U.S.S … A?

“The President of the United States George Bush forbade the American Ambassador to Ukraine, John Herbst, to attend the Holy Protection Monastery in Kiev.

This was reported to correspondents of New Region by parishioners of St. Nicholas Church, which is found on the territory of the monastery.

The ambassador told the believers that the American leadership is unhappy with his visits to the monastery, which belongs to the “Moscow Church.”

Earlier, Kievites regularly saw Herbst praying in the Nikolsky Church of the Holy Protection Monastery of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, where the American Ambassador even baptized his children.

We should be reminded that the Nikolsky Church is found close to the American Embassy to Ukraine.”

From a FWD, taken from an article in Russian H E R E.

Commentary from a ROCOR protopriest, Fr Alexander Lebedeff:

Hey–look at that! Isn’t that classic “Sergianism,” with the State (this time ours) interfering in religious affairs and matters of conscience of believers?

Now, contrast that with a different note, from [the] ROCOR Bishop Agafangel (Odessa). On his site:

Bishop Agafangel reports that the same John Herbst, Ambassador of the United States to Ukraine, has been elected at the Diocesan Assembly of the Odessa diocese to be the lay representative of the Diocese at the All-Diasporan Council of the Church Abroad in San Francisco next year, as he is a parishioner of our Church in Malin.

Of course, seeing as how Ambassadors are in charge of CIA intelligence gathering (civil and military)–since the CIA bureau chief in the Embassy reports to the Ambassador–we have even more “Sergianist” overtones.

How can we then accuse the MP of KGB ties and close ties to the government, when we are electing our own high-ranking U.S. government officials with CIA connections to be delegates at our Church Councils?

Besides, if he attends the MP church in Kiev, how can he be elected as a delegate to the ROCOR Council?

Ah, yes. In the words of Winston Churchill, “Russia … a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” What happens when you add to the mix Orthodoxy & DC?

UPDATE: Here’s the reply from Mr Herbst’s daughter making its way ’round the Net …

Dear Fr. Alexander and list members,

I am John Herbst’s eldest daughter.

When I read the ridiculous article about my father that Fr. Alexander posted on this list this morning, my initial reaction was amusement. To what depths had this journalist sunk in order to get a “scoop?” Not even having spoken to my parents about it yet, I knew that none of it was true.

First, and most verifiably false, is the statement that I and my four siblings were baptized at Pokrovsky Monastir’. Being that I am 27 and my youngest brother is 13, none of us were baptized in Ukraine. We were all baptized in ROCOR churches in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Lakewood, N.J. You can check the records if you’d like.

Second, whatever you think about the president, he doesn’t give two hoots about where my family attends services. And even if President Bush really did care, my father is a successful diplomat who has served his country with aplomb for 25 years. He wouldn’t risk his dignity or his career by kvetching to the babushki after the service.

So, I read the article, and laughed to myself, thinking “What garbage,” and “Why on earth would they print such drivel?”

But then I continued to Father’s comments below the article. I was shocked and disappointed. Shocked because, naively, I had not until this moment realized what malice and willful deceit had penetrated the current debate in our church. Disappointed, because I would have hoped that my father’s service to our church during the Jericho takeover (due largely, by the way, to his status as a “high-ranking government official”) would have accorded him a modicum of respect and some reprieve from vindictive and unsubstantiated attacks. At the very least, Father, couldn’t you have tried to verify the story before posting it along with your implicit belief in its merit? My father would have been happy to answer your concerns.

Yes, my father was asked to serve as a representative of our parish in Malin. Yes, he, my mother, and my siblings who still live at home, attend that parish. They do often go to other (MP) churches, as Malin is several hours away from Kiev by car. There are many beautiful and historical churches in Kiev, and my family is of course taking advantage of the opportunity to visit them. However, they only commune in Malin. This does not diminish their membership in ROCOR. Again, I am surprised that I even have to explain this.

As for Pokrovsky Monastir’, my entire family attended Nativity services there in January 2004. But last winter, during the elections, the sermons there became filled with such anti-American bile that my family understandably became uncomfortable. So they stopped going to Pokrovsky, and began attending services at other churches in Kiev during the weeks that they did not make it to Malin.

As far as the other comments go, I am reluctant to dignify them with a response. But, I am afraid that others will read them and believe them without question if I do not object. There is an allegation in your posting, Father, that my father shouldn’t participate in the council because he works for the government. As a priest, you should know better than anyone that the Lord calls people to service not only in our churches and monasteries, but in other capacities as well. We don’t all have the opportunity to shed our secular lives and seek refuge in the Church, but it doesn’t diminish our ability or responsibility to participate in the life of ROCOR.

Fr. Alexander, if you knew my father, you would know that he is a thinking man of integrity, who values rational thought and discourse, who would rather uncover the truth through reason than malign another from afar, and who, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is capable of thoughtful and meaningful participation in the church’s debate. If you had attempted to verify anything that you wrote or posted, you would have discovered these things.

On the issue of union, there can, of course, be rational disagreement. I hope that, in the future, the debate can proceed without baseless and irresponsible slander.

Forgive me for my boldness, Father, but I could not take your comments sitting down. I hope that I have clarified some things for you and for this list.

In Christ,
Masha Herbst