Konstantine Preobrazhensky:
Poisonings in the Russian Church Abroad
Photo: Prominent Orthodox theologian and Ecclesiastical historian, ROCOR Archpriest Lev Lebedev in his study in Kursk. Here the ROCOR St. Trinity community held liturgies in the 1990-s. The photo was taken only days prior to Fr. Lev Lebedev's departure for the Council of Bishops in New York, where the Father died untimely on April 16/29, 1998 at the age of 63.
Poisoning of Archpriest Lebedev
Konstantine Prebrazhensky
Poisonings in the Russian Church Abroad
1 What was Archpriest Lev Lebedev poisoned for?
Subjugation of Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia by [the KGB-connected] Moscow [Patriarchate] bears a strong aftertaste of criminality. KGB [had] killed quite many of its priests, the best ones, at that. Some in the Russian emigration were [well] aware of this but preferred to remain silent. Certain people – out of false patriotism, others – because they themselves [had] worked for the KGB. This is why I had to resort to my full-fledged experience as a former Soviet intelligence analyst in order to reconstruct the approximate picture of events, [through] interviewing a lot of people.
In late April 1998, in the New York building of the ROCOR Synod, its Russian priest from Kursk, Archpriest Lev Lebedev died a strange death. He was an irréconciliable opponent of a merge with the Moscow Patriarchate (ROCOR-MP union). The first Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Vitaly, invited him to [New York to] address the bishops in order to open up their eyes to the fatality of this union. But the eyes of bishops were already intent on Moscow. They preferred to get rid soon [rather] of Metropolitan Vitaly and threw him out of office.
Russian priest Lev Lebedev acquainted the Council [Synod] attendees with his report, but soon after was found dead in a guest room of the Synodal building, a day before [not remaining alive to see] the opening of the Bishops' Council on May 5, 1998. The former cell-attendant of Metropolitan Vitaly, Fr. [sub-deacon] Paul Iwaszewicz, told me that an unauthorized person could easily penetrate that room through the balcony door. Many of the young employees of the Synod did so very often when they lost the keys to the front door. Certainly this was known to KGB. Who was the night guest of the Kursk Archpriest – a hitman from the Russian Consulate in New York, covered there as a mass-sports organizer? Or a Russian illegal spy [covered as an immigrant]? The recent murder in London of Alexander Litvinenko (Nov 2006) shows that the KGB has a variety of [means and] ways.
Some of the witnesses of those events believe that Fr. Lev Lebedev was poisoned as early as still on board of the "Aeroflot" plane on his way to New York, since he felt ill after his arrival. Well, that can also happen sometimes, inasmuch as "Aeroflot" up to this day still remains a branch of the KGB, and [journalist] Anna Politkovskaya was also attempted to be poisoned exactly on the plane in 2004 so she may not go to Beslan.
All power in the ROCOR Synod had already been captured by the pro-Moscow grouping by that time, and it kept the report [of Fr. Lev Lebedev] silent. Its text was even reckoned lost, but we reproduce the record from a private archive. One can see in God's providence in this, for the prophetic meaning of Archpriest Lev Lebedev's words is coming to the fore in these days [of ours] when the heretical Moscow Patriarchate had began crumbling down even prior to the union with the [Russian] Church Abroad. Indeed, the riot of the MP bishop Dyomid of Chukotka was but a beginning.
Here is the text of Archpriest Lev Lebedev's report:
"To the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia. 1998, New York
1. The current period [we are living in].
The world, the mankind is ever more and more rapidly sinking into Sodom and Gomorrah, irresistibly moving towards the completion of the new tower of Babel - the new world order, i.e. to the Antichrist. He will be followed by the Second Glorious Coming of Christ. This namely is the essence of the times we are living through.
2. The Situation of Orthodoxy.
Against the background of these global phenomena and in relation to them it is particularly grievous that the majority of the once-Orthodox local Churches – through the ecumenical and inter-religious movement – is actively engaging into the all-world construction and engage their congregations in the Ziggurat (center) of that Babylon. The only island of God's truth in this world has until now remained the Russian Church Abroad. Other small islands of standing firm in the truth are some old-Calendar unifications [Churches] of Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, [as well as] individual zealots of Orthodoxy in other countries.
3. The situation of the Moscow "patriarchy".
Lawless (non-canonical) in its origin, the Moscow Patriarchate in ITS VERY ESSENCE is such a church organization which (ever since 1927) UNDER THE GUISE of serving Christ has actively been SERVING THE ANTICHRIST. That is why it is not surprising at all, but is quite natural, that currently the MP is actively involved in completion of the construction of the Babylon of the new world order, which is precisely and correctly stated in the "Address" of the Council of the Russian hierarchs of the ROCOR of October 30 - November 12 in the town of Yalta.
Certain splashes of anti-ecumenical sentiments in the bosom of the MP, as well as individual protests by some of its priests against the countless other apostasies [deviations] from the truth are nothing more than weak convulsions of a dying or already dead body.
All this is due to the fact that the current Russian-speaking population of the Russian Federation, its Orthodox believers part included, has been in a state of a TOTAL FAITH IN LIES, typical of people of the times of the Antichrist and described by Apostle Paul as GOD'S PUNISHMENT for the fact that "they received not the love of the truth" (2 Thess. 2: 10-11).
