By Jean-François & Hisako Moulinet, and the team of the interreligious circle “Dialogue & Alliance”
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games has provoked many reactions in the heat of the moment.
A very real discomfort has emerged. And we believe that we must immediately learn lessons for the future.
Hence this open letter to the President of the French Republic, Mr. Emmanuel Macron, written with several of our friends.
We invite the authorities to evaluate their own contradictions, which appeared at several moments, on Friday, July 26.
Our aim is not to denigrate the entire ceremony but to show, in a constructive and calm manner, that it included sequences that distort the ideals of the French people and move away from the Olympic values.
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Open letter to the President of the Republic
July 28, 2024,
Mr. President,
Congratulations on an Olympic Games opening ceremony that left the confines of a stadium to showcase the beauty of Paris. The City of Lights shone brightly. Some moments were moving and sumptuous.
However, several parts of this ceremony are to be deplored. Ms. Anne Descamps, the communications director of Paris 2024, apologized after international and national remonstrances.
The Olympic ideal (“higher, stronger, faster – together”) is incompatible with an aesthetic of the beheading of women. Recently, France, the homeland of human rights, condemned all terrorist beheadings, even more so after the beheading of Samuel Paty. Let us abolish all apology for terror, that of the State even more so, as Robert Badinter would have done. The global audience, often family-oriented, wants to celebrate life elevated by the flame and not shortened by the iron. Honoring Olympe de Gouges as a woman of gold in the ceremony was judicious. She too would have liked to escape the guillotine that cut off her head and her ideas on women’s rights in 1793.
Our ancestors did not bequeath us libraries to scatter the pages of books and indulge in libertinism.
We avoid offending the faith of athletes and spectators. Imitating and revisiting the Last Supper with refreshing humor would have been acceptable; mocking it with infantile blasphemies was the option to be rejected without hesitation.
France wants to present itself as a country of freedom in the broadest possible sense, but for many peoples of the world, France seems to advocate provocative libertinism more than freedom. They are shocked and saddened to see that France seems to have lost the values that have built its history. Let us hope, Mr. President, that the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games will avoid such excesses.
Please accept, Mr. President, the expression of our highest consideration.
Unificationist Community of France
Federation for Universal Peace,
Federation of Women for World Peace,
French Federation of Families for Peace, etc.
Note: Dialogue & Alliance, a French-speaking interfaith cooperation circle affiliated with the Interfaith Association for Peace and Development (AIPD) – France and supported by the United Religions Initiative (URI), the Geneva Interfaith and Intercultural Alliance (GIIA), the World Committee of the Three Testaments (CMTT).
“This decision recognizes both the site’s value and the need to protect it from danger,” the agency said , noting the threats posed by the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The monastery dates back to the fourth century and is one of the oldest sites in the Middle East. It was founded by Saint Hilarion and was home to the first monastic community in the Holy Land.
Situated at the crossroads of the main routes of trade and exchange between Asia and Africa, it was a centre for religious, cultural and economic exchanges, illustrating the prosperity of desert monastic sites in the Byzantine period.
UNESCO recalled that in accordance with the terms of the World Heritage Convention, its 195 States Parties must avoid taking any deliberate measures likely to cause direct or indirect damage to this site and to assist in its protection.
The listing was decided through an emergency inscription procedure provided for in the Convention, UNESCO added.
UN rights office condemns Ghana’s choice to uphold anti-LGBTQ+ law
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on Friday denounced the recent Supreme Court ruling in Ghana that upholds the country’s Criminal Offences Act, which criminalises consensual same-sex relations.
According to reports, the Court on Wednesday rejected a case contesting the statute and upheld the possibility of three years in prison for violators.
The country is reportedly awaiting a new court ruling that might include heavier punishments under a new law.
OHCHR Spokesperson Liz Throssell said, “The Court’s ruling on 24 July is especially concerning given reports of a recent spike in violence against LGBTQ+ people in Ghana.”
‘Anti-gay bill’
Ms. Throssell highlighted the legal challenges posed by the recent Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill—a bill that would further criminalise members and allies of the LGBTIQ+ community—which was passed by Parliament in February but has not yet received presidential assent.
She noted that this bill is harmful as it legitimises prejudice and exposes members of this community to violence and other forms of discrimination.
“It expands discriminatory criminal sanctions against LGBTQ+ people and it also criminalizes the work of human rights defenders, medical professionals, teachers, landlords, journalists, and media workers,” she said.
