in Poland have sparked a debate about the future of democracy and the rule of law in the country, with implications that extend beyond its borders. The international community will be closely monitoring the situation and its potential impact on the broader European political landscape.
The concerns raised by Morawiecki and others highlight the need for a thorough and balanced assessment of the situation in Poland, taking into account the principles of democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. The coming days and weeks are likely to see further developments and discussions on this critical issue, both within Poland and at the international level.
By the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church
The contribution of the Orthodox Church in realizing peace, justice, freedom, fraternity and love between peoples, and in the removal of racial and other discriminations.
For God so loved the world that he gave his Only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16). The Church of Christ exists in the world, but is not of the world (cf. Jn 17:11, 14-15). The Church as the Body of the incarnate Logos of God (John Chrysostom, Homily before Exile, 2 PG 52, 429) constitutes the living “presence” as the sign and image of the Kingdom of the Triune God in history, proclaims the good news of a new creation (II Cor 5:17), of new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (II Pt 3:13); news of a world in which God will wipe away every tear from people’s eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain (Rev 21:4-5).
Such hope is experienced and foretasted by the Church, especially each time the Divine Eucharist is celebrated, bringing together (I Cor 11:20) the scattered children of God (Jn 11:52) without regard to race, sex, age, social, or any other condition into a single body where there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female (Gal 3:28; cf. Col 3:11).
This foretaste of the new creation—of a world transfigured—is also experienced by the Church in the countenance of her saints who, through their spiritual struggles and virtues, have already revealed the image of the Kingdom of God in this life, thereby proving and affirming that the expectation of a world of peace, justice, and love is not a utopia, but the substance of things hoped for (Heb 11:1) , attainable through the grace of God and man’s spiritual struggle.
Finding constant inspiration in this expectation and foretaste of the Kingdom of God, the Church cannot remain indifferent to the problems of humanity in each period. On the contrary, she shares in our anguish and existential problems, taking upon herself—as the Lord did—our suffering and wounds, which are caused by evil in the world and, like the Good Samaritan, pouring oil and wine upon our wounds through words of patience and comfort (Rom 15:4; Heb 13:22), and through love in practice. The word addressed to the world is not primarily meant to judge and condemn the world (cf. Jn 3:17; 12:47), but rather to offer to the world the guidance of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God—namely, the hope and assurance that evil, no matter its form, does not have the last word in history and must not be allowed to dictate its course.
The conveyance of the Gospel’s message according to the last commandant of Christ, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I havecommanded you (Matt 28:19) is the diachronic mission of the Church. This mission must be carried out not aggressively or by different forms of proselytism, but in love, humility and respect towards the identity of each person and the cultural particularity of each people. All the Orthodox Church have an obligation to contribute to this missionary endeavor.
Drawing from these principles and the accumulated experience and teaching of her patristic, liturgical, and ascetical tradition, the Orthodox Church shares the concern and anxiety of contemporary humanity with regard to fundamental existential questions that preoccupy the world today. She thus desires to help resolve these issues, allowing the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7), reconciliation, and love to prevail in the world.
A. The Dignity of the Human Person
The human person’s unique dignity, which stems from being created in the image and likeness of God and from our role in God’s plan for humanity and the world, was the source of inspiration for the Church Fathers, who entered deeply into the mystery of divine oikonomia. Regarding the human being, St. Gregory the Theologian characteristically emphasizes that: The Creator sets a sort of second world upon the earth, great in its smallness, another angel, a worshipper of composite nature, contemplator of visible creation, and initiate of intelligible creation, a king over all that is on earth… a living being, prepared here and transported elsewhere and (which is the culmination of the mystery) deified through attraction towards God (Homily 45, On Holy Pascha, 7. PG 36, 632AB). The purpose of the incarnation of the Word of God is the deification of the human being. Christ, having renewed within himself the old Adam (cf. Eph 2:15), made the human person divine like himself, the beginning of our hope (Eusebius of Caesarea, Demonstrations on the Gospel, Book 4, 14. PG 22, 289A). For just as the entire human race was contained in the old Adam, so too, the entire human race is now gathered in the new Adam: The Only-begotten One became man in order to gather into one and return to its original condition the fallen human race (Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book 9, PG 74, 273D–275A). This teaching of the Church is the endless source of all Christian efforts to safeguard the dignity and majesty of the human person.
On this basis, it is essential to develop inter-Christian cooperation in every direction for the protection of human dignity and of course for the good of peace, so that the peace-keeping efforts of all Christians without exception may acquire greater weight and significance.
As a presupposition for a wider co-operation in this regard the common acceptance of the highest value of the human person may be useful. The various local Orthodox Churches can contribute to inter-religious understanding and co-operation for the peaceful co-existence and harmonious living together in society, without this involving any religious syncretism.
We are convinced that, as God’s fellow workers (I Cor 3:9), we can advance to this common service together with all people of good will, who love peace that is pleasing to God, for the sake of human society on the local, national, and international levels. This ministry is a commandment of God (Mt 5:9).
B. Freedom and Responsibility
Freedom is one of God’s greatest gifts to the human being. He who created man in the beginning made him free and self-determined, limiting him solely by the laws of the commandment (Gregory the Theologian, Homily 14, On Love for the Poor, 25. PG 35, 892A). Freedom renders the human being capable of progressing toward spiritual perfection; yet, it also includes the risk of disobedience as independence from God and consequently the fall, which tragically gives rise to evil in the world.