4. The situation of Russian-speakers in Russia.
The entire Russian Orthodox people in general (about 80 millions native Russians alone) [1], together with the Holy Rus' in its foundation, has been PHYSICALLY DESTROYED in the period from 1917 to 1945, in just 28 years! Thus, the Lord has arranged for the Russian people – through a crucifixion on the historical Calvary – a VICTORIOUS RESURRECTION in the Upper Jerusalem of the Heavenly Kingdom, by withdrawing this people out of the contemporary historical process. At the same time – since 1917 – and onwards – the so called NEW "Soviet" people has been artificially cultivated in the Soviet Union, or "a new historical community", as the Communist party and government of the USSR called it in 1977. But in actual fact that "new Soviet people" proved even not a people, since it felt no sense of unity, but only a conglomeration of a RUSSIAN-SPEAKING POPULATION, that fell apart in small fragments after 1991 [the year of dissolution of the Soviet Union]. Therefore, APART FROM A VERY SMALL REMNANT OF RUSSIANS ABROAD, on earth THERE IS NO LONGER ANY RUSSIAN PEOPLE.
5. Status of the Russian-speaking faithful [believers].
Typical for the Russian-speaking faithful [believers] in Russia is the predominance of earthly [material] interests over the spiritual ones, a rogue nature of psychology, faith in [believing] lies, "the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable". (Rev. 21.8). The witchcraft and sorcery are extraordinarily widespread. NOBODY IS LOOKING FOR Christ and His truth, everybody looks for [after] their own same[-minded]. The mostly eloquent phenomenon has become the fact that after 1990-1991, in a situation of GENUINE FREEDOM OF CONSCIENCE in Russia, THERE TOOK PLACE NO massive, all-national return [conversion] of Russian-speakers to the Church, to Christ.
A certain trifle upsurge of faith and an influx of young people into the Church did take place, but now even these phenomena are fading away. In case data are not [to be] inflated, then today in the Russian Federation there are no more than 15-20 million of Orthodox faithful, and regularly attending church are half of them. According to the MP information, if in 1993 their income from voluntary donations of people was 43% of all their gross income, in 1997 they were only 6%! The rest money MP is getting from usury, oil trading, vodka, tobacco, and other types of "business", including some very obscure foreign sources .
They also say that in Russia, and even among the adepts of MP, there are still many pious, zealously struggling in prayer and fasting people. But there are a lot of them among Catholics and Protestants in all Western countries too. But you should know that this is not the rays of sunrise, but the last rays of the sunset. Sometimes on a large garbage dump you can find antiques, icons, and even gold items, but it is not a palace or a temple, but namely garbage dump...
100 years ago, in 1899, Archbishop Anthony (Khrapovitsky), referring to the DE-CHURCHED PART of the Russian society of his time, wrote: "This is not a people but a rotting corpse, whose own decay they mistakes for life and they live on it and in it there are only moles, worms and filthy insects... for in a living body they would be no satisfaction of their thirst, there would be no life for them" (trans. – Thalberg, History of the Russian Church. Jordanville, 1959, p. 831). At the end of the 19th c. – the beginning of this 20th century, that rotting part of the Russian population constituted about 5-6%. Now, at the end of the 20th century, in Russia it constituted 94-95%. The entire Russian Federation as a whole is a "Rotting corpse".
6. The situation of the ROCOR regarding the MP.
It is impossible not to recognize that this situation of the population in general is fully consistent with the apostate, heretical and criminal status of the vast majority of the MP hierarchy, being one of the "moles" or "worms", thirstily [greedily] devouring from the rotting corpse what is still possible to catch and eat.
In that case what common may there be between the Russian Church Abroad and the Moscow "patriarchy"? NOTHING! Hence, any "dialogues" or "talks" with the MP in order to clarify what separates [divides] us, and that unites us – this is either an utter misunderstanding of the essence of things – or a betrayal of the truth of God and the Church. We are separated literally by ALL! And we are united by NOTHING, except for the churches' OUTER appearance, the clerical vestments and the services for the rites (and that by far is not in everything!)
Therefore, we must clearly recognize and officially approve that now ROCOR is no PART of the Russian Church but is the ONLY [ONE] legal Russian Church IN ALL ITS ENTIRETY! We also need to understand that the Moscow "patriarchy" is well aware of this. That is exactly why it is seeking RECOGNITION for itself – as it is (i.e. without refuting apostasy and heresy) – on the part of the ROCOR Council [of Bishops]. Such a "recognition" of MP by the ROCOR would convey to MP a VISIBILITY [seemingness] of full legitimacy in the eyes of the world. But we should not allow this.
ROCOR needs to abandon its dreams and illusions concerning the "revival" of Russia. Unless there be some sort of extraordinary and unpredictable intervention of God in human affairs, and by His allowance and providence everything will run as it is, then with Russia it's all over. God forbid that we – out of excessive attachment to her – fall together with her into the abyss of perdition. We need now only firmly "hold what you have." And if still the soul feels sore about the Russian-speakers in Russia, then only WITH CONSTANT AND FIRM EXPOSING OF the MP, and not by flirting with it, one may bring to salvation [salvage] in Russia those who are still looking for salvation and is able to accept it.
It is therefore necessary to return to the position of intolerance of the MP, which originally occupied the Russian Church Abroad.
And one should not – under the pretext of "good for the Church" and of improving its "administration" – wobble the authority of the First Hierarch of ROCOR, who has the ability to distinguish truth from falsehood and to make distinction [distinguish] between spirits.
In recent years ROCA has been befallen by a number of disasters, one after the other. Especially scary was the murder of the custodian of the Iberon myrrh-streaming icon Joseph Munoz and the hiding away of the icon itself. Let us recall that miracle-working from it started in 1982. Before that, in 1981, the ROCOR glorified amidst the rank of the Saints the Russian New Martyrs helmed by the Imperial Family, and the anathema on the ecumenical heresy was proclaimed in 1983. It is clear that myrrh-streaming of the Iberon icon was a sign of God's approval of the firm standing in the truth against any lies, the lies of MP included. But there – after the much undecided decision of the Council of Bishops of 1993-1994 and the follow-up steps by some of our bishops towards rapprochement with the MP – there began, one after the other, such disasters, as certainly testify to a retreat of God's pleasing towards our Church for its apostasy from the truth. How many more ills would the advocates of fraternization with the criminal and heretical MP wish to bring down onto our heads?"
