Metropolitan Epiphanius (L) and Patriarch Filaret (R). January 23, 2019.

Yesterday, January 26, both the Kyiv Post and Orthodoxy in Dialogue published my “The ‘Patriarch’ Has No Clothes.” In it I wrote:

In a tradition where visual symbols carry the power that they do in Orthodoxy, Filaret’s undiminished itinerary of public appearances and utterances—all while bedecked in the garish headpiece of a Russian (!) patriarch—reduces the real Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine visually to just another metropolitan among many. This glaring symbological disparity in so trivial a matter as a hat probably ensures that Filaret and Metropolitan Epiphanius never be seen together. Filaret thus maintains his iron grip on his role as leading man on the stage of Ukrainian religious and national life.

Twenty-four hours later one of Orthodoxy in Dialogue’s readers drew our attention to the photo above and the accompanying birthday greeting by Metropolitan Epiphanius, published on the website Єдина помісна Українська Православна Церква (One Local Ukrainian Orthodox Church) on January 25. While I’m not sure when or if I’ll have the time to translate the full text for publication, integrity demands that we issue this partial correction of my original conjecture that the two hierarchs might not be seen together in public. Read More

While this Act is dated November 27, 2018, and the certified copy January 12, 2019, this English translation of the Greek original became available only on January 26. For context see Greek Metropolitan of Venice Suspends Priest of the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox Churches in Western Europe and the other articles linked in the introduction there.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople

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Bartholomew, by the mercy of God Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch. The Church of Christ, as a loving mother, providing all that is necessary and useful for those who are near and those who are far, considers also as her worthy duty, not to leave in any place anything disorderly and disorganized, adapting the governance and salvation of the Christian Flock to requirements and circumstances; and also, not to abandon the care for the most advantageous administration and pastoral ministry, through which one secures and succeeds in guiding [the people of God] to the pastures of salvation. For our Holy and Great Church of Christ knows well how to change those structures made by Her from time to time in accordance with the needs of the people of God, always basing Herself on the historical circumstances so as to secure her canonical privileges. Read More

“Honorary Patriarch” Filaret (Denysenko)

Orthodox observers outside of Ukraine who generally support its Church’s autocephaly shook their head in disbelief when the Unification Council of December 15 named former KGB agent Filaret Denysenko as “honorary patriarch.” We hoped at the very least that he would follow in the footsteps of the current Pope Emeritus to a mostly hidden life of prayer and quiet, seldom to be seen or heard from again. Since all Orthodox bishops must first be monks—nominally, if a long monastic formation is not always possible in every case—it would have made perfect sense for former “Patriarch” Filaret to retire to a monastery.  

What a naïve hope that quickly turned out to be.

In a tradition where visual symbols carry the power that they do in Orthodoxy, Filaret’s undiminished itinerary of public appearances and utterances—all while bedecked in the garish headpiece of a Russian (!) patriarch—reduces the real Primate of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine visually to just another metropolitan among many. This glaring symbological disparity in so trivial a matter as a hat probably ensures that Filaret and Metropolitan Epiphanius never be seen together.* Filaret thus maintains his iron grip on his role as leading man on the stage of Ukrainian religious and national life.

(Even the Ecumenical Patriarch wears the simple black hat and veil of an ordinary monk when the occasion does not call for full liturgical vestments.) Read More

In January 2019, a new ad campaign for Gillette razors was unveiled to the public. Known for its trademark phrase “The Best a Man Can Get,” the ad featured a group of men and boys engaging in behavior that, while destructive, has been frequently depicted as “men being men,” or “boys being boys.” Fighting. Bullying and picking on others (while being watched by a group of men behind a line of grills). Sexual harassment (both verbal and physical). Speaking (often incorrectly) for the perspectives of women, rather than providing women the opportunity to speak for themselves (known to many as “mansplaining”).

The ad shifts to clips of television interviews discussing the #MeToo campaign, with the intention of presenting the pervasive problem of sexual harassment in everyday life. This part of the ad ends with one former professional athlete saying that men need to hold other men responsible, before shifting to another important segment of men who are stopping these problems from taking place. Men pushing harassing men away from their female targets. Fathers pulling fighting kids off of their hapless victim. Men stopping people in the street from trying to go after another man. Read More