The consequences of evil include those imperfections and shortcomings prevailing today, including: secularism; violence; moral laxity; detrimental phenomena such as the use of addictive substances and other addictions especially in the lives of certain youth; racism; the arms race and wars, as well as the resulting social catastrophes; the oppression of certain social groups, religious communities, and entire peoples; social inequality; the restriction of human rights in the field of freedom of conscience—in particular religious freedom; the misinformation and manipulation of public opinion; economic misery; the disproportionate redistribution of vital resources or complete lack thereof; the hunger of millions of people; forced migration of populations and human trafficking; the refugee crisis; the destruction of the environment; and the unrestrained use of genetic biotechnology and biomedicine at the beginning, duration, and end of human life. These all create infinite anxiety for humanity today.
Faced with this situation, which has degraded the concept of the human person, the duty of the Orthodox Church today is—through its preaching, theology, worship, and pastoral activity—to assert the truth of freedom in Christ. All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being…for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience? (I Cor 10:23-24, 29). Freedom without responsibility and love eventually leads to loss of freedom.
C. Peace and Justice
The Orthodox Church has diachronically recognized and revealed the centrality of peace and justice in people’s lives. The very revelation of Christ is characterized as a gospel of peace (Eph 6:15), for Christ has brought peace to all through the blood of his Cross (Col 1:20), preached peace to those afar and near (Eph 2:17), and has become our peace (Eph 2:14). This peace, which surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7), as the Lord Himself told His disciples before His passion, is broader and more essential than the peace promised by the world: peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you (Jn 14:27). This is because the peace of Christ is the ripe fruit of the restoration of all things in Him, the revelation of the human person’s dignity and majesty as an image of God, the manifestation of the organic unity in Christ between humanity and the world, the universality of the principles of peace, freedom, and social justice, and ultimately the blossoming of Christian love among people and nations of the world. The reign of all these Christian principles on earth gives rise to authentic peace. It is the peace from above, for which the Orthodox Church prays constantly in its daily petitions, asking this of the almighty God, Who hears the prayers of those that draw near to Him in faith.
From the aforementioned, it is clear why the Church, as the body of Christ (I Cor 12:27), always prays for the peace of the whole world; this peace, according to Clement of Alexandria, is synonymous with justice (Stromates 4, 25. PG 8, 1369B-72A). To this, Basil the Great adds: I cannot convince myself that without mutual love and without peace with all people, in as far as it is within my possibilities, I can call myself a worthy servant of Jesus Christ (Epistle 203, 2. PG 32, 737B). As the same Saint notes, this is self-evident for a Christian, for nothing is so characteristic of a Christian as to be a peacemaker (Epistle 114. PG 32, 528B). The peace of Christ is a mystical power that springs forth from the reconciliation between the human being and the heavenly Father, according to the providence of Christ, Who brings all things to perfection in Him and who makes peace ineffable and predestined from the ages, and Who reconciles us with Himself, and in Himself with the Father (Dionysius the Aeropagite, On the Divine Names, 11, 5, PG 3, 953AB).
At the same time, we are obligated to underline that the gifts of peace and justice also depend on human synergy. The Holy Spirit bestows spiritual gifts when, in repentance, we seek God’s peace and righteousness. These gifts of peace and justice are manifested wherever Christians strive for the work of faith, love, and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ (I Thes 1:3).
Sin is a spiritual illness, whose external symptoms include conflict, division, crime, and war, as well as the tragic consequences of these. The Church strives to eliminate not only the external symptoms of illness, but the illness itself, namely, sin.
At the same time, the Orthodox Church considers it is her duty to encourage all that which genuinely serves the cause of peace (Rom 14:19) and paves the way to justice, fraternity, true freedom, and mutual love among all children of the one heavenly Father as well as between all peoples who make up the one human family. She suffers with all people who in various parts of the world are deprived of the benefits of peace and justice.
4. Peace and the Aversion of War
The Church of Christ condemns war in general, recognizing it as the result of the presence of evil and sin in the world: Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? (Jm 4:1). Every war threatens to destroy creation and life.
This is most particularly the case with wars with weapons of mass destruction because their consequences would be horrific not only because they lead to the death of an unforeseeable number of people, but also because they render life unbearable for those who survive. They also lead to incurable diseases, cause genetic mutations and other disasters, with catastrophic impact on future generations.
The amassing not only of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, but of all kinds of weapons, poses very serious dangers inasmuch as they create a false sense of superiority and dominance over the rest of the world. Moreover, such weapons create an atmosphere of fear and mistrust, becoming the impetus for a new arms race.
The Church of Christ, which understands war as essentially the result of evil and sin in the world, supports all initiatives and efforts to prevent or avert it through dialogue and every other viable means. When war becomes inevitable, the Church continues to pray and care in a pastoral manner for her children who are involved in military conflict for the sake of defending their life and freedom, while making every effort to bring about the swift restoration of peace and freedom.
The Orthodox Church resolutely condemns the multifaceted conflicts and wars provoked by fanaticism that derives from religious principles. There is grave concern over the permanent trend of increasing oppression and persecution of Christians and other communities in the Middle East and elsewhere because of their beliefs; equally troubling are the attempts to uproot Christianity from its traditional homelands. As a result, existing interfaith and international relations are threatened, while many Christians are forced to abandon their homes. Orthodox Christians throughout the world suffer with their fellow Christians and all those being persecuted in this region, while also calling for a just and lasting resolution to the region’s problems.
Wars inspired by nationalism and leading to ethnic cleansing, the violation of state borders, and the seizure of territory are also condemned.
E. The Attitude of the Church Toward Discrimination
The Lord, as King of righteousness (Heb 7:2-3) denounces violence and injustice (Ps 10:5), while condemning the inhumane treatment of one’s neighbor (Mt 25:41-46; Jm 2:15-16). In His Kingdom, reflected and present in His Church on earth, there is no place for hatred, enmity, or intolerance (Is 11:6; Rom 12:10).