* * *
Well, could the KGB corps of agents leave such a conclusion without punishment? Could it allow the ROCOR Archpriest Lev Lebedev further continue his hostile activities?
The cause of his death has not been established, although medicine in New York is more or less better than that in Kursk. Fr. Lev's body was ferried with suspicious haste back home.
However, an unexpected event in the recent fall of 2010 shed further light on the circumstances of Archpriest Lev Lebedev's death.
Staged then was a sex scandal surrounding monk Vsevolod Filip'ev who had come to the Jordanville monastery in the early 1990-s from the Russian Federation and had evolved into one of the major figures in the deed of subjugating to Moscow the [Russian] Orthodox Church.
His biography is rather strange. Here's how Wikipedia sets it out:
"He was born in Moscow on July 5, 1969 in a family of communists. In 1990 he entered the brotherhood of the Valaam monastery, where his confessor became Hieroschemamonk Raphael (Berestov)."
Involuntarily the question arises: what did he do before he turned twenty-one? What's his civilian profession? Did he do his military service, and if not, then why? After all, monkhood does not exempt from military service, otherwise Russian monasteries would have enjoyed a rush flow-in of hundreds of thousands of recruits wishing to escape the drudgery of military service. By the existing rules in the Russian federation, one first needs serve in the army, pay to others the debts to the world, and then go to a monastery. But all this, alas, is covered by the darkness of secrecy. However, the following paragraph in Wikipedia looks like an anecdote, generally speaking:
"In 1992, fascinated by the works of Seraphim (Rose), he moved to reside in the US, where he entered the brotherhood of the Holy Trinity [men's] Monastery."
Let us all, dear readers, go passionate for the works of Seraphim Rose and move to reside in the US! Yes, but will they receive us there, there's a question! Inconsistencies of this sort, strange coincidences and shut-mouth all indicate a participation in the security services. Furthermore, our monk could well have graduated any School of the KGB towards his 21 years of age, the time-span looks right, since studying at such a school takes four years. This may also explain the lack of service in the army, since all Russian security services are military organizations. If you hit the number of their troops, it's no longer needed to pull the soldier's strap.
At the Jordanville monastery they were virtually waiting for him (which is also fully possible since it was already full there of Soviet agents). Somehow [for a reason unknown] Vsevolod Filip'ev immediately became the right hand of the then head of the ROCOR, Metropolitan Laurus, and was all the time with him to his dying hour.
After that monk Filip'ev immediately left America and popped up in Moscow. And in October 2010 placed on the Internet were videos with scenes of the monk "falling into sins", as well as his phone conversations with prostitutes. It turned out he was suffering both of sadomasochistic complex, and a number of sexually transmitted diseases, he's accustomed to whipping prostitutes, and pimps them to other men...
Of course, for any civil person this is no scandal, but for a monk, and at that – so well known... These events showed he was no monk at all, but rather, simply an operational intelligence officer. Having arrived in Moscow, back home, after successful completion of the task, he cast off the habit [ryasso] he was so much fed up with and relaxed. It happens to everyone!..
And is this scandalous for an intelligence officer? Alas, it is! In the Russian secret services of nowadays, which are now deprived of the corrosive party control, there flourish free love and sexual deviations. I told so by the late Alexander Litvinyenko, poisoned in London in 2006. But on the outside, everything looks decent, officers must keep their mouths shut, sexual secrets never go outside the institution. FSB is accused of what-not, but not in sexual promiscuity [no way].
But if an intelligence officer dares discuss his sexual relations with prostitutes over a phone that can be wiretapped, then it means one has lost vigilance. And this is unacceptable for an officer, and must be stopped [short]! I admit as fully possible that compromising materials about Vsevolod Filip'ev were leaked to the Internet by the Foreign Intelligence Service. So that other officers would not follow his suit. But generally speaking this is a fatherly, soft punishment. Still, nobody even tried killing monk Vsevolod, right?
It is believed that after this the monk hastily left Russia and hides his whereabouts, calling it "monastic solitude." Although he may well be quietly living in Moscow in one of the secret flats belonging to the FIA intelligence or to the FSB counter-intelligence.
However, this scandal once again drew the journalists' attention to the very suspicious Filip'ev family. It turned out that who-knows-why Archpriest Lev Lebedev spent his last night before the flight to America exactly at the apartment of the lecherous monk's parents... But with us, in the émigré circles, nobody has ever talked about this!
The mother of monk Vsevolod, Tatyana Filip'eva, has for many years regularly been flying to the United States from Moscow and was in charge of the affairs of the [Russian] Church Abroad. She was 'bossing' the flights of "Aeroflot" where she worked as a psychologist…
Now, this fact seems very strange to me. Tell me, dear readers, placing a hand on the heart: have you ever met among the staff of "Aeroflot" international lines any psychologist? I have never. I even have never heard about such staff, although I have worked at the science-and-technology intelligence of KGB, most closely connected to "Aeroflot". The majority of KGB officers are “Aeroflot” staff and even heads of “Aeroflot”s representative offices abroad. I have had many friends among them, who have been telling me about the grave situation amidst the “Aeroflot” staff, about various curious instances. They warned me that during the flight I should avoid any conversations with the stewardesses as all of them were KGB informants. 'Checkists' [KGB officers] were questioning them after each flight, and they needed to report at least something! Pilots are also unreliable people – my friends told me – with them one has to be on the alert. But the 'chekists' never mentioned any psychologists, flying abroad!
