November 1, 1944: The Repose Of Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky

November 1, 1944: the repose of Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky

Each year, I am glad to write something on late Meztropolitan Andrii Sheptytsky who died on November 1st, 1944 under the communist rule in Ukraine. 68 years have passed. His personality will definitely question the Church, Judaism, Israel, the Jewish authorities in charge of determine who acted with exceptional insights during World War II. At the present, the Ukrainian Churches are broken down into several contradictory positions and directions. Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Belarus and the territories that were under control of the Habsburg during the lifetime of Metropolitan Sheptytsky got through new - maybe not final - borders and incite to constant debates on the real space alloted to each nation or so-called State.

Kyr Andrii Sheptytsky was not a Ukrainian nationalist. He lived in a time when East and West rediscovered their long-age Christian traditions. He was well-aware of the deep connections that should be reinstored in his own episcopal territory of Ukriane and Transcarpathia, with incourses into present Hungary, Romania, Poland. His "serving authority" expanded till North and South america, Africa and Australia due to the first large foreign worker emigrations. The Ukrainians had to make their money abroad and often used to come back home or to settle in the diaspora.
Russia was also a part of his canonical territory before and during the Bolshevik Revolution. Things changed drastically after World War II, when all the clergy and lay people were submitted to harsh persecution and extermination. Twenty years ago, the collapse of the communist power created a new situation. Each jurisdiction felt free or "released" in the Slavic area. The Greek Catholics and the Orthodox Church(es) started to measure their influence and redeployment. They could not settle their own disagreements for the moment and this is evident. It will take some time.

The Ukrainian Church is tempted as it has often been throughout the ages. Ukraine is not really defined in stable borders. The whole country and State is more likely to be compared with a "kordon = a rope, frontier" that cannot be fixed and changed a lot in the course of historic turbulences.

The language is very close to Church Slavonic. It has not the prestige of Russian or Polish, is often denied or considered as a sign of strict nationalism. When I pray in Ukrainian along with Hebrew and Yiddish in Jerusalem and Israel, many faithful do not understand why I do so! But they do not think of the fact that we are in a rare situation in the Hebrew State: Jews and Ukrainians could arrive and build the country by working peacefully and legally in Israel while it was absolutely not the case in the Ukraine, from the ancient time of the Tzars, the Yiddishkayt, the civil war and Revolution, the communist rule and the Nazi occupation for a while and only in sqome specific areas in the West.

From 1958 till now, Metropolitan Andrii Sheptytsky has been viewed as through various chromatic kaleidoscope by the Poles, the Ukrainians, the Russians, the Germans, Hungarians, Romanians, Jews and Gyppies, the Byzantine Eastern rite clergy, the Latin clergy and the corresponding flocks.

When Kurt Lewin, the son of the late Rabbi of L'viv who was murdered as he had left the house of the Archbishop major, could hardly explain to the Ukrainian clergy that he met in Innsbrück and Canada what the real situation has been in the Ukraine and the unbelievable courage shown by Metropolitan Andrii. They were more linked to the Nazi fallen Reich. Moreover he was a Jew and his listeners were not that interested in the Patriarch of L'viv saving lives of Jews and non-Jews for the sake of Christian and human rights and decency.

The recent developments of Church relationships and difficulties in trying to resolve the numerous Church entities and multi-faceted "Eastern Orthodox and Eastern rite" bodies could lead to scan history as it appeared in the 20th century by the time of short independence of Ukraine after World War I. One of the elements that could allow a wide prospect of the situation and to compare with present-day evolution is to be found in the English version translated by Fr. Serge Keleher (+ in 2011) of the book written in French by Fr. Cyrille Korolevsky, a great friend and collaborator of Metropolitan Andrii Sheptytsky, Metropolitan of L'viv (L'vov, Lwów, Lemberg, Leopol). The procurator in charge of collecting all the documents is still Mgr. Michael Hrynchynshyn, a Canadian Saskatoon-born Ukrainian bishop who was called to work on this exceptional hierarch in 1958, when the trial of canonization started. Kyr Michael Hrynchynshyn is now retiring from his office in Western Europe, but will definitely continue his service for the recognition of Metropolitan Andrii with much dedication and eager.