The Orthodox Church’s position on this is clear. She believes that God has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth (Acts 17:26) and that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:28). To the question: Who is my neighbor?, Christ responded with the parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37). In so doing, He taught us to tear down all barriers erected by enmity and prejudice. The Orthodox Church confesses that every human being, regardless of skin color, religion, race, sex, ethnicity, and language, is created in the image and likeness of God, and enjoys equal rights in society. Consistent with this belief, the Orthodox Church rejects discrimination for any of the aforementioned reasons since these presuppose a difference in dignity between people.
The Church, in the spirit of respecting human rights and equal treatment of all, values the application of these principles in the light of her teaching on the sacraments, the family, the role of both genders in the Church, and the overall principles of Church tradition. The Church has the right to proclaim and witness to her teaching in the public sphere.
F. The Mission of the Orthodox Church As a Witness of Love through Service
In fulfilling her salvific mission in the world, the Orthodox Church actively cares for all people in need, including the hungry, the poor, the sick, the disabled, the elderly, the persecuted, those in captivity and prison, the homeless, the orphans, the victims of destruction and military conflict, those affected by human trafficking and modern forms of slavery. The Orthodox Church’s efforts to confront destitution and social injustice are an expression of her faith and the service to the Lord, Who identifies Himself with every person and especially with those in need: Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me (Mt 25:40). This multidimensional social service enables the Church to cooperate with various relevant social institutions.
Competition and enmity in the world introduce injustice and inequitable access among individuals and peoples to the resources of divine creation. They deprive millions of people of fundamental goods and lead to the degradation of human person; they incite mass migrations of populations, and they engender ethnic, religious, and social conflicts, which threaten the internal cohesion of communities.
The Church cannot remain indifferent before economic conditions that negatively impact humanity as a whole. She insists not only on the need for the economy to be grounded upon ethical principles, but that it must also tangibly serve the needs of human beings in accordance with the teaching of the Apostle Paul: By laboring like this, you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35). Basil the Great writes that each person should make it his duty to help those in need and not satisfy his own needs (Moral Rules, 42. PG 31, 1025A).
The gap between rich and poor is dramatically exacerbated due to the financial crisis, which normally results from the unbridled profiteering by some representatives of financial circles, the concentration of wealth in the hands of the few, and perverted business practices devoid of justice and humanitarian sensitivity, which ultimately do not serve humanity’s true needs. A sustainable economy is that which combines efficiency with justice and social solidarity.
In light of such tragic circumstances, the Church’s great responsibility is perceived in terms of overcoming hunger and all other forms of deprivation in the world. One such phenomenon in our time—whereby nations operate within a globalized economic system—points to the world’s serious identity crisis, for hunger not only threatens the divine gift of life of whole peoples, but also offends the lofty dignity and sacredness of the human person, while simultaneously offending God. Therefore, if concern over our own sustenance is a material issue, then concern over feeding our neighbor is a spiritual issue (Jm 2:14-18). Consequently, it is the mission of all Orthodox Churches to exhibit solidarity and administer assistance effectively to those in need.
The Holy Church of Christ, in her universal body—embracing in her fold many peoples on earth—emphasizes the principle of universal solidarity and supports the closer cooperation of nations and states for the sake of resolving conflicts peacefully.
The Church is concerned about the ever-increasing imposition upon humanity of a consumerist lifestyle, devoid of Christian ethical principles. In this sense, consumerism combined with secular globalization tends to lead to the loss of nations’ spiritual roots, their historical loss of memory, and the forgetfulness of their traditions.
Mass media frequently operates under the control of an ideology of liberal globalization and is thus rendered an instrument for disseminating consumerism and immorality. Instances of disrespectful—at times blasphemous—attitudes toward religious values are cause for particular concern, inasmuch as arousing division and conflict in society. The Church warns her children of the risk of influence on their conscience by the mass media, as well as its use to manipulate rather than bring people and nations together.
Even as the Church proceeds to preach and realize her salvific mission for the world, she is all the more frequently confronted by expressions of secularism. The Church of Christ in the world is called to express once again and to promote the content of her prophetic witness to the world, grounded on the experience of faith and recalling her true mission through the proclamation of the Kingdom of God and the cultivation of a sense of unity among her flock. In this way, she opens up a broad field of opportunity since an essential element of her ecclesiology promotes Eucharistic communion and unity within a shattered world.
The yearning for continuous growth in prosperity and an unfettered consumerism inevitably lead to a disproportionate use and depletion of natural resources. Nature, which was created by God and given to humankind to work and preserve (cf. Gen 2:15), endures the consequences of human sin: For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now (Rom 8:20-22).
The ecological crisis, which is connected to climate change and global warming, makes it incumbent upon the Church to do everything within her spiritual power to protect God’s creation from the consequences of human greed. As the gratification of material needs, greed leads to spiritual impoverishment of the human being and to environmental destruction. We should not forget that the earth’s natural resources are not our property, but the Creator’s: The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world, and those who dwell therein (Ps 23:1). Therefore, the Orthodox Church emphasizes the protection of God’s creation through the cultivation of human responsibility for our God-given environment and the promotion of the virtues of frugality and self-restraint. We are obliged to remember that not only present, but also future generations have a right to enjoy the natural goods granted to us by the Creator.