And what do we really need a psychologist for on a flight? He will only occupy a seat, which would prevent a lot of precious currency from flowing to our homeland. If a certain stewardess would unexpectedly suffer a psychological problem during a flight, she would simply be dismissed from international flights, and another one would be appointed instead of her. That is all the psychology. And also, the psychology training of the flying staff for the flights takes place – as is known – prior to, and not during the flight.
Nevertheless, Tatyana Filip'eva was indeed a psychologist, a PhD. She is widely known among the parishioners of the Russian Church Abroad, especially in Washington, and not one of them, it seems, ever wondered why she was flying in, as if back home [so frequently]. Yes, I can imagine that sometimes she could well have been sent to inspect the international flights, but this issues are so rare - as is the case generally in Russian institutions! This means she must have been assigned still another job: connected with the Russian Church Abroad. It is clear that for the KGB it was very interesting to see the Washington community of the ROCOR through the eyes of a psychologist, in order to find within it the appropriate contingent for recruitment...
The well-known priest and writer, Mikhail Ardov, told me that during one of his flights to the United States in the late 1990-s, he met Tatyana Filip'eva. More precisely, she came up to him on the plane, seeing he was in a habit.
She said her son was a monk. Previously, he served in Valaam [, in Russia], and currently – in the Jordanville monastery [, in the USA]. Fr. Michael Ardov could not restrain an ironic smile. Because such thing never happen!..
But the KGB monk, Filip'ev, also had a stepfather. There are no documents with me testifying to his sort of engagement. As I was told by priests in Russia I know, he was a police chief. But he worked for that police dealing with foreigners and such kind of police therefore need be subordinated to the FSB.
- For our editorial office it was no secret that Filip'ev family had always been – and is – dominated by the KGB, – writes the author of the newspaper "Right view", Vladimir Yulin, – Church historian Archpriest Lev Lebedev before his sudden death in New York City, dined with the stepfather and the mother of Vsevolod, Tatyana, and spent the night in their Moscow apartment, while Filip'ev Elder took Fr. Lev to airport. Zarubhezhniki [ROCOR church people] claim as one that Fr. Lev Lebedev died from poisoning with an unknown poison. He should have addressed the 1998 ROCOR Council of Bishops with a report con ROCOR's "unification" with the MP.
Tatiana Filip'eva was not ashamed to come up with her "Memoirs" of the last meeting with "Father Lev" and that work was done for the sake of the last resume-phrase: "After flying in to New York father Lev Lebedev quietly, peacefully and painlessly rested with the sleep of the righteous."... It has now transpired that under the new Metropolitan Hilarion monk Vsevolod Filip'ev headed a certain "Orthodox military mission" – cooperating with the FSB, the army and the Navy (an analogous Synodal department of the ROC is headed by the notorious Fr. Dmitry Smyrnov). So that his current nation-wide shame may be called a "RESIDENT'S MISTAKE"...(2)
(Note by the author: Pay attention, dear readers: monk Vsevolod headed a mission interacting with the FSB, on the territory of the USA! The Russian intelligence is now working here, not even hiding! And after all this – for no good reason Americans are still amazed by the sway of Russian espionage...)
- I wonder if we will know someday the names of the perpetrators for the martyr's death of monk Jose (Joseph) Muñoz, whose crony [Vsevolod Filip'ev] has publicly called himself a werewolf in cassock?, – Vladimir Yulin went on. – And where, in whose hands is now staying the Iberon Montreal Myrrh-Streaming Icon of the Mother of God, a [holy] relic of Russian Church Abroad?" (3)
It turns out that the ubiquitous Monk Filip'ev could even have something to do with the death of Jose Muñoz! A bit too much, isn't it?
But from the point of view of the KGB this is a great success. I wonder what kind of decoration he was awarded? I think it was the Order of Friendship of the Nations. It is what intelligence officers, as a rule, are decorated with. As for the disappeared Myrrh-streaming Iberon Icon of the Mother of God, well, it may well be stored in the cellars [of the KFB] at Lubyanka (Moscow). Its disappearance has really caused a confusion within the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, which has to a certain extent – contributed to the transition of its bigger part under the control of the KGB.
But let us get back to the FSB Mission in America. Participants in the evening dedicated to the memory of Metropolitan Laurus, the traitor of the ROCOR, held on April 14, 2011 in Moscow in the House of the Russians Abroad, named after Alexander Solzhenitsyn, were congratulated on its behalf. These congratulations were signed by the current head of the ROCOR-MP, Metropolitan Hilarion. This indicated that the military-and-espionage mission goes on operating fruitfully in the USA, notwithstanding the temporary absence there of Vsevolod Filip'ev.
However, from the places of his "monastic seclusion (retreat)" he sent to that evening a verse of his about the “prayer-loving soul” of Metropolitan Laurus. As if nothing had ever happened. It means that soon he may show up publicly and even some to the US: after all – back in his time – as clergyman without any problems he received an American citizenship!
"The role of animator at the evening was performed by the monk's mother, psychologist Tatyana Filip'eva, and by the co-chairman of the 'Metropolitan Laurus' Fund, the editor-in-chief of the 'Big Washington' magazine – Sergey Kuznetsov" – 'Portal-credo.ru' reports with irony. [4]
Well, no need indeed of any comment!
2. Killing priests was easy
The former cell-attendant of Metropolitan Vitaly, Fr. Paul Iwaszewicz, is convinced that Archpriest Lev Lebedev has been poisoned.