I wrote many notes and articles to Metropolitan Andrii Sheptytsky. Born on 1865/07/29 in Prybylchi (Poland-Ukraine) he died on 1944/11/1 in L'viv. It is again and again possible to mention Prof. Gutman's (former Yad VaShem responsible) that this man of faith was beyond all standards and norms. He spent his life facing permanent aggression from many sides and still acted with wisdom and insights for the good of the Greek Catholic Church of Ukraine, in the mainland and abroad.
He allowed Metropolitan Evlogyi and Archbishop Vladimir appointed by Late St. Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow to reach France and thus to develop the Eastern Orthodox Russian presence in the West.
He is also without contest an exceptional and outstanding personality in the way he worked to help the comprehension of the Jewish identity and culture. In 1916, he organized a great pilgrimage to the Holy Land and there read and spoke Hebrew fluently. In his diocese/eparchy he could spontaneously met in Yiddish and Hebrew with the Jewish communities. We know at the present that he vehemently protested against the deportation and extermination of the Jews to Hitler and Himmler by sending telexes. His famous "Nie Ubyi/Не убий - Thou shalt not kill" pastoral letter sent to all the churches and priests under his responsibility remains a unique act of courage ever shown to that extent by a member of the Christian clergy and high hierarchy. Kurt Lewin ("A Journey Through Illusion" the book has been recently translated into Ukrainian) described how Metropolitan Andrii Sheptytsky directly saved numerous Jews and children by hiding then and protecting them.

Metropolitan Andrii was paralyzed and spent his time in a wheelchair during the last 15 years of his life, he could manage to control the Ukrainian Church in times of unbelievable turbulence, assisted by his brother, Fr. Klement, and a wide network of connections that still kept him isolated during the Communist regime and the second World War.

The Poles accused him of having left the Roman Rite in order to restore the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. He has been in contact with most of the contemporary thinkers (Metropolitan Evlogyi, Vladimir Soloviov) and helped create places of encounter between the Eastern and Western Churches, thus paving the way for a renewed dialogue, such as the Monastery at Chevetogne.

He has been considered as an "overall suspect": twice, he was obliged to manage the invasion of the German army that took control of the Ukraine (Western area) and then to combat the Nazis. He had to face the civil war in the Ukraine, the Bolshevik Revolution, the rise and power of the communists, twice and in different circumstances. Stalin did not dare (and this is also unique) touch the Greek Catholic clergy and waited till the 40th day of mourning was over to seize and deport the clergy.

He has been accused of treason and collaboration with the French and/or the Germans (World War I), the Nazis (World War II), the communists (in between and till his death). Strangely enough - though it is a typical habit, the archives that best depict his actions were to be found in the communist Soviet offices of the KGB.
I often mention his "trudy/труди - works" and would read his sermons or pastoral letters in Ukrainian in my church and on different occasions. This is a very simple matter: undoubtedly, Metropolitan Andrii Sheptytsky's attitudes and personality go far beyond the Ukrainian Church.

It would be a terrible mistake, that sadly often shows at the moment to make an icon of Metropolitan Andrii's dedication and venerate him as a Ukrainian nationalist. On the other hand, he was definitely aware - with the words, style and ideas of his time - that the Church that developed from Kiev and expanded in the Ukraine and the widespread Slavic areas has a specific universal role to play in the symphony of the Body of the Resurrected Lord.

This is not the way people would consider his path at the present. It is suspicious because his personality overgoes all the standards of the clergy hierarchy, in particular in such a troublesome region as Ukraine and the surrounding countries and cultures. He showed an exception character that was not to be found among the Christian clergy during the time of the Catastrophe. Conflicts are easier to mention than unity as he tried to achieve some of his goals in times of incredible hardships.

In Israel, Metropolitan Andrii's actions and thoughts should be a model of reflection upon the situation of Israeli society. Social and inter-cultural, ethnic, spiritual and political problems show intriguing parallels with our building of a new and unexpected human reality. Our society matches and gathers together Jews, Arabs and other ethnic groups, beyond and often against their own will or acceptance.

In many ways, Metropolitan Sheptytsky deals with something that is really close to our turmoil or contemporary "pangs of birth". He answered to hatred by love and strongly called to ethics and moral dynamics with faith.

I definitely do not intend to present the following excerpts of the above mentioned book by some political or religious a-priori's. I would not give an opinion about the troublesome religious situation in the Ukraine in the present. It would by just full of pretence and would restrict and fence the possibility that such a personality allows to open up as he did envision new prospects. Moreover, in the present context, this portion of the text is never referred to and is ignored. It shows that history in the region comes up and up again, with a constant mixture of call to opacity and blindness. As Raphael Lempkin stated with much insight and defined after World War II, the Slavic regions have no real in-depth experience of any legal structure. Therefore, until now, all the nations that live among the concerned people are systematically "slaughtered down" by the absence of real justice. Even Christian "righteousness" is deprived form the local cultural awareness and denied.

