An important step towards spiritual unity of Ukrainians

The past few days have seen two extremely important events, absolutely opposite in form and in essence. At the same time, both of them are only natural because each of them has a prehistory of its own and a certain groundwork.

One of them occurred in Ukraine’s spiritual life. It is the address of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) on the occasion of a sorrowful date, the 75th anniversary of the Ukraine Holodomor, signed by Metro­politan Volodymyr (Sabodan) of Kyiv and All Ukraine. In the address, the Synod makes an assessment of the tragic events in 1932-1933 and calls the manmade famine in Ukraine an act of genocide. This is the step that Ukrainian society has awaited so long.

The other event is a letter from Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev to Viktor Yushchenko about the refusal to take part in the social occasions dedicated to the Holodomor’s 75th anniversary. This is, unfortunately, a predictable gesture that shows utter insensitivity to and inability to hear the others and signals about profound and, above all, psychological problems in the spiritual life of Russia.

The Russians themselves have reached a stalemate, for they are always trying to see politics in any manifestation of Ukrainian national identity. It looks absurd when the Russian powers-that-be are attempting to link the study of the undoubtedly most tragic page of Ukrainian history with Ukraine’s pro-NATO strivings. All we can do in this situation is sympathize with Russian citizens, especially residents of Kuban, where the tragedy was on a no lesser scale, who are not in a position to conduct their own investigation in a stifled civil society.

The Russians should try to understand us. Incidentally, The Day is offering its readers a series of James Mace’s publications on the establishment of national communism which is a research filed for some and a romantic streak of those years for others, but for us it means millions of victims whose voices are still echoing in Ukrainian society.

“A time has come for the Ukrainian people to unite spiritually and revert to the eternal spiritual values. History has shown very clearly what the rejection of Christian principles can lead to.

Only the holy faith, a firm hope, and an all-embracing love will help us build a worthy future and keep us from repeating the past mistakes,” the Holy Synod’s address says. These words are the actual result of a longtime work that many people have done to expose the communist regime’s bloody crime. They managed to reconcile the eternal opponents and unite the believers of different faiths. In spite of all differences, the Kyiv Patriarchate immediately approved the address. This event is an argument for those who think that Ukraine should forget the difficult pages of its history because they disunite society. But what can really unite us is the truth, a prayer, and sincere expiation of sins - both ours and somebody else’s.

Naturally, this address would be also impossible were it not for the caliber of the personality in question. Metropolitan Volo­dy­myr showed both the Ukrainians and the Russians that he is a true son of his people.

The address of the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church on the occasion of a sorrowful date, the 75th anniversary of the 1932-1933 Holodomor in Ukraine

In the 20th century, the Ukrainian people experienced the Holodomor, one of the most horrible tragedies. Ukraine, which had always been the world’s breadbasket, suffered from a mass-scale famine. The Holodomor took a heavy toll of human lives and brought a lot of grief. It had both objective and subjective causes and results. The 1932-1933 manmade famine was planned by the Bolsheviks with the aim to accelerate forced collectivization, eliminate “kulaks” as a class, and wipe out “hostile elements.”

But there is a factor that unites this social cataclysm and the other repressive actions of the totalitarian Soviet regime. It is a radical revolution of outlook to repudiate the Divine Man Christ and Christian morality and choose a new faith in a human idol, the Antichrist. The adepts of this faith wished to build a paradise on earth and achieve a radiant future for humankind. But there is no future without God. Their light was in fact darkness. Their philosophy of life was based on the principles of eternal darkness, for only God is the Creator of any good. Wherever a paradise is being built without God, this place becomes hell. The people fettered with Soviet ideology received infernal torments instead of the promised life of heaven.

The history of our Fatherland has known a great deal of hard times. Natural calamities, wars, sociopolitical upheavals, and other woes led to all kinds of crises, including “extermination with famine and sword” (Isaiah, 51:19).