In 1986 Paul Iwaszewicz himself ate by mistake poisoned food intended for Metropolitan Vitaly, whom the Kremlin, also, did not like much and finally got rid of him through its corps of agents in the Synod. Fr. Paul fainted, and the Russian doctor called to examine him confirmed the poisoning. But fortunately, Fr. Paul was at that time 19 years old, and his young organism coped with the poisoning. But not totally! Even to this day Fr. Paul has to take stomach medicines. Back then he was ordered to keep silent about this case.
In 1970, the priest of the Australian and New Zealand Diocese of the Russian Church Abroad, Vladimir Evsyukov, became a chance witness of a certain operation of Soviet intelligence at the customs of the Australian city of Melbourne. Fr. Vladimir was working there to make his living in his time free of Church services. Like many other priests from poor parishes of the Russian Church Abroad he had to look for additional sources of income.
Were he a professional counter-intelligence expert, he would have immediately reported where necessary, keeping his mouths shut for all others. But Fr. Vladimir was simply a priest, and therefore he told about what he saw to many of his fellows and even to the bishop, and only after that he went to the police.
But the KGB intelligence network gave an immediate reaction, and Fr. Vladimir Evsyukov’s car was rammed on by another car. After that, its driver approached Fr. Vladimir, who was still alive, and performed some manipulations over him. Fr. Vladimir was found dead with his hand outstretched to the icon of St. Xenia. Australian police never found either the ramming car or its driver. I think it was one of the Soviet spies, illegals, an officer of Directorate "S" of the First Chief Directorate of the KGB. Who knows, maybe I met him there later at the Communist Party festive conferences...
Then again, back in the 1970-s, killers from the KGB were chasing in the streets the deacon of the Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ in Buenos Aires, Fr. Peter Golofaev. Born in 1921 in Donbass, in a family of a repressed entrepreneur, he was a descendant of tsarist Gen. Golofaev, whom M. Yu. Lermontov reported to. A convinced anti-Communist, Peter Kirilovich [Golofaev] set up during the Second World War an armed group to fight against communism, and called it "The hunting team". Later they retreated with the German army and joined the 5th Regiment of the Russian Corps headed by General Boris Shteifon.
Deacon Golofaev knew that in his "socialist motherland" [USSR] he was sentenced to death by shooting, and therefore he was always on the alert. He immediately recognized by their garments the Soviet murderers in the Argentinian crowd and bolted, and ran away from them after they squeezed him into a ring while stepping off the bus. He managed to escape, but when he returned home, he found a poisoned needle in the folds of his leather coat.
In 1975, the Moscow Patriarchate’s Bishop, Dionysius of Rotterdam, died in the Netherlands. Shortly before his death he gathered Dutch journalists and told them he was leaving the MP to join the Russian Church Abroad. The reason for this were the public statements by Soviet Patriarch Pymen that in the Soviet Union people were not persecuted for their faith.
Metropolitan of Sourozh, Anthony (Bloom) – a most intelligent and charming man in his everyday life – had a strange connection to his death. During WWII he fought in the French guerilla detachment – "Makki" subordinated to the French Communist Party and the NKVD. At the end of the war, Soviet intelligence officers came in contact with him and advised him to establish a patriarchal parish in London, so that using material from confessions he can report to the NKVD about the moods of the White Russian immigrants living there. Bloom agreed, and very soon he was promoted a bishop of the Moscow Patriarchate.
Famous English religious writer, Vladimir Moss, told me about this case. Shortly before the death of Bishop Dionysius of Rotterdam, Metropolitan Anthony told Vladimir Moss’s wife, Olga, that he had to go to Holland to punish bishop Dionysius for having caused a serious crisis in the Church.
And a few days later, Olga Moss also arrived in the Netherlands, and even met with the cell-attendant of Bishop Dionysius, Fr. Arseny. Through tears he told her that he had left Bishop Dionysius alone after the liturgy just for a few hours, in order to go visit his parents, and when he returned, he found the Bishop dead.
- Did you know that Metropolitan Anthony was visiting bishop Dionysius at that time? – Olga Moss asked.
- I had no idea! – Fr Arseny admitted in horror.
Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh [Bloom] was a professional surgeon. God only knows how he used his skills over bishop Dionysius of Rotterdam. But the fact is that this charming man was also a KGB fighter.
However, the loudest event of this kind was the murder of the Primate of the Russian Church Abroad, Metropolitan Filaret, in 1985. A convinced anti-communist and anti-soviets, an implacable opponent to any rapprochement with the Soviet Red Church, he was like a bone in the throat for the KGB.
Judge for yourself; based on these prophetic words of his about the Moscow Patriarchate, pronounced back in the far-away 1980: "But it is not true Orthodoxy which is being spread there. Under the guise of Orthodoxy the Russian people [nation] is presented the rubbish of Bulgakovism, Berdyaevism and other rubbish of the Eulogian split; sects are flourishing there, like Baptists and so forth. The Official Church preaches cooperation with the theomachist authorities, praising it with all possible means. The True Orthodox Church went into [hiding in] the Catacombs – hidden from the masses... [Is] Can this be called a "revival of Orthodoxy"?