For the Orthodox Church, the ability to explore the world scientifically is a gift from God to humanity. However, along with this positive attitude, the Church simultaneously recognizes the dangers latent in the use of certain scientific achievements. She believes that the scientist is indeed free to conduct research, but that the scientist is also obliged to interrupt this research when it violates basic Christian and humanitarian values. According to St. Paul, All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful (I Cor 6:12), and according to St. Gregory the Theologian, Goodness is not goodness if the means are wrong (1st Theological Oration, 4, PG 36, 16C). This perspective of the Church proves necessary for many reasons in order to establish proper boundaries for freedom and the application of the fruits of science, where in almost all disciplines, but especially in biology, we can expect both new achievements and risks. At the same time, we emphasize the unquestionable sacredness of human life from its conception.
Over the last years, we observe an immense development in the biological sciences and in corresponding biotechnologies. Many of these achievements are considered beneficial for humankind, while others raise ethical dilemmas and still others are deemed unacceptable. The Orthodox Church believes that the human being is not merely a composition of cells, bones, and organs; nor again is the human person defined solely by biological factors. Man is created in the image of God (Gen 1:27) and reference to humanity must take place with due respect. The recognition of this fundamental principle leads to the conclusion that, both in the process of scientific investigation as well as in the practical application of new discoveries and innovations, we should preserve the absolute right of each individual to be respected and honored at all stages of life. Moreover, we should respect the will of God as manifested through creation. Research must take into account ethical and spiritual principles, as well as Christian precepts. Indeed, due respect must be rendered to all of God’s creation in regard to both the way humanity treats and science explores it, in accordance to God’s commandment (Gen 2:15).
In these times of secularization marked by a spiritual crisis characteristic of contemporary civilization, it is especially necessary to highlight the significance of life’s sacredness. The misunderstanding of freedom as permissiveness leads to an increase in crime, the destruction and defacement of those things held in high regard, as well as the total disrespect of our neighbor’s freedom and of the sacredness of life. Orthodox Tradition, shaped by the experience of Christian truths in practice, is the bearer of spirituality and the ascetic ethos, which must especially be encouraged in our time.
The Church’s special pastoral care for young people represents an unceasing and unchanging Christ-centered process of formation. Of course, the pastoral responsibility of the Church also extends to the divinely-granted institution of family, which has always been and must always be founded on the sacred mystery of Christian marriage as a union between man and woman, as reflected in the union of Christ and His Church (Eph 5:32). This is especially vital in light of attempts in certain countries to legalize and in certain Christian communities to justify theologically other forms of human cohabitation that are contrary to Christian tradition and teaching. The Church hopes for the recapitulation of everything in the Body of Christ, it reminds every person coming into the world, that Christ will return again at His Second Coming judging the living and the dead (1 Pet 4, 5) and that His Kingdom shall have no end (Lk 1:33)
In our times, just as throughout history, the prophetic and pastoral voice of the Church, the redeeming word of the Cross and of the Resurrection, appeals to the heart of humankind, calling us, with the Apostle Paul, to embrace and experience whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report (Phil 4:8)—namely, the sacrificial love of Her Crucified Lord, the only way to a world of peace, justice, freedom, and love among peoples and between nations, whose only and ultimate measure is always the sacrified Lord (cf. Rev 5:12) for the life of the world, that is, endless Love of God in the Triune God, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, to whom belongs all glory and power unto the ages of ages.
† Rastislav of Presov, the Czech Lands and Slovakia
Delegation of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
† Leo of Karelia and All Finland
† Stephanos of Tallinn and All Estonia
† Elder Metropolitan John of Pergamon
† Elder Archbishop Demetrios of America
† Augustinos of Germany
† Irenaios of Crete
† Isaiah of Denver
† Alexios of Atlanta
† Iakovos of the Princes’ Islands
† Joseph of Proikonnisos
† Meliton of Philadelphia
† Emmanuel of France
† Nikitas of the Dardanelles
† Nicholas of Detroit
† Gerasimos of San Francisco
† Amphilochios of Kisamos and Selinos
† Amvrosios of Korea
† Maximos of Selyvria
† Amphilochios of Adrianopolis
† Kallistos of Diokleia
† Antony of Hierapolis, Head of the Ukrainian Orthodox in the USA
† Job of Telmessos
† Jean of Charioupolis, Head of the Patriarchal Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of the Russian Tradition in Western Europe
† Gregory of Nyssa, Head of the Carpatho-Russian Orthodox in the USA
Delegation of the Patriarchate of Alexandria
† Gabriel of Leontopolis
† Makarios of Nairobi
† Jonah of Kampala
† Seraphim of Zimbabwe and Angola
† Alexandros of Nigeria
† Theophylaktos of Tripoli
† Sergios of Good Hope
† Athanasios of Cyrene
† Alexios of Carthage
† Ieronymos of Mwanza
† George of Guinea
† Nicholas of Hermopolis
† Dimitrios of Irinopolis
† Damaskinos of Johannesburg and Pretoria
† Narkissos of Accra
† Emmanouel of Ptolemaidos
† Gregorios of Cameroon
† Nicodemos of Memphis
† Meletios of Katanga
† Panteleimon of Brazzaville and Gabon
† Innokentios of Burudi and Rwanda
† Crysostomos of Mozambique
† Neofytos of Nyeri and Mount Kenya
