2024-08-20 The Head of the House of Romanoff is certain that the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church will survive, despite the escalation of persecution against it

 

The Head of the House of Romanoff, H.I.H. The Grand Duchess Maria of Russia, has expressed her shock and dismay at the news of the banning of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, but she has no doubt canonical Orthodoxy in Ukraine will survive this latest onslaught.

 

A year ago, in July 2023, the Grand Duchess gave an interview to a correspondent of one of the central Russian news agencies. Unfortunately, this interview was never published at the time, but its contents are even more important and relevant today.

 

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When asked what the Head of the House of Romanoff could say to the Ukrainian authorities in connection with the attacks on monasteries and churches of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Grand Duchess replied:

 

In my actions, I always try to follow the principle of “Do no harm.” Unfortunately, there are situations when doing the right things nonetheless leads to a bad outcome. I understand that the current situation is such that any involvement of the Russian Imperial House will most likely only make the situation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church worse, not better. Therefore, I avoid public declarations that may inadvertently be perceived to be “self-promotion” and are unlikely to do any good anyway.

 

But I can say one thing: all people, regardless of their status, nationality, religious affiliation, political views and beliefs, should renounce violence against the defenseless. Politicking, and especially armed confrontations, never lead to good ends. And the most dreadful and shameful thing is to perpetrate violence on peaceful citizens, clergy, monks, and parishioners.

 

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Asked to share memories of her spiritual connections with Orthodox clergy and believers in Ukraine, the Grand Duchess said:

 

I have communicated with many hierarchs of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and I have prayed in the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra and other ancient churches in Kyiv during my visit in 2011. His Beatitude Metropolitan Vladimir of Kiev and All Ukraine, of blessed memory, awarded me the Church’s Order of St. Barbara, First Class, and I likewise recognized his service to the Church by awarding him the Imperial Order of St. Anna, First Class. Of course, nothing can break the spiritual bonds that connect my family with the clergy and laity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and certainly nothing will ever prevent us from praying for each other.

 

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Concerning the seizure of the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, the eviction of monks, and the arrest of Metropolitan Pavel, the Grand Duchess said:

 

I see this as a repeat of the methods of persecution of Orthodox clergy and believers that were practiced during the godless totalitarian regime.

 

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When the correspondent asked the Head of the House of Romanoff whether she thought the canonical Orthodox Church in Ukraine would survive or whether it would be destroyed, the Grand Duchess answered:

 

Under the communist regime, many also thought that the Church was living out its last days, if not its last years. And the persecution of believers took place throughout the entire territory of the USSR. But throughout the history of Christianity, there have been many examples that prove that no persecution can ever destroy the Holy Church. I am sure that the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church will also survive.

 

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The Grand Duchess was also asked if pressure had ever put on the House of Romanoff to make certain statements against Russia, to which she replied:

 

Such external pressures have never been put on our House. And it would have been completely pointless to try to do so. In those dark years when our homeland was ruled by the communist regime—which was so deeply unacceptable to us because of its openly godless nature—my grandfather and father certainly did condemn the government’s policies, but they remained ardent patriots of Russia, and any opinion they may have expressed, positive or negative, was wholly their own, and nobody else’s.

 

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At the end of the interview, the Head of the House of Romanoff shared her definition of patriotism:

 

Patriotism is a conscious and deep love for one’s country.

 

That is, it is not just an attachment to one’s country as a specific territory, and not even as one’s place of birth. After all, one’s place of birth can be in a completely different country, given certain circumstances—as happened, for example, with two generations of our family.

 

Patriotism is love for the country of one’s ancestors, with all its unique features, which have formed over the centuries: the sum of its spiritual, moral, cultural, and legal values.

 

If a person despises his country and his people, if he mocks its past, if he rejects the very principle of patriotism, then he does not deserve respect and has no prospects.

 

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The position of the Imperial House of Russia on all fundamental issues remains firm and steadfast.

 

Having learned of the recent decision of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to ban the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Grand Duchess Maria of Russia added to what she said above that such a policy of the Ukrainian government towards its own nationals who belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is an act of violence and tyranny, repeating and even surpassing the worst totalitarian practices towards believers in the 20th century.

 

The Head of the House of Romanoff, her son and heir Grand Duke George of Russia and his spouse, Her Serene Highness Princess Victoria Romanovna, together pray for the children of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, its archpastors and pastors, that the Lord may grant them faith, hope, love, courage, and strength to endure steadfastly these new persecutions.