Ms. Throssell urged the Ghanaian Government to adhere to international human rights standards and to “ensure that all people living in Ghana, without exception, are able to live free from violence, stigma and discrimination.”
Russia urged to release activist detained for posting Facebook logo online
Russia must immediately release human rights defender Alexey Sokolov, who was detained for posting the Facebook logo online, two experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Councilsaid on Friday.
In March, a Moscow court banned Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, from operating in Russia for its “extremist activities” and allowing “fake news” about the Russian army in Ukraine on its channels.
Mr. Sokolov was arrested on 5 July on accusations of “repeated demonstration of extremist symbols” for displaying the Facebook logo on the website and Telegram channel of the non-governmental organization (NGO) that he heads.
“The arbitrary arrest and detention of Alexey Sokolov is another example of the severe clampdown on freedom of opinion and expression in Russia since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022,” they said.
“This crackdown is targeting activities of civil society organisations, human rights defenders, independent media and dissenting voices in Russia with the aim of silencing human rights advocacy and anti-war expression.”
Special Rapporteurs and other independent experts are mandated by the UN Human Rights Council to report and advise on specific country situations or thematic issues.
They are not UN staff, serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.
Historic monastery in Palestine inscribed on List of World Heritage in Danger
Also on Friday,
It further noted that inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger enables enhanced international technical and financial assistance mechanisms to guarantee the protection of the property and, if necessary, to help facilitate its rehabilitation.
We do it in our daily life – when we cycle to work or go for a swim. We watch and enjoy it live or on TV. Sport is all around us, representing an integral part of the lives of millions of Europeans. Especially so this summer, after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the biggest global sporting event of all, kicked off yesterday, with an Opening Ceremony broadcasted globally.
For the first time the EU featured very prominently in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony with a performance on a floating barge under the European Union motto “United in diversity”. On the boat were dancers, symbolizing youth, the spirit of openness and dynamism of the EU, who danced to Eurodance music.
This was a unique opportunity for the EU to promote its values such as peace, unity and solidarity, where diversity is a strength, and team spirit a key for success, linking them with those of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games also offer the occasion to highlight the importance of freedom of movement and study in the EU, especially for young people, as well as EU policies and activities linked to support to sports and youth.
We also launched the European medal counter – Team Europe 2024 for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, where you will be able to follow and celebrate the achievements of EU athletes by counting their medals.
But what does the EU do to promote sport?
Sport should be for everyone. That is why the EU promotes it through its Erasmus+ programme, promoting dialogue, support and participation across all areas of sport policy. There is also the European Week of Sport which runs every year from 23 to 30 September, an initiative which promotes benefits of sport and physical activity across Europe at national, regional and local levels.
Making sport accessible for everyone is also about fostering a sense of social inclusion and integration. Every year, the Commission recognises organisations whose work uses the power of sport to improve social inclusion for disadvantaged groups through the #BeInclusive EU Sport Awards. It also works with all EU countries and national sport organisations to raise awareness about the importance of gender equality in sport.
Sport should also be fair, particularly in competitive and professional sports. The EU protects integrity in sport by fighting against doping, which it does by coordinating and sharing information with international partners. When it comes to match-fixing, the Commission takes an active role, as part of wider efforts to ensure competitive sports remain fair.
Through these efforts to make sport fairer, more inclusive and more accessible, the EU is helping to meet its core values of peace, unity, solidarity and diversity. And that’s how it should be. After all, sport plays a vital role, not only in individual health and fitness, but in shaping our wider European society.
The recent article, in Le Monde diplomatique concerning the persecution of Falun Gong in China presents a perspective that minimizes the human rights violations faced by its followers. Of addressing the documented abuses against Falun Gong, the author, Timothée de Rauglaudre seems focused on discrediting the movement and downplaying the severity of Chinas crackdown on it.
De Rauglaudres piece is filled with inaccuracies and omissions showing a bias in favor of the Chinese Communist Partys actions. Than providing journalism it comes across more as a platform for CCP propaganda. Of concern is the authors known stance against religion and his connections to cult movements in France, which may influence his portrayal of Falun Gong.
A significant issue with the article is its disregard for evidence of forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong members, in China.
De Rauglaudre mentions some ” reports” supporting these claims but conveniently overlooks the other credible sources that have also documented this disturbing practice.