3. Disloyal son – father Potapov
The above mentioned words are taken from a letter from Metropolitan Filaret to Fr. Victor Potapov, the current rector of St. John the Baptist Cathedral in Washington, DC and the main locomotive of transition of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia under the authority of Moscow. [Back] Then, in the stagnant and dismal 1980, Fr. Victor Potapov stated that Russia is being resurrected from the dead and Orthodoxy in it is regenerated. In that year, I was already a KGB officer [of high standing] and I knew perfectly well that Orthodoxy was under the gravest control of ours and no kind of its resurrection could not even be imagined. Soviet reality gave no evidence whatever that could inspire Fr. Victor to draw such a conclusion. Such a conclusion could only have been imbued to him by the Soviet Communist comrades. Yes, by them exactly, inasmuch as non-Communists were not [even] allowed to go abroad, albeit nowadays it is not well accepted to recollect this. So, the Soviet Communists even back then had already been working with Fr. Victor. And for a period over a quarter of a century it was possible, for sure, to achieve a thing or two.
In this letter Metropolitan Filaret reproached Fr. Victor for having began commemorating at the Great exit (5) one of the Soviet hierarchs. I do not know the latter's name, but that hierarch was most probably a KGB agent, just as well as all his other counterparts, as well as maybe a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, since the top of the Patriarchy held party [-members'] tickets.
Metropolitan Filaret forbade categorically not only prayerful communion with the Soviet church, but even any casual contacts with the "Soviets." He, just like his successor at the post of Primate, Metropolitan Vitaly, objected to the unauthorized trips of Fr. Victor Potapov to the USSR in his capacity of a correspondent of the "Voice of America" and even, as some people say, there were making preparations to bring him to a church court.
Both metropolitans were really prophetic, one may grant them this. Because on his arrival in the Soviet Union Fr. Victor found himself completely at the disposal of just one agency, which was allowed to deal with the "anti-Soviet emigrant center" – as the Russian Church Abroad was called in the USSR. For all other citizens of the USSR such a contact [with such people] was [quite] dangerous.
And the name of this agency – be it as it may – KGB [state safety committee], and not at all the Moscow Patriarchate or the “Intourist” [tourist agency]. Not only were the hierarchs of the MP, whom Fr. Victor contacted, from the KGB, but also the hotel maids [gornychnye – in charge of a hotel's floor] and drivers, as well as those whom Fr. Victor simply could not see: officers of the police service of outside surveillance who followed each and every step of his, phone switchboard operators of OTU [operational technical service, with the KGB] who tapped his phone conversations, the young kind-looking officers of that same service monitoring Fr. Victor via peepholes in the ceiling of his hotel room [in KGB slang this is referred to as the "O" measure]. And if we add up to this the officers at Lubyanka, drawing his dossier, and their bosses, jotting down resolutions [on his file] and reporting to Andropov, then it transpires that each visit by Fr. Victor to the Soviet Union was ensured [covered and provided for] by quite a lot of " fighters of the invisible front". Today his dossier may already have inflated to several bookshelves. I wonder, what was Fr. Victor's nick?
And he does have one, inasmuch as using one's genuine family name in an operative scheme was forbidden. I am also definitive that that nickname is outrageously scornful and just short of the limits of decency, so that the boss would see even before reading the operative scheme [elaboration] what kind of man is involved.
Each and every emigrant-anti-sovietchik, visiting the USSR, had a file of operative elaboration opened [in one's name]. Such was opened only for the enemies of the state. For those suspected of enmity a softer case of operative check-up was opened. The latter could also be closed [covered].
However, an operative check-up case is the second and last stage of KGB's interest in a man. It can wind up only in either [espionage] recruitment or arrest. Well, also – in closing down, as well, only then the ones who did so [authored this] would face scolding. KGB was never intending to passively monitor Fr. Victor for 25 years: however, one also needs a time to receive medals, doesn't one? Taking part in his elaboration were probably both Chief Directorate One of the KGB (intelligence), and Chief Directorate Two of the KGB (counter-intelligence), and Five (combating religions). Each (and every one) of these would have liked to get a fat American fledgling (little chicken).
Yes, indeed – an American one, and not at all Russian. The red-tape sate of RF defines one's nationality exceptionally by the passport, and not whom one considers oneself to be.
To the disappointment of the numerous Russian émigrés – [who are] American fans of the RF, most of them - elderly people who have never lived in Russia, I would like to announce that RF reckons them, too, [to be] only Americans.
This is exactly why the idea of that pseudo-nationalistic community is currently being strenuously implanted into Russian émigré circles by the KGB agents. Here one can hear quite often a thought like this: let's first unite with our Russian brethren in the Church bosom, and then we'll explain to them what they are wrong in. Alas, dear gentlemen (but not quite comrades – like thus far people within RF address each other): no one is going to ever listen to you! They do not need overseas sovietchiks!
I am convinced that Fr Victor Potapov being [present] in a more than a quarter-century long elaboration [scheme development] of the KGB has somehow escaped the attention of the American authorities with their misplaced political correctness [notion]. The Soviet intelligence, on the contrary, surrounds with rigorous suspicion for those who get in touch with Americans, even be that at work [for business purposes]. That’s why we, its officers, feared to get acquainted [for no good reason] with Americans [when] abroad, for this was bound to earn us such a seal in our personal file: "This man has been under elaboration by the CIA". This would have predetermined the end of one's career. KGB is much stricter about its employees than the CIA.
Understanding this is of special significance because Fr Victor Potapov is an American civil servant. I believe he has access to secrets. He visited both the White House, and other important state institutions. My intuition of a former referrer [assistant - in charge of a certain field of reference] to the Head of [one of the branches of] the Soviet intelligence prompts me that there Fr. Victor presented the surrender of the Russian Church Outside of Russia to checkist Moscow as some kind of a delicate operation, that is favorable for America. As if the Russian Church Abroad would be able to put pressure on the Patriarchate, and the latter – on Putin and... Alas, his words were accepted there "with a bang" [hurray].
