The scandals around celebrating the 1020th baptism anniversary of Russia continue to escalate in Kiev. Yesterday, the city’s authorities banned from installing billboards with the image of His Holiness Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow and All Russia. Of interest is that downtown Kiev is full of billboards showing Patriarch Bartholomew I and President Viktor Yushchenko. The slogan reads: "Ukraine Greets Patriarch Bartholomew I."
Photo: Alexander Techinsky
| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
Between Two Patriarchies
The scandals around celebrating the 1020th baptism anniversary of Russia continue to escalate in Kiev. Yesterday, the city’s authorities banned from installing billboards with the image of His Holiness Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow and All Russia, who will arrive to attend the celebration. The erection of the stage for Yuri Shevchuk’s DDT concert on Maidan Nezalezhnosty Square had been suspended a day before.
The fact that Kiev City Hall banned from installing billboards with the image of Alexei II was reported by Yuri Molchanov from the Day of Russia’s Taking Baptism Public Organization. “A group of believers addressed the City Hall with the initiative to hang in the city the pictures of Alexei II taken in front of St. Basil Cathedral and Kiev Pechora Laura with the inscription: Ukraine Welcomes Its Patriarch,” Molchanov said.
Canonically, Ukraine is the territory of Russia’s Orthodox Church.
The visit of His Holiness Patriarch Alexei II of Moscow and All Russia to Ukraine has been slated for July 25 to 28. The Patriarch was invited by President Viktor Yushchenko to attend the celebration of the 1020th baptism anniversary of Russia. Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople will accompany Alexei II in this tour by invitation of the latter.
According to Molchanov, the ad agencies of Kiev, where the layouts of Alexei II billboards were provided have abruptly refused to execute the order.
“Representatives of agencies said they had calls, including from Kiev Vice Mayor Sergei Rudyk, with the strict demand not to install the billboards under de-licensing threat.” Of interest is that downtown Kiev is full of billboards showing Patriarch Bartholomew I and President Yushchenko.
“The face and name of Alexei II probably irritate the Ukrainian leadership, they fear his authority, and therefore, banned posters with his image,” explained Moscow Religious Academy Deacon Andrei Kuraev.
As to the DDT performance in Ukrainian capital, the famous rock group has been finally authorized to give it in Kreshchatnik instead of the Nezalezhnosty Square of Kiev.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of July 24, 2008
|
|
|