For instance he fails to acknowledge the 2006 report, by Canadian Member of Parliament David Kilgour and human rights lawyer David Matas. Following an investigation they determined that the Chinese government and its agencies have been involved in “harvesting organs from Falun Gong practitioners on a large scale.” This report, which the author curiously leaves out is widely respected for its thoroughness and impartiality.
Likewise de Rauglaudre downplays the conclusions of the China Tribunal, an organization established in 2018 to probe forced organ harvesting in China. After listening to over 50 witnesses and examining evidence the Tribunals final ruling stated that “the killing of detainees and the appalling practice of forced organ harvesting have been occurring on a scale throughout China for years.” The Tribunal even suggested that these actions might amount to crimes, against humanity and genocide.
By cherry picking a reports that suit his agenda the writer distorts the truth and raises doubts, about the widespread agreement among human rights groups, legal scholars and medical experts on the organized nature of forced organ harvesting in China.
De Rauglaudres nonchalant dismissal of these documented violations is concerning, given the seriousness of the accusations and the abundance of evidence from international bodies. The United Nations has repeatedly voiced concerns about how Falun Gong adherentsre treated in China. In a 2006 report the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other forms of mistreatment stated;
“The Special Rapporteur remains troubled by reports of deaths in detention facilities…. Accounts depict distressing situations where detainees many linked to Falun Gong perish due to abuse, neglect or lack of care. The alleged acts of torture are so vicious and barbaric that words fail to capture their horror.”
Likewise Human Rights Watch has extensively chronicled the persecution faced by Falun Gong followers. In their 2002 publication ” Meditation; Chinas Crackdown on Falun gong ” they observed;
“The government’s crackdown, on Falun gong has been so comprehensive that it has impacted every facet of society… The campaign has been characterized by efforts to eradicate Falun gong using both force and persuasion with a focus, on coercion.
Amnesty International has consistently expressed concerns about the treatment of Falun Gong followers in China. In a report from 2013 they highlighted that practicing Falun Gong puts individuals at risk of being detained facing unjust trials and enduring torture and mistreatment while in custody.
The authors portrayal of Falun Gong as a “and “movement is misleading. Although the article acknowledges its roots in qigong practices it overlooks the widespread popularity and acceptance of Falun Gong in China before the CCPs persecution campaign.
According to scholar David Palmer there was support for Falun Gong within the elite. Including among law enforcement and military personnel. Prior to the government crackdown. This indicates that the practice was not inherently seen as “scientific” or “anti-social” until it was perceived as a threat to political control, by the CCP.
The authors portrayal of the Falun Gongs beliefs as “reactionary” seems to be an attempt to discredit the movement by linking it with extreme ideologies. However a closer look, at the teachings of Falun Gong reveals a philosophy centered on values like compassion, truthfulness and tolerance. Values that align well with societies.
The articles dismissive treatment of Falun Gongs support and advocacy efforts is concerning. De Rauglaudre portrays the movements outreach as propaganda overlooking international concern and condemnation regarding Chinas persecution of Falun Gong practitioners.
The authors effort to associate Falun Gong supporters in the US and Europe with wing or ” communist” political motives appears to be a tactic to undermine the movements credibility. In reality Falun Gong has received backing from individuals and groups including human rights advocates, religious figures and elected officials spanning political affiliations.
This widespread international backing underscores the seriousness of Falun Gongs situation, than suggesting any anti-communist” agenda.
The global community has strongly condemned the persecution of Falun Gong due, to its violation of human rights. In a statement from 2015 Sophie Richardson, the China director at Human Rights Watch highlighted the severity and unjust nature of the government’s actions against Falun Gong practitioners. The use of torture, detention and forced labor by authorities has raised international concerns.
As concerns grow over the Chinese Communist Partys disregard for rights it is essential for journalists and commentators to address these issues with diligence, objectivity and respect for those who have suffered under rule. Unfortunately the article in Le Monde diplomatique does not meet these standards. Undermines the pursuit of truth and justice.
Sources;
1. Report by David Matas and David Kilgour on Allegations of Organ Harvesting from Falun Gong Practitioners in China (Center for Justice and Accountability July 6 2006).
2. Judgment from The Independent Tribunal on Forced Organ Harvesting from Prisoners of Conscience, in China (China Tribunal, March 1 2020). The United Nations released a report in 2006 by the Special Rapporteur on torture and other forms of inhuman or degrading treatment.
In 2002 Human Rights Watch published a report titled ” Meditation; Chinas Campaign Against Falungong.”
Amnesty International highlighted the crackdown, on Falun Gong and similar organizations in China in 2013.