Delegation of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem
† Benedict of Philadelphia
† Aristarchos of Constantine
† Theophylaktos of Jordan
† Nektarios of Anthidon
† Philoumenos of Pella
Delegation of the Church of Serbia
† Jovan of Ohrid and Skopje
† Amfilohije of Montenegro and the Littoral
† Porfirije of Zagreb and Ljubljana
† Vasilije of Sirmium
† Lukijan of Budim
† Longin of Nova Gracanica
† Irinej of Backa
† Hrizostom of Zvornik and Tuzla
† Justin of Zica
† Pahomije of Vranje
† Jovan of Sumadija
† Ignatije of Branicevo
† Fotije of Dalmatia
† Athanasios of Bihac and Petrovac
† Joanikije of Niksic and Budimlje
† Grigorije of Zahumlje and Hercegovina
† Milutin of Valjevo
† Maksim in Western America
† Irinej in Australia and New Zealand
† David of Krusevac
† Jovan of Slavonija
† Andrej in Austria and Switzerland
† Sergije of Frankfurt and in Germany
† Ilarion of Timok
Delegation of the Church of Romania
† Teofan of Iasi, Moldova and Bucovina
† Laurentiu of Sibiu and Transylvania
† Andrei of Vad, Feleac, Cluj, Alba, Crisana and Maramures
† Irineu of Craiova and Oltenia
† Ioan of Timisoara and Banat
† Iosif in Western and Southern Europe
† Serafim in Germany and Central Europe
† Nifon of Targoviste
† Irineu of Alba Iulia
† Ioachim of Roman and Bacau
† Casian of Lower Danube
† Timotei of Arad
† Nicolae in America
† Sofronie of Oradea
† Nicodim of Strehaia and Severin
† Visarion of Tulcea
† Petroniu of Salaj
† Siluan in Hungary
† Siluan in Italy
† Timotei in Spain and Portugal
† Macarie in Northern Europe
† Varlaam Ploiesteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Patriarch
† Emilian Lovisteanul, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Ramnic
† Ioan Casian of Vicina, Assistant Bishop to the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of the Americas
Delegation of the Church of Cyprus
† Georgios of Paphos
† Chrysostomos of Kition
† Chrysostomos of Kyrenia
† Athanasios of Limassol
† Neophytos of Morphou
† Vasileios of Constantia and Ammochostos
† Nikiphoros of Kykkos and Tillyria
† Isaias of Tamassos and Oreini
† Barnabas of Tremithousa and Lefkara
† Christophoros of Karpasion
† Nektarios of Arsinoe
† Nikolaos of Amathus
† Epiphanios of Ledra
† Leontios of Chytron
† Porphyrios of Neapolis
† Gregory of Mesaoria
Delegation of the Church of Greece
† Prokopios of Philippi, Neapolis and Thassos
† Chrysostomos of Peristerion
† Germanos of Eleia
† Alexandros of Mantineia and Kynouria
† Ignatios of Arta
† Damaskinos of Didymoteixon, Orestias and Soufli
† Alexios of Nikaia
† Hierotheos of Nafpaktos and Aghios Vlasios
† Eusebios of Samos and Ikaria
† Seraphim of Kastoria
† Ignatios of Demetrias and Almyros
† Nicodemos of Kassandreia
† Ephraim of Hydra, Spetses and Aegina
† Theologos of Serres and Nigrita
† Makarios of Sidirokastron
† Anthimos of Alexandroupolis
† Barnabas of Neapolis and Stavroupolis
† Chrysostomos of Messenia
† Athenagoras of Ilion, Acharnon and Petroupoli
† Ioannis of Lagkada, Litis and Rentinis
† Gabriel of New Ionia and Philadelphia
† Chrysostomos of Nikopolis and Preveza
† Theoklitos of Ierissos, Mount Athos and Ardameri
Delegation of the Church of Poland
† Simon of Lodz and Poznan
† Abel of Lublin and Chelm
† Jacob of Bialystok and Gdansk
† George of Siemiatycze
† Paisios of Gorlice
Delegation of the Church of Albania
† Joan of Koritsa
† Demetrios of Argyrokastron
† Nikolla of Apollonia and Fier
† Andon of Elbasan
† Nathaniel of Amantia
† Asti of Bylis
Delegation of the Church of the Czech lands and Slovakia
† Michal of Prague
† Isaiah of Sumperk
Photo: The conversion of the Russians. Fresco by Viktor Vasnetsov in the Church of St. Vladimir in Kiev, 1896.
Note on the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church: Given the difficult political situation in the Middle East, the Synaxis of the Primates of January 2016 decided not to assemble the Council in Constantinople and finally decided to convoke the Holy and Great Council at the Orthodox Academy of Crete from 18 to 27 June 2016. The opening of the Council took place after the Divine Liturgy of the feast of Pentecost, and the closure – the Sunday of All Saints, according to the Orthodox calendar. The Synaxis of the Primates of January 2016 has approved the relevant texts as the six items on the agenda of the Council: The mission of the Orthodox Church in the contemporary world; The Orthodox diaspora; Autonomy and the manner of its proclamation; The sacrament of marriage and its impediments; The importance of fasting and its observance today; The relationship of the Orthodox Church with the rest of the Christian world.
The ban on public display of the symbols of terrorist groups came into force in the country
Laws banning Nazi salutes and the display or sale of symbols associated with terrorist groups came into force in Australia today, as the government tries to respond to a rise in anti-Semitic incidents since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, reported Reuters.
The law provides for up to 12 months in prison for publicly performing a Nazi salute or displaying the Nazi swastika or the double rune associated with the SS paramilitary organization.
Selling and trading these symbols is also prohibited.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfuss said the legislation sends a clear message that there is no place in Australia for those who glorify the Holocaust or acts of terrorism.
Illustrative Photo: Portrait of Lee Miller in Hitler’s bathtub in Munich on the day of his death — her boots dirtying his bathmat — has become one of the images for which she is most known. During this period, in Normandy and in Munich she worked closely with the Life photojournalist David E. Scherman. Together, they entered Hitler’s apartment with soldiers on April 30, 1945, the same day that Hitler shot himself in his bunker in Berlin. Just that morning, Miller and Scherman had taken photographs in Dachau; Miller tracked mud from the concentration camp all over the apartment’s floor before stripping down to pose in the bathtub. She took the same photo of Scherman, who was Jewish, as well.Lee Miller Archives, England 2023.