It is also worth noting how Metropolitan Andrii finally used to take decisions and keep on the line that underscores the spiritual benefits of the faithful, an aspect rarely expressed by the media nowadays.
Andrew proposed as Ukrainian Patriarch
"Among the many questions demanding the attention of the Ukrainian government (headed by Paul Skoropadsky in 1918-1919) the ecclesiastical organization for the country. What Catholic organization was left in Tsarist Ukraine was all Roman, except for the small Greek-Catholic group which was just beginning to organize at Kiev. Only later, under Petliura's government, was Ukraine represented at the Holy See, first by Count Michael Tyszkiewicz, the scion of an old Ukrainian family which had been Romanised like so many others, and then when the Count was sent to Paris as head of the Ukrainian delegation at the peace conference, by Father François-Xavier Bonne, a Belgian Redemptorist who was serving as a Greek-Catholic so as to help the Ukrainian immigrants in Canada. Father Bonne had come to Galicia and in Count Bobrinskoy's time was named eclesiastical administrator of the district of Ternopil - since he was a Belgian citizen, Bobrinskoy did not dare to expel him. For the moment, Skoropadsky was only concerned for the Orthodox Church.

There of the Russian Church, at the moment when the Bolsheviks were taking power in Moscow. were two parties. Those favourable to a future accord with Russia would wish an arrangement with Patriarch Tikhon (Beliavin) of Moscow, elected on 28 October (O.S.) 1917 by the National Council of the Russian Church, at a moment when the Bolsheviks were taking power in Moscow. In Kiev, this party recognized Metropiltan Anthony (Khrapovitsky), former Archbishop of Volyn, who had been one of the most active propagandists for Orthodoxy in Galicia; he was confirmed as Metropolitan of Kiev by Patriarch Tikhon. Those who demanded complete independence for Ukraine also had to demand ecclesiastical independence with a Ukrainian chief hierarch, according to the customs of the Orthodox Church. As the two groups did not come to any understanding, a council was called for 21 JUne 1918. The autocephalist party dreamed of establishing a Patriarchate at Kiev, like the one in Moscow, although Kiev had nver had a Patriarchate - historically Kiev had been a dependency of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

An attentive observer will realize that the autocephalist party was moved purely by nationalist considerations and thought very little of dogma. This group actually ofered the patriarchal throne to the one who most represented the Ukrainian world in his own person, Metropolitan Andrew Sheptytsky - who was in communion with the Holy See of Rome. If this proposal would have been accomplished it would have had vast consequences, when one considers the significance of ecclesiastical communion according to the Orthodox understanding. Ecclesiastical communion depends uniquely on the head of the particular Church, whom the metropolitans and bishops solemnly commemorate during the services. If this chief hierarch is Catholic, his whole Church is Catholic in view of his communion with the Pope. Since the only point of doctrine which matters for the great majority of the people, and even for the lower clergy, is the recognition of the Papal primacy of honour and jurisdiction, the election of Metropolitan Andrew would have reunited Ukraine to the Catholic Church in one moment. Although this prospect was dubious, one can understand how seriously he took it. However he had to set clearly in a letter to Archduke Wilhelm, the son of Archduke Charles Stephan, the Austrian candidate for an eventual Ukrainian throne. The draft of this letter was later found when the Poles searched the Metropolitan's palace in L'viv; the Poles published it with a photographic facsimile of the beginning and the essential section, in an effort to prove the Metropolitan's political intrigues. No résumé could replace the actual text:

"L'viv, 13 June 1918
I have learned htat one party of the general Synod of the Ukrainian Church which is to assemble one the 21st of this month (the letter is dated) is thinking of offering me the dignity of Ukrainian Patriarch. This initiative is both an expression of opposition to the election of Anthony as Metropolitan of Kiev and a concrete affirmation of the autocephaly, Although the reactionaries are mortally opposed to autocephaly, it nevertheless is the wish of the Ukrainians. The Hetman (Paul Skoropadsky at that time) has declared that if the Synod does not come to a decision on the matter, he will have to grant the autocephaly himself. Should the first eventuality come to pass, I shall inform Your Imerial Highness of the matter andof my eventual position in the affair. I could only accept an absolutely free election by a large majority which would thus have canonical value according to the principles of the Eastern Church. It goes without saying that such an election would by its very fact mean an acceptance of the Church Union. For the moment, the powers which I have received from Pope Pius X are sufficient. Naturally, I should also ask the assent of His Majesty.
"At L'viv it is difficult for me to have more exact information. Since people know that I have been in favour of this idea for a long time, they urge me to prepare the election by some propaganda. In principle I would not want to do this, and anyway there is not enough time. If Your Imperial Highness knows or should learn anything on this matter, I would be most grateful to have the information..."