An article by David A. Palmer titled “The Doctrine of Li Hongzhi; Falun Gong Between Sectarianism and Universal Salvation” was published in Perspectives chinoises in March April 2001.
Human Rights Watch documented cases of torture. Forced confession in China, in 2015.
Dr. Doug Clark (PhD) has crawled into many polar bear dens as a graduate student and in a former job as a park warden.
So many, in fact, that when Clark and his group of researchers identified a large number of previously undocumented dens north of Churchill, Man., – more than 100 kilometres further north than any other documented polar bear dens – he knew they belonged to polar bears.
“We knew these were polar bear dens for a couple of reasons. One, they were in peat deposits … but more to the point, we found polar bear hair,” Clark said.
USask has a long tradition of excellence in polar bear research, and Clark said finding these new dens was positive for both researchers and for polar bear populations. The discovery was recently published in a paper in Arctic Science.
“To me, it’s cause for excitement,” he said. “There is a lot of legitimate concern about this specific population of polar bears in western Hudson Bay.”
The discovery of the dens was completely by chance. Clark, an associate professor in USask’s School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS) and the acting executive director of the school, was in northern Manitoba as part of a research project tracking grizzly bear expansion in the area.
He said they identified what appeared to be a series of polar bear dens during a helicopter flight, which they were able to then confirm along the Caribou River and Seal River.
“Polar bears have a bigger bag of tricks than we usually give them credit for,” he said. “Even though figuring out what’s going on is complicated, seeing polar bears do something like this, whether we’ve overlooked it or whether it’s new or not, they’re doing something that we – the conventional scientific narrative – did not expect.”
Polar bears in this population’s main denning area – 120 km south of these newly-described dens – will travel an average of 50 to 80 kilometres inland to build dens in permafrost-underlain river and lake banks. As Clark puts it, pregnant polar bears and female polar bears with cubs will travel so far at least in part to avoid males, because large males will eat cubs.
While these dens may have been new to the researchers, they weren’t new to the community. Clark said upon their return many Churchill residents confirmed they’d seen the tracks of polar bears with cubs in spring, heading out to the sea ice from inland along those rivers. Thanks to this insight from community members, the researchers believe that some of these dens were maternity dens where females would go to give birth. Other dens may simply have been used temporarily for keeping cool during the area’s brief but hot summers.
Clark said it’s not yet clear how long the newly identified dens had been there for. Some dens further south have been dated as older than 250 years.
“This is important regardless of whether the dens are new or not. If they’re new then something’s changing, but if they’re not, then there may be a chunk of this population of bears that have been overlooked in studies so far,” Clark said.
Many of these “new” dens are located within an Indigenous Protected Area monitored by the Seal River Watershed Alliance (SRWA). Stephanie Thorassie, the executive director of the SRWA, said the connections between researchers and communities play an important role.
“We are excited by the information the science community is finding. At the end of the day, these partnerships with our communities help to reaffirm the knowledge our land users have been talking about, and this feels good to us,” Thorassie said. “We look forward to continuing these partnerships pairing science with our knowledge to get the best understandings of our traditional lands and home.”
Clark said the next steps will be to work with colleagues in the alliance to determine the best approach for figuring out how many of these dens are used, how regularly, and by which bears.
“What I’m hoping is that our work to figure out what’s going on and better understand polar bear denning up in that area can be done with community guidance and leadership,” he said. “I’m really proud of the set of collaborations and relationships that have gone into this research.”
International Energy Net reports that in the first quarter of 2024, China’s electricity generation from wind generators overtook hydropower generation to become the second largest source of electricity, accounting for 11% of the country’s total generation.
Bloomberg reports that Chinese solar manufacturer Longi told analysts that the solar industry could see an oversupply “for up to two years.”
Financial newspaper Caixin reported that China’s energy reform “seems to be at a crossroads,” citing several anonymous industry participants as saying that “next steps will focus on clarifying electricity distribution and trading rights, as well as determining the role of local authorities in the implementation of these reforms”.
The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reports that Chinese scientists have developed a solid-state lithium battery that matches the performance of other “next-generation” batteries at “less than 10% of the cost.” State news agency Xinhua reports that Chinese researchers have created a material that can cool buildings, which could “significantly” reduce carbon emissions.
Separately, Xinhua reported that China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) exports reached 80,000 units in June, up 12.3% year-on-year, and total NEV exports from January to June 2024. has reached 586,000 units, according to data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).