But in the 1930s Ukraine experienced for the first time a manmade famine, a mass-scale, cynical, purposeful, and merciless murder of millions of its citizens. It is only in a God-hating and human-hating environment that such a crime could occur. Millions of people were dying in a terrible agony on the generous Ukrainian black soil. This GENOCIDE was an attempt to kill the very soul of the people and reduce it to complete spiritual slavery. It became the instrument of a devilish revenge for inability to eradicate from the consciousness of our wise and highly virtuous people the filial love and memory of, loyalty to and faith in God. It was only possible to kill this faith by physically liquidating its bearer. This is why the ungodly government doomed the nation to a spiritual, as well as physical, famine.

People were robbed of their bread in the same way as they had been deprived of their spiritual daily bread before this. The fertile field provided the conscientious toilers with sufficient grain. But the entire grain, drenched with the sweat of peasants, was seized. Everything that could keep one alive, down to the last crumb, was taken away. Those who picked up grain ears on the fields were shot and killed. There was a virtually infernal agony of starvation. The dead could not be buried in time. Many were dumped into mass graves, when they were still alive. Children took the heaviest sufferings. The Moloch of Bol­she­vism devoured these innocent victims with devilish indifference.

Ukraine lost millions of her children at the time. They all suffered martyrdom and met a horrible death. And those who survived remembered forever what a “paradise on earth” is when it is without God.

Seventy five years have passed since then. Time heals spiritual wounds, but nothing can heal the wound in Ukraine’s heart. Its impassable pain will always remind us of the time when devil rules supreme over Ukraine and other peoples of the former Soviet community.

The Ukrainian Orthodox Church is praying in profound sorrow for the victims of famines and other repressions of Soviet totalitarianism. On the receiving end were tens of millions of those who were shot or tortured to death, died from various spiritual and physical tortures or from the pangs of starvation. There was no such a large number of victims even during the war. Indeed, the regime waged a bloody war against its own people.

The church severely condemns the factors that brought about this tragedy. There is no justification for it. History itself has passed its verdict. No repressions could save a political system that chose sin and ungodliness as the basis and ignored the fundamental moral principles of humanity, such as faith, hope and love. “Woe betide those who nurture lawlessness” (Micha 2:1). “Unlaw­ful deeds” is the lot of such ones (Psalms 100:3). “They will end up dying” (Philip 3:19).

The church cautions against the extremely erroneous and antihuman ideology which created a tragedy like this and is calling upon those who have not yet regained vision and renounced godlessness in all its forms to repent.

The church is calling for the renunciation of extremism, intolerance, vengeance, misanthropy, and the division of people into friends and foes. God has no foes. A time has come at last for a spiritual unity of the Ukrainian people and reversion to eternal spiritual values. History has clearly shown what the betrayal of Christian principles can lead to. Only the holy faith, a firm hope, and an all-embracing love will help build a worthy future and keep us from repeating the past mistakes.

The church is revealing the truth of the eternal life of those who died a martyr’s death during the Holodomor. Like a loving mother, the Holy Ukrainian Orthodox Church is praying for their rest in righteous shelters and pronounces the eternal memory of them.

May their souls rest in peace and memory of them go from generation to generation.

Yurii SHCHERBAK, ex-ambassador of Ukraine to the US and Canada:

“There are some very strange points in the statement of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine about marking the 75th anniversary of the Ukraine Holodomor. Firstly, the letter itself, posted on an open-access website, is of a more journalistic and polemical nature than is the practice of correspondence between two heads of state. A letter can touch upon certain disputable points, but they are not always intended for a wide circle of readers. It is more likely to be a large-scale propaganda action, to which the style and the content of the letter is ample proof. The letter begins with a phrase disdainful for the Ukrainian people’s tragedy: ‘the so-called Holodomor.’ Does this mean that Mr. Medvedev, not much of an expert in these issues, questions the very existence of the Holodomor? This is an absolutely unacceptable tone if you take into account that the letter comes from the president of the country which assumed responsibility for its predecessor, the Soviet Union. The overall idea of the letter boils down to the claim that there was no separate genocide of the Ukrainian people: millions of the Russians, Belarusians and Kazakhs died, as did just a small number of Ukrainians. Medvedev even begins to talk about the number of the dead, i.e., he attempts to divert the debate from the existing tragic data. Incidentally, these data are unquestionable for any unbiased rese­archer and political figure.

