A Russian Orthodox bishop has dropped a capsule with a blessing from Patriarch Kirill on the North Pole point.
The capsule includes a small plate with the inscription:
“With the blessing of Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All of the Rus, the consecration of the North Pole marks the 1150 years of Russian Statehood.”
The Church consecration took place as part of the major ongoing Arctic-2012 expedition, a mission organized by the Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute. The capsule was dropped to sea by Bishop Iakov of Naryan-Mar in a ceremony attended by both expedition leader Vladimir Sokolov and ship Captain Oleg Shchapin.
As previously reported, the Arctic expedition left Murmansk with the nuclear powered icebreaker “Rossiya” on 8 September. On 13 September, the vessel reached the Pole point, and the expedition subsequently continued through Arctic waters towards the site where the drifting Russian research station “North Pole-39” will be replaced by a new facility.
Like the historical planting of a Russian flag on the North Pole seabed in 2007, the recent symbolic, but still highly politically motivated, Church consecration illustrates the current major Russian drive on Arctic issues. Commenting on the Church ceremony, Bishop Iakov says the consecration of the North Pole is of importance not only for the Church, but for “all of Russia”, and that it symbolizes the Russian state efforts on
“the return of the country’s former positions in the region”.
“The Russian Orthodox Church in all possible ways supports this process”, Bishop Iakov underlined.
Bishop Iakov was in early 2012 appointed leader of the Naryan-Mar and Mezen diocese. He has from before attended several Arctic and Antarctic missions and will be part of the whole ongoing one-month Arctic 2012 expedition.
Russia claims the entire North Pole through the Orthodox Church? Well, I think that the USA, Canada, Norway and Denmark (Greenland) just might have something to say about that! Mind, I love being Orthodox but I have to admit when I see stuff like this about the Russian Orthodox Church, it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable because of it seems to overstep the bounds of church and state. Personally, I think this particular action is more than a little inappropriate.
More totally transparent proof that at least the upper echelons of the Russian Church are preaching the idol of the State instead of Christ. It’s frustrating. American Orthodox should NOT look to Russia for an example of Church-State relations shaped by the Gospel! Thank God their saints brought us Orthodoxy hundreds of years ago, but recently?….
Unlike the Catholic Church the Orthodox churches is a national church and as such there is some degree of nationalism involved. Although, like you, I believe Churches should remain clear off politics and preach love and brotherhood among all people, I also am cognizant of the reality in our churches. I am therefore not surprised if the Archbishop wore his Russian self and acted Russian.
As a western convert to orthodoxy,I find this rather disturbing.We are citizens of the kingdom of heaven.Surely we shouldnt be dragging our countries or politics into this.This is so unmission minded and turns folk away not towards the church.
Being a new convert, I am happy to hear of the consecration;I do not believe that there is anything wrong with this.
This has been a blatant example of Russian aggression under the rule of Vladimir Putin. The problem here is that many Russians do not see this clearly because of cultural differences and the fact that they hunger for a little national pride after the total collapse of the Soviet Union. While the Russian Church is a national Church, it must take every precaution to avoid being used for devious political purposes. Patriarch Krill knows very well that this is extremely controversial in the international community, but does it anyway. This is a sign that current Russian Orthodox leadership may have allowed themselves to be annexed by the Putin government. This is very dangerous for the Russian Church and could be devastating if it leads to conflict with Orthodox Churches across the globe. There will never be a time where the world will accept Russian aggression as a holy mission from God.
Isn’t the North Pole just frozen water? Seems like consecrating a big iceberg. If you bless an iceberg do you bless the ocean by extension? On the other hand, we bless water on Epiphany but I don’t think that is viewed as a consecration. On the other hand, this particular ice is more stable than water, almost like land…except nothing grows there. Still, whether solid or fluid, it is a created thing and capable of receiving a blessing from the Church.
I love the Eastern Orthodox beliefs, but I am definitely not impressed by an action that tramples on others. God is about love and peace, not about deliberately provoking other nations. This is not what Orthodoxy is all about.
Every faith has it’s opportunists. It’s up to us to reflect the light of Christ.