Economic newspaper Yicai reports that the CPCA said China’s auto sales continued to fall in June as “weak demand” for gasoline-powered cars “offset a sharp increase” in NEV sales, which jumped by nearly 29% on an annual basis. Caixin claimed that Chinese car brands “topped” car sales in Israel in the first six months of 2024, adding that almost 70% of NEVs sold in Israel were from China.
Reuters claims that according to the CPCA, the EU‘s provisional tariffs on Chinese NEV imports “reduce by 20-30 percentage points” the growth rate of China’s NEV exports, which have fallen to just 10%. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said it was “disappointed and unable to accept” the EU’s additional tariffs, Yicai wrote. Bloomberg quoted Jorge Toledo, the EU’s ambassador to China, as saying on Sunday that China responded “just nine days ago” to EU requests for talks on the bloc’s anti-subsidy probe, even though Brussels had “offered consultations” to Beijing on the matter. “for months”.
Xinhua reports that on Monday, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a “congratulatory letter” to the Green Development Forum of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries, saying member countries want to “protect the environment and promote green development”.
Bloomberg reports that “another extremely hot summer, accompanied by drought, floods and typhoons, is putting China’s crop harvest at risk and increasing demand for electricity.”
China has allocated 200 million yuan ($27.5 million) to help Hunan and Jiangxi “quickly restore normal production and living conditions” after the extreme weather events in the two provinces. The newspaper reported that Zhengzhou, the provincial capital Henan, has issued a blue flood warning as “the rainfall… lasted for nine hours, accumulating more than 110 mm.
Illustrative Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh: https://www.pexels.com/photo/wind-mills-on-land-against-cacti-in-countryside-6416345/
European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. (Credit: THIX Photo)
On 18 July 2024, the European Court of Human Rights examined nine complaints filed by Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia who were subjected to illegal searches, arrests, and convictions because of their religious beliefs. The Russian Federation is obliged to pay 156,000 euros as financial compensation compensation and 4,000 euros in legal costs to Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Valeriy Moskalenko paid the fine imposed on him. Irina Buglak continues to serve a suspended sentence. Dmitriy Barmakin, sentenced to eight years in prison, is awaiting his transfer to a penal colony. And the case of Roman Makhnev is expected to go to court soon.
According to the ECHR decision, the Russian Federation violated three provisions of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in relation to the applicants.
Thus, the court called the detention of the believers in metal cages during the hearings a manifestation of degrading treatment (Article 3), and considered detention, searches and seizure of property ungrounded and illegal (Article 5). The ECHR also found that the applicants had been subjected to arbitrary criminal prosecution merely for practicing their faith, which was in violation of the Article on Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religion (Article 9).
Russia ceased to be a party to the European Convention on Human Rights on September 16, 2022, but the consideration of these complaints is still within the jurisdiction of the ECHR because they cover incidents that took place in 2018-2020.
A backlog of over 3,600,000 EUR fines decreed by the ECHR still unpaid to Jehovah’s Witnesses
The Russian Federation remains obliged to pay the financial compensation to the believers, including under other decisions of the European Court. The total amount already exceeds 3,600,000 euros.
On June 7, 2022, the ECHR declared illegal
the liquidation of the administrative center and another 395 legal entities of Jehovah’s Witnesses by Russia,
the ban on their activities,
the seizure of property,
the prohibition of printing their publications and
The decision was issued in the case “Taganrog LRO and others v. Russia”, in 2022, in which a total of 20 complaints filed by Jehovah’s Witnesses from 2010 to 2019 were combined.
The total number of applicants was 1444, of which 1014 are individuals and 430 are legal entities (some applicants appear in more than one complaint). According to the ruling, in total, Russian Federation is obliged to pay the applicants EUR 3,447,250 in respect of non-pecuniary damage and to return the seized property (or pay EUR 59,617,458).
By its actions, Russia violated the provisions of several articles of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms: right of personal freedom (Article 5), freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Article 9), freedom of expression (Article 10) and freedom of assembly and association (Article 11). In addition, Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 (the right to respect for property) was violated.
Yaroslav Sivulsky of the European Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses said: “We are grateful to the Strasbourg Court for its authoritative qualified legal understanding of the unprecedented situation that has developed in Russia with Jehovah’s Witnesses. We hope that today’s ruling will help the Russian authorities to restore the rule of law and rights in relation to more than 175,000 believers of our religion in the near future.”