“The point is that nobody forbids the Russian Federation to condemn the genocide aimed at the Russian people, as well as Kazakhstan to condemn the genocide against the Kazakh people, because the Bol­she­viks really pursued a very cruel policy towards the Russian peasantry. One can recall crackdowns on peasant uprisings in the 1920s by means of tanks and poisonous gases. This can also be treated as crimes against humanity, as genocide of the Russian people, and nobody hinders Russia from doing so. I do not think that Ukraine might have any objections to this.

“I must say that a tremendous contribution to the understanding of the ongoing process in Ukraine was made by James Mace, an American who became one of the best Ukrainians in the history of our country. He openly told the truth on behalf of all the wretched and dead, our killed forefathers, Ukrainian peasants. This truth was struggling to make its way through for a long time, but now it is very hard to deny it. And, from this viewpoint, Medvedev’s letter is beneath any criticism. He says: ‘I think that further discussion of this subject in international organizations will be of no use and will produce no results.’ The fact that Russian representatives in all international organizations are putting up fierce resistance and trying to stop any debate on this topic does not at all mean that this will be of no use and will produce no results. On the contrary, I would like to recall the OSCE and European Parliament decisions on this question - they are, naturally, in favor of Ukraine and the historical facts which every Ukrainian knows today.

“I think the root of differences between the Ukrainian interpretation of the tragedy and the Russian neglect of what happened is in the fact that Russia does not want to condemn ‘the efficient manager Stalin,’ as he is called in their textbooks. Facts testify that Ukraine and the Ukrainian peasantry were one of the key enemies of the Bolshevik regime which decided to crush the resistance and pursue a relentless struggle against the so-called Ukrainian nationalism. Yes, Medvedev is right to say that the Ukrainians themselves are also to blame for the elimination of their compatriots. That was a fratricidal civil war. But the Ukrainians who were involved in this were pawns who obeyed the criminal orders of the Stalin-led Bolshevik clique.

“Medvedev also says in the letter that ‘any suggestions that the Ukraine famine had the signs of genocide are simply cynical and amoral.’ Very many countries knew in the 1930s about what was really going on in Ukraine. There were also signs of a famine in Belarus, but this cannot be compared to the situation in Ukraine. In general, the Russian situation in the 1930s is incomparable to what was occurring in Ukraine at the same time. I have read eyewitness reports of hundreds of people who said that they lived quite well in Russia, although there were some problems there, too. So it is just cynical to accuse the Ukrainian leadership of pressing the Holodomor case. The Holodomor was and still remains in the memory of the Ukrainian people, it is one of the greatest 20th-century tragedies, and it bore all the signs of political genocide. For when the authorities seize all the foodstuffs and shut all the stores, it is deliberate genocide. I am convinced there will be a change in the definition of genocide, especially with due account of present-day acts of genocide in Somalia, Ethiopia, or former Yugoslavia. The author who once suggested the definition of genocide put it in a juridical straitjacket.

“In general, I can only regret that the president of such a great country as Russia is denying the facts that are absolutely obvious to the whole world instead of condemning what caused the Holodomor and tell his people the truth. For that regime was also the exterminator of the Russian people and their culture. I do not think that this letter will improve the history of Russian-Ukrainian relations.”

Stanislav KULCHYTSKY, Doctor of History, professor:

“By doing so, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Pat­ri­archate) has come into conflict with the Russian government. For, almost at the same time, Medvedev said in a letter to our president that he refuses to take part in the social occasions dedicated to the Ho­lo­do­mor’s anniversary. The Russian government denies the fact of genocide.

“I can explain the Holy Synod’s decision by the influence of the Soviet past, which was a heavy burden on the church. If the church hierarchs pronounce the Holodomor as genocide, they reckon with the opinion of their faithful, above all, in Ukraime because a considerable part of Russian Orthodox Church parishioners reside on the territory of Ukraine. I can only welcome this deed of holy fathers!