One mus read this letter with great attention. It shows that the Metropolitan was favourable to the idea of the autonomy of the Church in Ukraine, which is completely in accord with the principles of the Eastern Church and to the current practice of the Catholic Church, with the proper understanding of the term "autonomy". In the seventeenth century, there was a proposal to erect a Patriarchate at Kiev, and Propaganda considered the matter; I have found (says Fr. Cyrille Korolevsky) the proof in the archives and the copy I made was in the Metropolitan's hands. He read everything I sent him with the greatest attention. On principle, he did not wish to do anything for his personal advantage. He saw a means to joint the whole of Ukraine to the Catholic Church, provided that the election was done by a large majority, which would have assured stability. of jurisdiction of the Pope, who would have had to confirm this election. And in the Metropolitan's view, such an offer would mean, in practice, the acceptance of church union, that is the recognition of the primacy of the jurisdiction of the Pope, who would have had to confirm this election. No Catholic bishop in the Metropolitan's position could have acted more appropriately and more prudently.

As to Skoropadsky's conviction that he himself could grant the autocephaly, no one who knows Orthodox practice will be surprised, because for the Orthodox Church the supreme authority after Christ - Who is no longer on earth - is the Ecumenical Council, but such a Councilsince 787 (the Orthodox do not consider the council has not been held of 869 which condemned Photius ecumenical). The Romanian Patriarchate was founded on 4 February 1925 by the Holy Synod of the Romanian Orthodox Church and received legal sanction from the Kingdom of Romania on 12 February of that year. Only afterwards was the assent of the Patriarchate of Constantinople requested - Constantinople did not refuse. It was the same for the Bulgarians, although in that case Constantinople took longer to concede. According to the principles of the Orthodox Church, the Patriarchate of Constantinople has a primacy of honour, but no primacy of jurisdiction.
But back to Kiev. The party opposed to a complete break with Russia gained the upper hand so the idea of autocephaly for the Church of Kiev was abandoned by the Council. Was the whole idea viable? Certainly not: Kyr Andrew (Sheptytsky) would have had the greatest difficulties to convince the bishops to accept the primacy of the Pope, let alone the other controverted dogmas, and there would eventually have been an internal schism."
...
The Polish-Russian armistice was signed on 11 October and ratified by the Polish Diet on the 23rd. The definite treaty was made on 18 March 1921".
Excerpts from: Cyril Korolevsky: Metropolitan Andrew (1865-1944), translated and revised by Serge Keleher, L'viv 1993, pp. 213-217). The original book by Fr. Cyrille Korolevsky - born Jean-François Charon at Caen (France). His account in French is difficult to read because of the many mistakes in French. He was a brilliant priest and had spent most of his life in th service of the Eastern Churches. His testimony gives a unique description of the multi-faceted and numerous problems that Metropolitan had to face during his long pastoral service of the Greek-Catholic Church in the Ukraine and abroad, in particular in North and South America. He was very capable and acute. His testimony is indeed essential at the present because his had envisioned the many developments that show up at the present in a very troublesome situation. Nonetheless, being a French by birth and having open-minded views and prospects on the Eastern Middle-Eastern and Slavic Churches, he describes the facts with much distance that a local specialist would hardly reach. His book "Métropolite André Szeptyckyj, 1865-1944 - was published in Rome in 1964 in "Працi Украïнського Богословського Наукового Товариства - Opera Theologicae Societatis Scientificae Ucrainorum - vol. XVI-XVII with a preface by Cardinal Eugène Tisserant, one of the greatest specialist of Eastern Churches.