Re-educating Putin is a favorite dream of the Americans. They reckon he fails to understand all the Western democracy's advantages – and try with all their sinews to explain them to him. But in fact ROCOR's transition under the authority of the neo-Stalinist Putin's state brings no advantages whatever to the US. To the contrary, it sets a powerful threat to its national safety. Now the Putin intelligence no longer fears killing US citizens in the streets of Washington. [It is quite] Interesting, shall this – at long last – sober up the US authorities?
For Fr. Victor Potapov the uncertainty of the historical moment is beneficial. That historical moment was described by the famous Soviet satirists, Ilf and Petrov, back in the 1920-s, in this way: "The era of silent cinema has ended, but the era of sound cinema has not yet begun". RF is already uproariously calling the US 'enemy number one', and still the US is still reckoning RF a friend. But were Fr. Victor a RF citizen, and were he working so openly for the US, he would have long been jailed for 15 years, like Igor Sutyagin, PhD [in sciences] and like other pro-Western minded intelligentsia.
4. Metropolitan Filaret's murder
KGB had long been hunting Metropolitan Filaret. In the early 1980-s, the Federal Bureau of Investigations warned him that the Soviets were planning to shoot him down during the Easter cross-procession. The Metropolitan still took part in it, but young sub- deacons were protecting him with their bodies, and many Russian émigrés then wondered why Metropolitan Filaret could hardly be seen.
In 1984, in the frame of Montreal Iberon myrrh-streaming icon of the Mother of God, which is now lost, they found a tapping device disguised under several power cells. Experts from the US intelligence, called by Bishop Gregory (Grabbe), testified to it.
But why has this fact not become publicly known? Who – but the KGB – had the benefit of that [keeping it in] silence? After all, it was they exactly who listened out all the conversations held in the meeting hall of the Synod [Council of Bishops]! And only the agents of the KGB, having access to this hall, could place those “cells” in the precious icon case.
And finally there came that tragic day of November 19, 1985. Metropolitan Filaret and all the Bishops then got stomach upset during lunch. All but one, Hillarion, who dined separately. However, the doctor, who was called, for some reason found [it was] a case of flu, and not of poisoning.
Archdeacon Nikita Chakirov, Metropolitan Filaret's cell-attendant, was diagnosed with flu too. For sanitary considerations he was strictly forbidden to go up to the Metropolitan’s chambers. Thus, Metropolitan Filaret was left there all alone for the whole night. And also there was not a single person at the floor of the Synodal building. Nothing like this has ever happened in all the history of the Russian Church Abroad.
Needless to say that the next morning Metropolitan Filaret was found dead. He lay on the floor, and all around there were traces by vomit. These could well indicate poisoning and provide invaluable material in the case of establishing the cause of death.
Fr.Nikita Chakirov gave out a loud shout upon seeing all this. Hearing it, the first to rush in was Bishop Hillarion – who both back then and now openly works for Moscow. First of all, he ordered the cell-attendant [Fr. Nikita Chakirov] off [to leave the room]. After that, as I was told by many Russian émigrés, he carefully washed the floor, shifted the Metropolitan’s body onto the bed and only after that called for a doctor. Of course, the latter verified a death from heart failure.
Fifteen years later, the tomb of Metropolitan Filaret was opened, and everyone saw that his body incorrupt. Many believers demanded a canonization, but the leadership of the Russian Church Abroad had already been occupied by Moscow. Metropolitan Laurus ordered to bury the relics (6), and even added a blasphemous phrase: "let him rot, like everybody else." Even distributing photos of Metropolitan Filaret's incorrupt relics was forbidden... A.G. Shatilova, daughter of Bishop Gregory (Grabbe) and his long-year assistant for secretarial work at the Synod, told me that shortly before his death, Vladika Filaret found out that some bishops of his entourage were deceiving him. Taking advantage of his lack of knowledge of the English language, they presented him to sign wrong documents. Vladika was planning to expose and even displace certain bishops. But, as usual, death has washed away all traces.
But why has the Russian Church Outside of Russia merged with its murderers?
St. Filaret's (Vosnesensky) incorrupt relics
Footnotes
1. Possibly, this figure is somewhat inflated. Note by the author.
2. Vladimir Yulin, 'Oboroten', 'Right View', issue #21(121), November 2010 [«Оборотень», «Правый взгляд», № 21(121), ноябрь 2010.]
3. – – –
4. Monk Vsevolod (Filip'ev) "who was in a state of prayerful solitude" sent his poetic greeting to the participants in the evening dedicated to the memory of Metropolitan Laurus in Moscow". Portal-credo.ru, April 18, 2011.
5. An element of Orthodox worship, liturgy. Taking place during it is the moving of the Holy Gifts prepared from the altar to the throne.
6. Translation of the relics of Metropolitan Filaret, the Third Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (testimony by a faithful) http//:zarubegnik.narod.ru/perenos.htm
Transfer of the relics of Metropolitan Philaret
The Third Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.
(Witness by a faithful)
On November 3 (old calendar), the coffin of Metropolitan Philaret was opened in the presence of several priests. I talked with two [of those] priests.
They saw that the body of the Vladika was covered with some white substance. The attire also had some white coating. When they cleaned off this white substance, they found that the face and the hands were perfectly intact. It was even noted that the body and skin were in a better condition and of a lighter color than that of Bishop John of Shanghai. One of the priests washed his hands and face with water and wine. He said one could see the veins under his skin, and his beard was completely soft. His face was recognizable, and even the mouth that was slightly paralyzed on the left side was visible. They also saw part of his leg that was completely whole and soft. They did not examine the entire body, as this has to be performed by a commission appointed on a decision by the Synod.