“As for us, we will continue to work and try to persuade the Russian government. A lot of various books, especially sources, have been published to mark the Holodomor anniversary. Facts are on the surface, and no one can deny them any more.

“We will be inviting foreign researchers to cooperate. For example, I am flying to Boston tomorrow for a high-profile international conference devoted to the 1932-1933 Holodomor, in which, incidentally, Russian academics are also taking part. We are not going to confine ourselves to this achievement - and the Synod’s address is undoubtedly an achievement.”

Yurii SHAPOVAL, Doctor of History, professor:

“The 1932-1933 famine in Ukraine is a multifaceted question. It comprises a political and ideological component, a human emotional element (reflections, feelings, and reminiscences of people), and a scholarly part, i.e., research of the Holodomor. If you put all these aspects together, this makes a very complicated situation, against the backdrop of which the Holy Synod’s decision evokes deep respect. I would like to express my gratitude to the church, the metropolitan, and the people who drew up this address.

“Whenever I mingle with my Russian colleagues (not politicians), I always put the following question: ‘What will happen if Russia recognizes the Holodomor as genocide and says that Ukraine suffered more than all the other Union republics?’ This will only add prestige and wisdom to Russian politicians. But they are doing just the opposite. Russian diplomacy is doing nefarious things, discrediting decisions of the Ukrainian parliament and presidential initiatives. In the long run, this in fact amounts to discrediting our memory of our own people’s horrible tragedy. Against this backdrop, the decision of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) looks like a humane, well-wishing and civilized step which I, as an academic and a human being, can only welcome.”

Mykola ZHULYNSKY, director, Taras Shevchenko Institute of Literature, National Academy of Sciences, Ukraine:

“The Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) has a large number of parishes, so I am extremely pleased over the Holy Synod’s decision. It has especially many parishioners in southern and eastern Ukraine. These are the regions that cannot easily accept the truth about the 1932-1933 tragedy of the Ukrainian people. The address itself is written in a very uncompromising and, at the same time, right spirit. The Synod gives its assessment of the communist regime that encroached on the sanctum sanctorum - the God-given human life. It is very important that the Orthodox Church put emphasis on this, proceeding from Christian, moral and ethic principles. When the authorities inflict a violent death on a human being, and this involves millions, it is a catastrophe not only in the physical but also and primarily in the spiritual dimension. The decision of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is extremely important for us. Today, many are sharing the position of the Russian Federation not to recognize the Holodomor as a manmade famine. The Synod’s address shows that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) has its own opinion and is aware of its great responsibility to the Ukrainian people. I am moved very much and welcome this address.

“No doubt, it is the result of the painstaking and purposeful efforts by President Viktor Yushchenko who set a goal to himself and society that the entire world public and, first of all, Ukraine itself should know the truth about the Holodomor. Today, almost every region has its own book of memory. The world is gradually recognizing the Great Famine as genocide against the Ukrainian peasantry. And this would have been impossible without the concerted efforts of the public.

“I am a Day subscriber and closely follow the publications in this newspaper. The Day has been pursuing a persistent and purposeful policy for many years to have the Holodomor recognized [as genocide]. It is a very important work of the mass media. So The Day and other media have made an invaluable contribution in this.

“The past few years have seen a lot of documentary and fictional films on this subject. The latest film I saw, Serhii Bukovsky’s The Living, gave an acclaimed portrayal of the people who lived through and still remember those terrible times. Although I watched this movie a month ago, I can still see the faces of these people.

“Very much has been done, of course. But we are still to clear up all the circumstances of that horrible tragedy.”

P.S. On Nov. 14 the press service of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate) stated that the use of word “genocide” was a mistake made by the person responsible for writing the speech. “There was no political meaning in the use of word ‘genocide’,” the head of the press service Vasyl Anisimov said, “Simply the speechwriter, who prepared the text, was accustomed that everyone around him was using namely this word.”