Incidentally, it should be noted that Cardinal E. Tisserant, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches at Rome, pleaded the cause of the first Hebrew-praying four Roman Catholic priests who celebrated in the language in 1952; he had stressed that the Chaldean Oriental rite was the most adequate, but the Western origin of the concerned clergy drove it to full Latinization. N.B. "Hebrew in the Church of Jerusalem" has been in use by the blessing of a remarkable translation by Fr. Levinson of the Divine Liturgy by the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow in 1852, i.e. before the restoration of the Patriarchate of Moscow.I use this text because of its official recognition, validity and real beauty.
It should be noted that the above mentioned quotation from a specific situation confronted by late Metropolitan Andrii Sheptytsky should correctly be understood. In his quotation and comments, Fr. Cyril Korolevsky draw the attention of the readers to very special points. These are very parallel to the situation that the Eastern Orthodox Church is embattled with at the present in Ukraine. The excerpts are followed by a clairvoyant description of the dangers that Ukraine can both generate and be obliged to affront from the part of the Poles, the Central European Powers and Russia. Interestingly "za kordonu = at the frontier, on the rope of the border that has always been difficult to determine". As if the "cord", also maybe mostly in a spiritual connection would imply the emergence of a lot of unexpected and "imperiling" factors. We should also keep in mind that the history of the Church of the Rus' of Kiev and then Moscow has been tragic over the centuries. It has been deeply assaulted by invaders coming from Asia (Mongols, Tatars) and from the West (Poland, Lithuania).

Nonetheless, Eastern Orthodox Churches of the Rus' have also been also influenced by the Westerners, both the Latins and the Protestants that introduced special habits that were not present in the Greek tradition (Holy Confession).

This text should be measured adequately. It shows one or two invariants and also refers to constant traditions of the Eastern Orthodox Churches that should normally be respected by the Oriental Churches united to Rome. A last remark that is very rarely mentioned. The Second Council of Vatican was adopted by the Roman Church and its Oriental components, provided that the Patriarchs heading the Oriental Churches would confirm and ratify the decision upon their return to their local ecclesiastical areas. This had not been done. They never convoked the concerned Synods for different reasons. Some Churches - like the Greek-Catholics/Melkites - claim to adopt the decisions of the Council with the provision that the Eastern Orthodox Churches would also join in such decisions, which can hardly be the case for the moment. It is evident that the Roman clergy and faithful are not directly concerned or aware of this pending situation.

The Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine (Акт проголошення незалежності України) was passed on August 24, 1991 by the Ukrainian Parliament and widely confirmed by the referendum dated December 1, 1991 (90% of the voters). This happened 18 years ago and the National Day will take place on forthcoming Monday 24th of August 2009.

With regard to the exceptional personality of Metropolitan Andrii Sheptytsky and the "above any sort of nationalism" position that he adopted, this text, as many others readily quoted in other notes and articles, brings some light on how to go ahead with God's assistance.

archpriest Aleksandr [Winogradsky Frenkel]
av aleksandr

The children of Gregorios the Illuminator, the Armenians in Jerusalem

It really makes sense to live in Jerusalem or to serve there. it is always significant and full of signs, insights to reckon and count days and "glimpses" received the Most High.

Twenty-one years ago, the Armenian Soviet Union Republic became an independent country, apparently free from the Caucasian neighboring State (Azerbaidjan) and, mainly the Russian Federation. It was on October 21st, 1991. Ever since, the country had to face terrible economic hardships and mishaps. The Armenian Church is very old, once of the most ancient autonomous Churches. It allowed Armenia to become the first Christian State in the world in 301 AD when Saint Gregorios the Illuminator confirmed the faith that had initially been brought into the area by the Apostle Thaddaeus and Bartholomaeus
.
On upcoming October 28, 2012, the Roman Christian Churches (Both Orthodox and Catholic as present in the Roman Empire) will celebrate the 1700th anniversary of the victory at the Milvius Bridge. Emperor

 Constantine had the
vision that by the Sign of Christ, he would be victorious. It was in 312 AD. and the Edict of Milan that recognized Christendom with more tolerance than full acceptance was taken a year later at Nis (Serbia) in 313 AD.
The Armenians got "self-controlled". They left the Common Church of the origins in 351 while the Byzantine Patriarchate of Jerusalem got full "independence"...

Today, on October 22, 2012, Patriarch Torkom/Torgom of the Apostolic Armenian Church in Jerusalem has been buried close to Mount Zion where there are many sectors dedicated to the main ancient local Churches in Eretz Israel. He was 93 years-old. The noticeable aspect is that he was born in the desert, as his parents were fleeing the 1915 genocide perpetrated against the Armenians. indeed, other inhabitants and Christians have been persecuted by then, but the Armenian genocide is special because its peculiar constant backgrounds.

Patriarch Torkom has served for years in the United States. He arrived very early at Jerusalem. The Armenian Church has a great library at the Saint James Convent in Jerusalem. Over the long period of his service at the head of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, many works have been conducted: at the Holy Sepulcher, the Armenians are present with their part of the (Armenian) Golgotha, that is going further till the church that is located down the stairs, on the way to the place where Saint Helena found the True Cross. On the right, many excavations have been done, surveys and different drawings, writings were found showing the most ancient historicity of the location.