Nearly five hundred Christians have sent an open letter to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia regarding the ban on candlelight services. Alexey Uminsky, whom they identify as their spiritual mentor, reports the information resource BFM.ru. In the letter they write that Fr. Alexey is among the few priests dedicated to the difficult ministry of families with terminally ill children. Now the hospices he cares for are left without their spiritual father. Christians are asking Patriarch Cyril to reverse his decision, “… in order to preserve the mental balance of the faithful.” The letter says:
“Your Holiness, the news is a candle. Alexey Uminsky being banned from ministry caused us great pain. We would like to draw your attention to the role that Father Alexei Uminsky plays in the life of the modern Russian Orthodox Church and its members. Since 1990, Father Alexey has converted a large number of people to the faith. He has created a large, living and active community in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Khokhlovskaya Pereulok in Moscow.
Father Alexey Uminsky participates in the real life of society and speaks to people on current topics. His sermons, books, articles and public speaking have given strength and support to countless believers by answering the questions that really concern people today. His words reconciled many different people and united them around faith in God.
Father Alexey Uminsky and his community work a lot in the social sphere: they take care of seriously ill people in hospices for adults and children, they help the homeless and prisoners. Father Alexey personally travels around Moscow and the Moscow region to give communion in the homes of dying children in the children’s hospice “The House with the Lighthouse”, visits terminally ill children and adults in hospitals. Supports parents whose children have died in hospice. He is a member of the boards of trustees of the Faith Foundation and the Children’s Hospice “House with the Lighthouse”. Fr. Alexey Uminsky does a lot to help the homeless as well: he collects money for medical care, food and social rehabilitation. Father Alexey also provides spiritual support to prisoners in places of detention.
The decree banning the ministry of priest Alexey Uminsky will deprive thousands of people of spiritual support. This is a great tragedy for many believers, for the patients of the children’s hospice, for hundreds of prisoners and thousands of homeless people. In our difficult time, it is important to preserve for people the possibility of spiritual support from their beloved and important priest.
We hope that this decision will be reconsidered for the sake of the peace of mind of the faithful.”
The number of Christian signatories to the appeal is steadily increasing, even though the signatories know that publicly declaring support for their disgraced spiritual leader will come at a high cost to them and their families.
Illustration: Icon of the Virgin Mary “Indestructible Wall”.
The Russian entrepreneur and owner of several nightclubs, Mikhail Danilov, donated a part of the relics of St. Nicholas of Mirliki to the Moscow temple dedicated to the icon of the Virgin Mary “Znamenie”. Along with the particle, a certificate of authenticity for the relic, which was bought by the Vatican last November, according to the donor, was handed over. He acquired the relics with the idea of giving them to the Russian Orthodox Church for the Nativity of Christ. The donation made to the temple, which is located opposite the Kremlin, was filmed and circulated in the media. “We are against obscurantism, diabolical deeds and we support the Church”, declared Danilov upon handing over the relic. He emphasized that part of the money for the purchase of the relics came from several clubs, including “Mutabor”, and the priest thanked and said that this is a great honor for the temple.
The donation and the publicity with which it was made are no accident. Mikhail Danilov is the owner of the scandalous night club “Mutabor”, where the so-called “naked party” of Russian stars from the entertainment business took place on New Year’s Eve. The party caused outrage in Russia against its participants. Despite their public repentance in various video formats, most of the stars were removed from all New Year’s and Christmas entertainment programs, had their advertising contracts terminated, and were generally subjected to the so-called “cancellation” with its accompanying career collapse, public humiliation, and overall rejection. It became clear that the “naked party” dealt a strong blow to the ideology propagated by the Putin regime, that Russia is a counterpoint to the liberalism of the Western world and embodies traditional Christian values. The scale of the persecution of the participants in the party suggests that it was ordered from a higher place.
Immediately after the scandal, the Mutabor club was closed and tax and other inspections of the owner began. The donation of relics can be seen as an attempt by Mikhail Danilov to rehabilitate himself in the eyes of the authorities as a supporter of Christian values and the Russian Orthodox Church.
In addition to “Mutabor” Danilov owns a dozen more nightclubs and there is a danger that his business will seriously suffer or be destroyed.
World News: The international community must take “decisive and immediate action” to bring nearly nine months of brutal civil war in Sudan to an end and boost humanitarian relief, the UN relief chief Martin Griffiths said on Thursday.
The UN Emergency Relief Coordinator said in a statement that as the conflict continues to spread “human suffering is deepening, humanitarian access is shrinking and hope is dwindling.”
He said a grim turning point between government troops and their rival RSF militia has been reached with the recent fighting in Aj Jazirah state, the country’s breadbasket. More than 500,000 Sudanese civilians have fled from the state capital region, “long a place of refuge for those uprooted from clashes elsewhere.”
Just out: Sudan Humanitarian Update 4 Jan 2024 More than 7.3 million people have been displaced inside and outside Sudan since fighting broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces on 15 April 2023
Continuing mass displacement is also threatening to fuel the rapid spread of cholera there, Mr. Griffiths warned.
‘Horrific abuses’
He said the same accounts of widespread rights violations and “horrific abuses” as in the capital Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan, earlier in the conflict, were afflicting Wad Medani.
Furthermore, he warned that the fighting there – and looting of agency warehouses and supplies across what is a humanitarian hub – “is a body blow to our efforts to deliver food, water, healthcare and other critical aid.”
He said 25 million Sudanese would need help through this year but intensifying fighting may cut many off from lifesaving aid.
“Deliveries across conflict lines have ground to a halt”, he warned, which the violence is also threatening regional stability.