After the era of Soviet repressions had ended in the early 1990s, Jehovah’s Witnesses received official registration in Russia in 1992. Thereafter, their meetings for worship were attended by up to 290,000 people. In 2017, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation liquidated all legal entities and confiscated hundreds of religious buildings. Police crackdowns and searches started again and hundreds of believers were sent to jail for years.
The Greek police have sent a letter to the Holy Kinotis (the community of representatives of the 20 Athos monasteries that make up the leadership of Mount Athos) asking for assistance in complying with a court order to release the Esphygmen Monastery, which has been held by schismatics for several decades .
Kinotis discussed the letter from the Greek police and asked for further information on how the operation would proceed, as well as assurances that there would be no incidents similar to those of 2013 or of December 2006, when footage of bloodied monks from the old and new brotherhood of the “Esphigmen” was circulated by the media, and wounded on both sides were hospitalized after a fierce battle. It was decided to ask the Police Directorate of Athos to clarify its request regarding monasteries to host a large number of police officers for a long period of time, as well as to clarify exactly what the police mean about the use of the roads and the passage of large vehicles on them.
Meanwhile, the deadlines, at least for this period, are very short. Enforcement is prohibited for the period from August 1 to 31, as provided for in the Greek Code of Civil Procedure, so any action by the bailiff to vacate the buildings can be taken until next Wednesday, July 31. Otherwise, the procedure will be repeated from September onwards.
This was reached after two decisions of Greek courts – the Court of First Instance of the regional city of Poligiros in 2018 regarding real estate owned by the schismatics, and the Court of Appeal of Thessaloniki in 2020 regarding movable property. The two decisions were appealed by the Zealots at the Esphygmen Monastery, but the requests for annulment were rejected and made final by a decision of the Supreme Court in June 2023. Now a bailiff has taken over the execution of the decisions, and the Police Directorate of Athos is asking for assistance to that the judgments of the court may be executed and the buildings of “Esphigmen” may be vacated.
So far, the state has made many attempts to restore order on the Holy Mountain, the most dramatic being the attempt in 2013, when it came to incidents. The schismatic monks threw Molotov cocktails at the bailiff and the team that smashed the entrance to the Konak (the monastery’s representative office in Kareia, the administrative center of Athos) of Esphygmen using heavy machinery. These incidents resulted in several monks being sentenced to years in prison, and among those convicted was the abbot of the Zealots, Methodius.
According to the statutes of the Holy Mountain, schismatics who are not part of the canonical Orthodox Church cannot rule any of the twenty monasteries. At the same time, in the monastic republic there are separate Zealot cells inhabited by monks who are not in communion with the canonical Church and are part of various old-calendar factions. The Esphygmen Monastery was officially declared schismatic in 2002 and has since become a banner of the “church resistance” of various movements – Old Calendarists protesting against the ecumenism of the Ecumenical Patriarch, COVID-dissidents, opponents of the “official church” from all Orthodox countries, supporters of the so-called non-systemic parties, populist political movements, etc. His “Orthodoxy or Death” black flag, raised in 1974, became a byword for religious fanaticism. Any attempt to restore order on Athos was met with reactions “in defense of the persecuted for the faith” in Athens and outside Greece. Such a wave of sympathy for the Zealots in “Esphygmen” is now also rising in Russian media, because it is an opportunity for another attack on the Ecumenical Patriarchate, without mentioning that the Esphygmen monks are not in church communion with any local church, including and with the Russian Orthodox Church. The case is used by the zealots themselves as another opportunity to reinforce their image as “confessors”, an image that religious people are very sympathetic to.
Already in October 2022, the Greek newspaper “Kathimerini” wrote about a police investigation in connection with Russian money transfers to private accounts of Mount Athos
The Anti-Money Laundering Department then investigated suspicious money transfers from abroad to individual accounts of monks from Mount Athos. In 2022, the case developed without much fanfare, with a new development received after the start of the war in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed by the West on individuals and legal entities associated with the Kremlin, which has traditionally maintained close ties with the monastic republic.
A source of the publication familiar with the matter revealed that there are at least twenty transactions that in the last twelve months are considered suspicious and are being investigated by the officials of the service. It is about the movement of large sums of money from banks and foreign money transfer companies, and the money ends up not in the accounts of monasteries, which in the recent past were visited by high-ranking Russian officials, but in the individual accounts of monks from Mount Athos. Competent sources explain that these transactions were considered suspicious by credit institutions in the country mainly because they involved transfers of unusually large sums amounting to tens and even hundreds of thousands of euros. In one case, a transfer of more than one million euros was discovered, but the investigation concluded that the money was intended to finance a mission in Africa.