Torkom Manoogian, as most of the Armenians of the region, was a survivor. This is quite a problem till now for many countries in the world that are not likely to recognize the authenticity of the "genocide". It is a pending question for the Israeli State. Many people think that the Jewish authorities are not ready to recognize the Armenian genicide due to the special relationships of the Hebrew State with Turkey. The argument may make some sense, not to the full.

Israel is rather suspicious about the non-recognition of the Holocaust-Shoah. The extermination of the Jews is often denied, mainly by the local Holy Land Christian Churches. Israel is hardly recognized as well. Raphael Lempkin - the renown Jewish and Polish lawyer who "invented" the word "genocide" during the Nürnberg Trial - could hardly define what mass murders of such intense and dramatic consequences could mean. The case of the Jews is special because constant pre-Christian and Christian era pogroms, plundering, killings against the Jews did aim at annihilate and wipe out, erase the "Divine" call of the Jews to witness to the Creator.

When the Jewish State was created, in 1949, the new State became responsible for the Christian Holy Places in the Holy Land. It got enlarged after 1967. The Christian Churches had not anticipated such a renewal of the Jewish life and religion as such. For many, "deicide" may have been banned from usual speech, but it is still very present. It concerns all the denominations... as curiously also those that may seem to defend Judaism. The main issue is "superseding" and in the realm of faith, there has always been a strong competition that consists in "getting all into one" but consider that each creed and its group is better than any other.

The Jewish communities experiences - maybe too much - the reality of being left aside when Israel calls for assitance and full recognition. At the present, "Shoah" is strangely commemorated by the Catholic Church on a day that is not the same as the one chosen by the Jewish community! In the Slavic area, old place of extermination of the Jews (Baby Yar) is venerated as a place where "Ukrainians or Russians" have been executed. This is a real process of "superseding".

It may come in the end that Israel will recognize the Armenian "genocide" as such because of the very similar fate that both Jewish and Armenian communities had to face for the sake of the Lord.
Archbishop Aris Shirvanian, born in Haifa in 1936 has been elected to work as Locum Tenens, as acting Armenian Patriarch till the new patriarch be elected in forty days.

We have to look at the maps. The former Ottoman Empire is on the spot and "quakes, shakes, quivers". This is true in the Mashrek and the Maghreb, i.e. in most of the areas where the Ottoman rule was in force till the fall of the monarchy in Turkey on November 1, 1922, i.e. 90 years ago in one month. The Armenian Apostolic Church is present on most continents at the present. Its cradle is located in the Near and Middle-East, torn by permanent conflicts over the ages in the Caucasus, part of Turkey, Kurdistan, moving to the West and to the East, along with previously Roman and Persian Empire teritories, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt down to Ethiopia. It prolongs its influence to present India, which should also be taken into consideration.

Indeed, Caliph Omar I (Ibn al-Khittab) came to an agreement in 636-7 with the head of all the Christian denominations, Patriarch Sophronios of Jerusalem. Mar Sophronios could convince Omar not to destroy the most holy places of worship for the Christians (as listed then: the Armenians were counted as among the local believers). This was signed by the Omar as the leader of the Muslim emerging "faith and international power". It is known as the "Achtiname or Decree/Covenant of Omar Ibn-al-Khittab, Umariyya Covenant" in 637. The Muslim leader accepted, in the name of the Prophet and the nascent Umma, to recognize the right of the Christian communities to continue to worship in Jerusalem (Church of the Anastasis or Holy Sepulcher) and Bethlehem (Church of the Nativity).

Patriarch Sophronios led then Umar to all of the Holy Places in Jerusalem, and also to the Temple Mount where the Caliph decided to build some very simple prayer "hut" made of branches.
This implies that the Christian denominations surrendered to the Muslim power in April 637. We still live under the decision that has been passed by that time. Umar was very respectful toward the Christians. he avoided entering into the Holy Sepulcher in order to spare the holy site and not to cause some confliect with the Muslims.

The Umariyya Covenant has been in force till our days and the present national and religious governing and ruling authorities. The Achtiname is mentioned by the Eastern Orthodox Churches during their meetings in the Middle-East. They track back to the experience f the local Christians throughout the centuries to pave the way to the future.