“The war has unleashed the world’s largest displacement crisis, uprooting the lives of seven million people.” It’s essential now to protect civilians, facilitate humanitarian access and end the fighting, he concluded.
Guterres welcomes major Russia-Ukraine prisoner exchange
The UN chief on Thursday welcomed the biggest prisoner of war exchange between Russia and Ukraine since Moscow began its full-scale invasion almost two years ago.
António Guterres said in a statement released by his Spokesperson that he commended the efforts by both countries, together with the “third-party facilitation by the United Arab Emirates that contributed to this positive development.”
The prisoner release was announced on Wednesday and was the first to take place for months.
The Russian ministry of defence said in a statement that 248 of its soldiers had been released while President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tweeted that a total of 230 Ukrainians had been returned home, of whom six were civilians.
“We remember each and every one of our people”, he wrote on X, “and we must return all of them.”
There have been dozens of prisoner exchanges with more than 2,800 Ukrainian prisoners returned and at least 1,000 Russians, according to news reports.
The last reported exchange took place in August, when 22 Ukrainian soldiers were released.
In response to the latest release, the statement from the UN chief said he hoped that this “important step” would be followed by additional exchanges, “and by other de-escalation efforts.”
Rights chief expresses shock over Iran bombings
The UN’s top human rights official Volker Türk has expressed shock at a deadly terror attack now claimed by ISIL that killed scores of people taking part in a public commemoration event in the south of Iran on Wednesday.
#Iran: @volker_turk expresses shock at killings of scores during procession near Saheb al-Zaman mosque in Kerman. Those responsible must be held to account, in accordance with international standards.
Mr. Türk said in a social media post on X that those responsible for the double bombing near the tomb of a former top general “must be held to account, in accordance with international standards”.
The UN rights chief’s condemnation echoed that of the UN Secretary-General following reports of the bloodbath in Kerman city, as crowds gathered to remember and honour former top general Qasem Soleimani who was killed in 2020 in a US drone strike.
Eighty-four people including three children were reportedly killed when the bombs were detonated near the General’s tomb.
ISIL, a Sunni extremist group which regards other Muslims as apostates, claimed responsibility in a statement on Thursday for the deadly bombings in Iran, a majority Shiite country.
Security Council condemns ‘reprehensible act’
The members of the Security Council issued a statement on Thursday strongly condemning “the cowardly terrorist attack” in the city of Kerman.
Ambassadors expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran, wishing a speedy and full recovery to those who were injured.
Council members “reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security.”
The underlined the need to hold perpetrators to account including the “organizers, financiers, and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism accountable and bring them to justice.”
In central Gaza, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Sunday that medics at the only functioning hospital in Deir al Balah governorate “had been forced to cease lifesaving and other critical activities…and leave” after an evacuation order issued amid “increasing” Israeli military activity.
Only five doctors reportedly remain at Al-Aqsa Hospital in the Middle Area of Gaza, where a WHO team delivered medical supplies to support 4,500 dialysis patients for three months and 500 patients requiring trauma care.
Patients treated on the floor
From Al-Aqsa, WHO Health Emergency Officer Sean Casey posted a video on X social media platform on Sunday evening showing chaotic scenes as medics treated patients on the blood-streaked floor, some of the “hundreds” being brought in for urgent treatment.
.@WHO has received troubling reports of increasing hostilities and ongoing evacuation orders near the vital Al-Aqsa Hospital in the Middle Area of #Gaza, which according to the facility’s director forced over 600 patients and most health workers to leave. Their locations are not… pic.twitter.com/Vzd9UWThNm
“They are seeing in some cases hundreds of casualties every day in a small emergency department,” Mr. Casey said. “So, they’re treating children on the floor.”
Echoing those concerns, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a post on X reported “immense needs” at the hospital, “especially health workers, medical supplies and beds. But staff said their greatest need was for their hospital, and its staff, patients and families there, to be protected from strikes and hostilities.”
More than 600 patients “and most health workers” had reportedly been forced to leave the facility, Tedros said, adding that it was “inconceivable” that the protection of health care could not be counted on.
According to the UN health agency, no hospitals are “fully functioning” in northern Gaza. Another WHO mission had to be cancelled to the north on Sunday, Tedros said, “due to dangers and lack of necessary permissions”. Elsewhere in Gaza, “a mere handful of health facilities operate”, the WHO chief said.
In recent days casualty numbers have “increased markedly”, Tedros continued, with “over 120 trauma cases and dozens of dead arriving per day due to increased shelling, gunshot wounds, crush injuries from collapsed buildings, and other war-related trauma”.
WHO is also involved in plans to deploy an emergency medical team to support medical teams at Al-Aqsa. “This will only be possible in a secure environment,” the UN health agency’s Director-General noted.
In a separate update on the emergency confirming “intense” Israeli strikes “across (central) Deir Al Balah governorate and the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah”, OCHA reported on Sunday evening that Israeli forces “struck targets in Gaza city, Jabaliya Camp, Tal Az Za’atar, and Beit Lahiya” causing “a very large number of fatalities” in the Al Fallouja area of Jabaliya Camp.
Rocket fire into Israel by Palestinian armed groups also continued, the UN aid office said, amid “ground operations and fighting…across much of the Gaza Strip, resulting in additional fatalities”.
No end to rising toll
Latest data from the Gazan health ministry cited by the UN aid wing indicated at least 22,835 fatalities since Israeli military strikes began, in response to Hamas-led terror attacks in southern Israel on 7 October that left some 1,200 dead including at least 33 children and around 250 taken hostage.