Most of the money transfers investigated are related to funds coming from Russia. The newspaper’s sources clarified that the money found in the monks’ accounts did not come from legal entities or individuals that have been subject to war-related sanctions since February last year. One of the scenarios being considered is that wealthy Russians have decided to move their money out of Russia with the help of Athos monks to preserve their funds in the event of a collapse of their country’s financial institutions or even a freeze on their funds by Kremlin because of the war.
For the same reason, in recent months a number of Russians have undertaken or expressed interest in buying properties in Greece.
“No evidence has emerged to fully corroborate the information that the transactions are part of a broader, organized effort by Russia to infiltrate the Holy Mountain,” a knowledgeable source said. “These efforts are taking place mainly through business circles and political circles,” he added, referring to the recent data of the US intelligence services on the transfer of three hundred million dollars from Russia to parties and politicians in Greece since 2014.
In addition to the funds of Russian origin, several of the cash deposits of monks from Mount Athos, which are the subject of the investigation by the Anti-Money Laundering Department, were made by people from Balkan countries, mainly Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria. The auditors do not exclude the possibility that this is money from illegal activities that is legalized in the form of donations to the monks.
On July 23, 2024, Archdeacon Andrey Kuraev was admitted to the clergy of the Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Lithuania in response to his request, according to an official announcement of the Exarchate. Specifically, it says:
“Archdeacon Andrei, born in 1963, is a famous theologian and missionary, author of many books and doctor of philosophy and theology. During his more than thirty years of ministry, he has brought many people to Christ. Since 2013, because of his criticism of the activities of the Moscow Patriarchate and against Patriarch Kirill, he has been subject to various repressions by the Church and the Russian state. For condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine, the cleric was fined twice and declared a “foreign agent”. In 2023, Patriarch Kirill deprived him of his holy rank, but in April 2024, the Ecumenical Patriarch accepted his appeal and, after examining the basis of the accusation, decided that Archdeacon Andrey Kuraev was deprived of his holy rank not for religious, but for political reasons reasons, in connection with which Fr. Andrei was restored in the same condition. He will continue his clerical ministry as Archdeacon of the Lithuanian Exarchate. Archdeacon Andrey Kuraev will continue his church service as a missionary and will not be tied to any parish, but will continue to preach the Gospel in different cities and countries, observing church rules.”
The Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Lithuania was registered at the beginning of 2024. The establishment of this ecclesiastical jurisdiction came about after Vilnius Metropolitan Innokenty (ROC) removed under pressure from Moscow five priests, until then his close associates, because of their public opposition to the pro-war policy of the Moscow Patriarchate. They were also among the first priests deprived of their rank for this reason, who filed a complaint with the Ecumenical Patriarch and were restored to ministry. Later, they were joined by other priests from Belarus and Russia.
Currently, the Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Lithuania does not have its own bishop, and its exarch is Fr. Justin Kiviloo, who is originally from Estonia.
Meanwhile, according to information on his personal page, the former cleric of the Russian Orthodox Church Peter (Eremeev) became a cleric of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church on May 1, 2024.
Peter (in the world Ruslan Nikolaevich Eremeev; born December 2, 1973, Armavir, Krasnodar Krai) is an Orthodox cleric. From December 6, 1998 to March 11, 2024 – a cleric of the Russian Orthodox Church. From April 3, 2024 to April 30, 2024 – a cleric of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. From May 1, 2024 – a cleric of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Doctor of Theology (2004). Rector of the Russian Orthodox University of St. John the Theologian (2010-2021). Abbot of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Stavropegic Monastery (2013-2021). Chairman of the Commission for Work with Universities and the Scientific Community under the Diocesan Council of the City of Moscow (2019-2021). Rector of the Church of the Resurrection of the Word at the Vagankovskoye Cemetery (2013-2023). Chairman of the Interdepartmental Commission on the Education of Monastics of the Russian Orthodox Church (2016-2024). Editor-in-chief of the official periodical of the Synodal Department for Monasteries and Monasticism – the magazine “Monastic Herald” (2014-2024).