It is not easy. The Western Churches often adopted a "post-colonial" attitude that still includes very "colonialistic" considerations. The Latin Patriarchate and the Franciscan Custodia of the Holy Land maintain their control over a vast region that extends from Cyprus through Turkey, the Middle-East and Egypt. The map is quite the same for other Churches (Antioch, Jerusalem are smaller). The territory does not take into account the changes that happened after the collapse of the Ottoman rule.

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna wrote dissertations on Patriarch Sophronios. It is quite coherent, not only because he always had been interested in the Oriental and Orthodox Churches. It is obvious so far Austria and the Habsburg Austrian Hungarian had stopped with much difficulty the Ottomans in Vienna (1683). At the Rum-Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, we also have students who work on this subject because it is at the core of the situation.

Things seem to be frozen or "on a chilly stand-by". Interestingly, the Covenant of Omar I is much read and gives way to many contradictorial interpretations. The local Churches crossed the ages because they could insightfully approach the development of the Muslim power. The same occurs at the present with the intriguing agreements passed by the Patriarchate of Jerusalem with Qatar and in its talks with the other Arabic Peninsula states.

In 638, Caliph Omar appointed an Armenian Patriarch in Jerusalem. The assignment was made before 351 AD. when the Armenian Church broke with the One Church of that time (with the exception of the Assyrian/Nestorian Church that had left at Ephesus, 325 A.D.). This decision initiated a progressive split among the local Christians. Of course, the Armenians left, followed by the Syrian-Orthodox (mentioned as "Jacobites" in the Decree), the Copts and the Abbyssinians (sic for Ethiopians).

It should be noted that the procedure of making such an appointment is typical for allo the rulers. The same happened in Poland, France, Russia where the leaders wanted to cause disagreements or hatred, opposition between different denominations or nations. Jerusalem is indeed a good place for spiritual and human or religious zigzagging. It is the navel or center of the combat between Good and Evil, Divine Presence and Satan, the Devil.

The Decree has something more that is rarely mentioned in the context of the Churches: Caliph Omar also allowed the Jews to come back and freely worship in Jerusalem and the "Eretz".

This point is special. Since the fall of the Ottoman Empire and the end of World War II, Europe went through the collapse of the traditional European empires (Habsburg, German Reich, Russia and other States that had become "kingdoms" after World War I). Today, Europe endeavors both to unite and to segment into small "national" or "clerical" entities. On the other hand, the Ottoman Empire gives no clutch to any former colonial power.

The British Mandate, the Jordanian and then Israeli rule over the Holy Land did not abbrogate the Decree. The local faithful of the Churches are well aware of this situation. The Israeli State started to act with much respect to all the denominations. There are numerous documents issued by the Knesset during the War of Independence that prove a real concern to take decisions on the Churches or religions with a spirit of righteousness.
The State of Israel took over the most sacred and holiest religious sites of Christianity in 1967. The Israeli government firstly had the competent personnel to handle these matters. At the present, things got too embattled. The Churches - all of them - often behave as if their presence was of "divine right" and they would not accept or recognize the authority of any government. This is quite the case with regards to general "ambiguous" attitudes of the local Churches toward the Hebrew State. They had been trained to comply with the requirement of the Arab authorities. The Palestinian Authority exercises a Muslim power - this should be tracked back to the time of the Ottoman empire and the Omar Decree.

The foreign Churches based throughout the world do not reflect upon their being "in exile" from Jerusalem! This is why traditionally strong-minded and deciding Churches (Rome and the Eastern rite Patriarchates" who were "conceded the Communion" (sic) with the See of Rome and Moscow, Beograd, Tbilissi, Bucharest among other jurisdictions) are at pains to really act in the place of the local Churches.

The future of the Armenian Church appear to be "endangered" in the Middle-East. The Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, Mesrob Mutafyan, has to be replaced. The election of a new patrtiarch is post-poned on a regular basis. In the meanwhile, some churches are reopened in Turkey and Armenians that had been forcibly converted to Islam may return to their mother Church.

In Jerusalem and Israel, many Armenian seminarists arrived from Arab regions but could not find their way locally. Nowadays, many youths come from the Armenian Republic. They speak Russian and often study in Moscow or Saint-Peterburg. The local population often assimilates to the Israeli society. Administrative problems should be treated with respect. The Church has been present in the Land from the very beginning of Christianity. The history of the Armenians should also be taken into consideration provided that all accept the laws in force.

True, the Armenian clergy - just as the Orthodox clergy and others - is often mocked by some "fanatics". People are prejudiced in ways due to ignorance: no, the Inquisition never took place in the East! On the other hand, it is difficult to overcome "ethnic" prejudices often based on mutual irrational and non-connecting slander.