They were especially struck by the fact that the material in the coffin around the body was white and shiny. A director of a funeral home noted on occasion that usually after three years this material turns black. Vladika's robe was bright and shiny. The green beads in hand were as if just produced. The paper in his hand with the permissive prayer had no plaque and was as clean as perfectly new. The paper icons on his miter were also bright and had no signs of decay or fading. The veil on his face (with which they used to cover the Holy Gifts in the altar) was also bright, virtually as perfectly new.
One object alone had suffered decay – that were the metal clasps on the Gospel – they had rusted and crumbled when they touched them. This is important to note, because some said that Vladika's body had been preserved because the coffin was laid in a cold place, "as [if] in a refrigerator." However, the director of a funeral home said that no such thing could have happened at all. The clasps gone rusty indicate a high humidity inside the coffin, but it had no [harmful] effect on paper, cloth and the body of the Vladika.
The coffin of the Vladika was remarkable. It was painted in black, and there was a white cross on it. It looked as new, as if painted only the day before. The same could be said about the mantle covering the body of the Vladika. It was clean and shiny. One man who was there, noted that the button on the robe had rusted from moisture.
I asked one of the priest what were his sensations when they opened the coffin. He said that everything was very peaceful, calm and solemn.
Then Vladyka Laurus came and sealed the coffin. After that, every day during that week, from Monday through Friday, a funeral service was served. I was there on two occasions. People said that when they worshiped [bowed to] the sepulcher of Metropolitan Philaret they felt that this was not an ordinary coffin, they felt a special grace there.
On Friday, November 8 (old calendar), the coffin was moved to the main church. The day was rainy. There were a lot of people in church. They served a panikhida service. The coffin was placed in the middle of the church at the beginning of the service, and then it was taken to one side, to the right, to the place where confessions are usually being heard. I noticed that many people came up with candles to the coffin and bowed to it throughout the service.
The next morning, on Saturday, on the Feast of the Synaxis of Archangel Michael and other bodiless powers, there were about 300 people in church. Thirty clerics ministered: Vladyka Laurus, eleven deacons, the other – priests.
At the Liturgy Fr. Valery Luk'yanov delivered a sermon. He noted the last words found in the typewriter of Metropolitan Philaret: "keep what you have..." (Rev 3:11). Fr. Valery said that this is exactly what we should do: be obedient and loyal to the Faith of the Church. He said that perhaps Vladika was not been a very good administrator, but he was a great prayer-supplicator and a true faster. After the liturgy, they used to gather for a meal, but Vladika did not eat after all these services but only drank some tea. Only once in a while he ate something, but he ate very little, "like a bird." Everyone was amazed by this, as they saw the way he served and prayed. Where did he draw strength from?
Fr. Valery told me how compassionate the Vladika was. He helped many people. He has helped many with money, but they did not know about it, because he did so secretly. Fr. Valery knew a woman with two children who had been abandoned by her husband. Vladika helped her. When Vladika lay in the coffin, that very woman stood at the tomb and wept with tears of gratitude for what he had done for her and for her children.
Theologically Vladika was a highly educated person and he knew very well the writings of the Church Fathers. Vladika's sermon against ecumenism was not his opinion, but had in its roots the teaching of the Holy Father [of the Church]. When he was a Metropolitan, truly significant and great events occurred: the glorification of the Russian New Martyrs and Confessors and the Royal Martyrs in 1981. Also glorified were St. Herman of Alaska, St. Blessed Xenia of Petersburg and St. Righteous John of Kronstadt.
Vladika loved children and youth very much. He arranged tea-drinking at the Synod, where he invited them and spoke to them about the holy Scripture and about the Church life. He really loved the younger generation and cared for the souls of young people. Now many, although not so young [themselves], can remember the attention Vladika paid to them, how quiet and prayerful he was. He was a great prayer supplicator. At the sermon Fr. Valery spake also many other kind words about Vladika.
After the Divine Liturgy, there was a panikhida. Vladika Laurus came out and said a few words. What he said struck everyone very much. Many of those attending were disappointed that the coffin was not opened. Some approached Vladika and talked about this. Vladika said that today all once again said goodbye to Vladika Filaret. Vladika Filaret was a great man and Vladika Laurus was convinced he would be glorified. He explained to the grieving people [multitude] that for this very reason the coffin was not being opened. Some feel it was necessary to bury the coffin again, earth must go back to earth. If the coffin were opened right away, it would be as a worship of relics, and this should not be done yet, as that is against canons. Some were ready to perceive his body as relics, and some were not yet ready. And there, in order to prevent some wrong thoughts and feelings, the coffin would not be opened. Vladika Filaret loved the canons and obeyed them, and therefore we, too, must do everything according to the canons. Now there would be a report to the meeting of the Synod [Council of Bishops], and it were necessary to wait what the Synod would decide. The coffin would be put in the grave, but it would not be covered with soil. He once again repeated it was not necessary to mourn that the coffin was not opened. Vladika Filaret is all the same with us. He was a holy man and he is with God. And now, after seeing his body incorrupt, one can pray to him. And if miracles should happen, this will be a sign and a confirmation for us, that we glorify the Vladika. Vladika had lain in the grave for 13 years, and on many occasions they begged Vl. Laurus to transfer the coffin to another place. Provisionally, this did not happen. Now that we have discovered the body and found out under what conditions the coffin was in, we can see the way the Lord shows His glory in this man.
Some said that they were not surprised that the remains of the Vladika were discovered incorrupt, since he was a holy man. Those who knew him well and were close to him spoke of him as of a deep prayer supplicator, a wise spiritual fighter, a fasting and "an immovable rock that supported our Faith whole and undamaged."
Russian original:
http://remnantrocor.blogspot.com/2017/02/poisoning-in-church-abroad.html