Ban from priesthood and defrocking in the Moscow Patriarchate
On November 9, 2023, he was dismissed by the patriarch from the post of acting rector of the Church of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki in the village of Dmitrovskoye, Krasnogorsk District, Moscow Region. According to the information contained in the appeal of the employees and parishioners of the church in Dmitrovskoye to Patriarch Kirill, the pretext for the removal of the rector was the imitation of the disappearance of icons from the church, organized by Abbess Xenia (Chernega). As a result, Chernega took Yeremeyev’s place. On December 22 of the same year, during an official business trip to Bulgaria, carried out with the blessing of the Patriarch, he was removed from the post of rector of the Church of the Resurrection of the Word at the Vagankovskoye Cemetery and banned from serving. Publications about violations in the parishes of the abbot began to appear on the Internet. In May 2024, Peter (Yeremeyev) himself rejected all accusations: “My obligations to the Moscow Diocese were fully fulfilled by the end of 2023. I transferred the affairs of the Church of the Great Martyr Demetrius of Thessaloniki in Dmitrovskoye and the affairs of the newly built church complex on Nikolina Gora, as well as the affairs of the Church of the Resurrection of the Word at the Vagankovskoye Cemetery to the newly appointed rectors. The Audit Commission of the Moscow Diocese conducted an audit of the financial, property and other aspects of the parish activities and drew up the required acts of acceptance and transfer of the churches. There were no comments on the part of the Audit Commission and the new rectors regarding the results of the audit and transfer of cases.” However, on February 8, 2024, by decision of the diocesan court of the city of Moscow, he was defrocked, citing the fact that Abbot Peter ignored three summonses to court. The decision was to come into force after approval by Patriarch Kirill. By Decree of Patriarch Kirill No. U-02/39 of March 11, 2024, the court decision came into force. According to the statement of Hegumen Peter (Eremeev): “none of the three indicated summonses to the church court were sent to me: not to my passport registration address, not to my email, not to my public messengers on social networks.” Having called the decision illegal, he appealed it to the court of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
In the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
In April 2024, the court of the Patriarchate of Constantinople positively considered the appeal of Hegumen Peter, after which he was accepted into the clergy of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. This did not become known immediately.
On April 20, 2024, he was seen co-serving with the bishops and clergy of the Plovdiv Diocese of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Among those attending the service were Metropolitan Nikolay (Sevastianov) of Plovdiv, vicar bishops Arseny (Lazarov) and Vissarion (Grivov).
After receiving the letter of release, the abbot was accepted into the staff of the Plovdiv Metropolitanate.
Illustrative photo: Orthodox icon “The Parable of the Good Samaritan”
On July 28th Russian Patriarch Kirill awarded Vladimir Putin with the Church Order “St. Alexander Nevsky – First Class” in St. Petersburg, expressing his satisfaction with the complete agreement between the church and the authorities in Russia, informes Interfax.ru. On the day of the president’s name day, he declared that Putin is “the first truly Orthodox president of Russia.” The patriarch expressed his joy that the two “share the responsibility for the development of the country today”, which, according to him, is very positive,. “Today, the government and the church together strengthen traditional values and contribute to the patriotic education of the youth,” said the Russian Patriarch.
Patriarch Kirill also congratulated Putin on the Day of the Baptism of Rus, which is celebrated in Russia on July 28.
The Order of the Holy Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky is a general ecclesiastical award of the Russian Orthodox Church, is included in the list of the highest orders of the Russian Orthodox Church and is the fifth highest order of the Russian Orthodox Church. The order’s motto is “God is not in might, but in truth.” The order has three degrees. The Order was established by decree of Patriarch Kirill and the Holy Synod on April 13, 2021, on the occasion of the 800th anniversary of the Blessed Prince Alexander Nevsky.
The Order of Alexander Nevsky is awarded to: military personnel, diplomats, statesmen, clergy, monastics and laymen who have made an outstanding contribution to the defense and prosperity of the Fatherland, to the strengthening of peace and harmony between the peoples living in it, to the development of interstate relations relations, the external relations of the Russian Orthodox Church and who also made an outstanding personal contribution to the perpetuation of the feat of the noble prince, including the construction of temples and other monuments associated with his name.
Photo: Prince Alexander Nevsky. Miniature from the Tsarskiy titulyarnik (Tsar’s Book of Titles).
Note: Prince Alexander Nevsky (1221-1263) at different times had the titles of prince of Novgorod, Kiev, and later – grand prince of Vladimir. He received the nickname Nevsky after his victory over the Swedish army in the battle of July 15, 1240. He won many military victories and also became famous as a politician and diplomat. In 1547, Alexander Nevsky was canonized as a saint.