OCHA also noted reports of 225 Palestinian fatalities between Friday and Sunday and almost 300 injured, with 174 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza and more than 1,000 injured since ground operatio
ns began, according to the Israeli Defense Forces.
Deadly disease threat
Amid ongoing deadly violence, UN Children’s Fund UNICEF estimated that there are now approximately 3,200 new cases of diarrhoea per day among under-fives. Before the escalation in hostilities, the average was 2,000 per month.
There is also dire concern for nine in 10 children under two years old who are now in “severe food poverty” and “only getting grains (including bread) or milk” to eat.
“Time is running out. Many children already face severe acute malnutrition in Gaza,” said UNICEF’s Executive-Director Catherine Russell. “As the threat of famine intensifies, hundreds of thousands more young children could soon be severely malnourished, with some at risk of death. We cannot allow that to happen.”
Updated information from OCHA on the number of aid trucks entering Gaza indicated that on 6 and 7 January, a total of 218 trucks carried food, medicine and other supplies through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings. Before the conflict erupted, more than 500 trucks carried aid into the Strip every day, some 60 per cent passing through Kerem Shalom.
UN Photo/Evan Schneider – Secretary-General António Guterres (right) meets with Sigrid Kaag, Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza.
UN Coordinator for Gaza
The new Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza officlally began her role on Monday. Sigrid Kaag will facilitate monitor and verify relief shipments coming in to the stricken enclave, in line with the Security Council resolution 2720 passed last month.
She has held a number of senior humanitarian jobs within the UN but most recently served as finance minister for the previous administration in the Netherlands.
Ms. Kaag will also have the challenging task of establishing a mechanism for accelerating aid into Gaza through States which are not party to the conflict.
She was in New York meeting the UN Secretary-General on her first day in office but will be heading to Washington DC later in the week before travelling to the Middle East.
Farmers displaced and farmlands belonging to Baha’i families in the village of Ahmadabad in Mazandaran province, were forcibly seized this week by Iranian officials.
GENEVA—4 January 2024—
Farmlands, rice paddies and walnut orchards belonging to Baha’i families in the village of Ahmadabad, a lush and fertile agricultural community in Mazandaran province, were forcibly seized this week by Iranian officials who claimed the lands on behalf of the Iranian government.
No compensation or official documents justifying the seizures were provided by the agents who conducted the raid.
The raid is the latest incident in a rising pattern of persecution against the Baha’is across Iran—and the third recent example of religiously-motivated property seizures against Baha’i farmers in Mazandaran province.
Baha’is are Iran’s largest non-Muslim religious minority and are systematically persecuted—including through economic apartheid—under the Islamic Republic. These land seizures intend to forcibly displace the Baha’i owners and constitute an example of religious cleansing by the Iranian government. These actions run counter to the prohibition of discrimination in all international legal instruments—including those against farmers who play a crucial role in a country’s food security.
The agents arrived with industrial equipment and proceeded to fence off almost 100 hectares of land owned and cultivated by the Baha’i families. More than 80 Baha’i families own farms in Ahmadabad—half as residents, the other half living nearby—and Baha’i families have lived in Ahmadabad and farmed these lands for several generations.
Local residents reported that about 200 Iranian government forces, security service agents, forest rangers, special forces, and policemen, accompanied by people from national television and radio, tried to close the roads into the village and to prevent people from entering and exiting. The authorities then took most of their cell phones from the local population to prevent them from recording and documenting their actions and then entered the land and started fencing off the farmlands and rice paddies from the Baha’is.
Agents also took photos of the identity cards of any Baha’is who protested the seizures.
The raid marks the third time in recent years that Iranian authorities in Mazandaran have seized properties owned by Baha’i farmers, further to the 2021 leaking of confidential provincial documents testifying to the Iranian government’s intention to significantly increase their repression of the Baha’is. Homes were destroyed and lands were seized in the village of Roshankouh in 2022; in 2021, an Iranian court invalidated the property deeds of 27 Baha’is in the village of Ivel. And in 2022, in Semnan province, six properties owned by Baha’is were appropriated by an organization controlled by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The 200 agents involved in this week’s Ahmadabad raid were also many of the same individuals who conducted the 2022 land seizures and home demolitions in Roshankouh.
“Once again, the Iranian government shows its true colors by targeting innocent farmers who have tended their farms for generations, many of whom have never left their hometowns,” said Simin Fahandej, BIC Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. “These ordinary Iranian citizens not only produce food and crops for themselves but also for their community and the region. Like other Iranian citizens, they are just trying to subsist during these challenging economic conditions. The Iranian government’s discriminatory actions towards the Baha’is deprive not only these Baha’i families of their livelihoods but many others who rely on their agricultural production and who are themselves facing harsh economic and social conditions arising from the recent series of crises in Iran.”
The Baha’is in Ahmadabad believe this is an initial step, a prelude, to the demolition of their homes and future displacement.
Reports from the impacted community indicate that the agents who came to the village did not respond when the Baha’is asked for documents authorizing them to take these farmlands. Neither did the authorities provide prior notice of their action: they simply arrived at the village and built the fences. The use of force suggests that the action was taken because the locals are Baha’is.
“When will the Iranian government’s hatred and extremism end?” Ms. Fahandej said. “Many regions in Iran have suffered years of drought and the cost of living crisis has pushed basic foodstuffs beyond the reach of many ordinary families: yet the authorities have fenced off productive farms and pushed farmers off their land just because of their beliefs.”
“The Iranian government must remove these fences,” Ms. Fahandej added, “and restore access of the Baha’is to their farms. Anything less makes a mockery of their claims that Baha’is enjoy full citizenship rights in Iran. This is what is best not only for Baha’is but for everyone in the region during already challenging times.”