Patriarch Torkom was brought to earth at Zion, where it is said "that all (living) were born there" (Psalm 87:5) after the Church of Jerusalem had celebrated the memory of Saint James Alphaeus and on the eve of the feast of Mar Yaakov, Saint James the protohierarch of Jerusalem and Adelphotheos (Brother of the Lord) also positively mentioned as a "just" in the Talmudic treaty Gittin. Yes, the feast starts now for the Gregorian Western calendar and will be "efficient" in thirteen days at Jerusalem.




Archpriest av Aleksandr (Winogradsky Frenkel)


N.B.: The above picture shows the Armenian Catholicos Karekin and Archbishop Aris in Jerusalem.

Hoshana-na, Save Our Souls and Reign

We come close to the end of the New Year 5773 festival. A long series of days that focus on renewal and repentance, conversion and forgiveness, openness and oneness. Evenings, mornings, days and nights long after the possible state of being glad and grateful for having reached this time and even more: we participate in the extension of time! Long nights and days in which we intrude upon our own privacy to bow down or swivel on some invisible chair in order to turn to God. This is the true meaning of “conversion - teshuvah\תשובה”. In Yiddish, we say: "kayn tshive iz akh a tshive/קיין תשובה איז אויך א תשובה = no answer is also an answer". "Conversion" implies to renew, get to a new portion of an answer to God, a new connection. Latin "conversio" means that a new code of "converse/conversation" between man and God and firstly between God and mankind, all of the conscious human beings. it is a constant reconnecting process. Russian "покаяние" also refers to "conversion" but includes the capacity to "confess and correct, repent from our sins, transgressions, moral ethical, financial, economical, physical and societal faults or misdeeds".
Can we focus on these Jewish days of New Year till the feast of the Tabernacles as only a period of "conversion and repentance"? There is more: to proclaim, ascertain, acknowlege and openly profess that the Reign of God, Creator of Heaven and Earth is above time, history, space, geographic locations. It reaches out to the ends of time and the limits of a universe that we hardly can fathom. Human imagination is great. it cannot imagine that the Lord Whom we confess here on this planet is not only a "local Deity". Shaper of all things, God did initiate a reality that is difficult to encompass and to conceive or envision.
There is a move: we started with the days of awe that reached their climax on Yom (Ha)Kippur(im) or Day of Atonement. Then, six days after Yom HaKippurim/יום הכיפורים, we come to sit in our shelters covered with overshadowing branches to meet with historical and spiritual guests - the ushpizin\אושפיזין as with friends or strangers, share about the Scripture, history, future, present, past and envision our own swinging-back to God.
That’s quite something! Because on the 21^st day of new year month Tishrei, there is the Hoshana Rabba\הושנא רבה, the last praying act to be performed under the sukkah-סוכה/booth and then the feast will soon be over with some divine judgment. We are quick to be judgmental. A few seconds, minutes, a chik-chak period. We make up our minds very speedily about the others; we may be slower in the way we consider our own lives.
God waits with much patience... It takes Him so much time to write our names into the Book of the living. We are very good at rejecting promptly anybody, i.e. usually without knowing or trying to understand anything. God is not only patient: He appraises the price of our nights and days. God is wise and His wisdom is not our wisdom… Thus, in the end, He has to give some signs. The great blessing is to pour some rain. Wherever they reside, the Jews pray so that God pour His rain in Eretz Israel and not in any other place. This shows the long-term fidelity of the Jewish community with this Land. And from there, the blessings reach the ends of the world.
God seems very reluctant to curse. Of course, even the most pious believer would admit that he never got any written statement showing that he is blessed or cursed for the new year! The statement is included in the Scripture and the Talmud. The Hoshana Rabbah day is the 21^st day of the new year and traces back to Abraham who got the blessings for all the generations.
According to the tradition, Abraham belonged to the 21^st generation after the shaping of Adam. Then, on this day, we got to the high spot to make up our minds: rejoice - go through the pangs of birth and conversion and trust in God. Because God does trust in us. Just get to the news: killings, violence, fights in words, acts, rapes, lies, corruption and still God confides in us. Oh we would love to put God into a box. The great Megillot-מגילות/Scrolls of the Torah that are lodged in the “ha-aron haqodesh-הארון הקודש / holy ark” serve to release us as each letter aims to make us free.
The 21^st and last day under the sukkah is called “Hoshana Rabbah/הושענא רבה” and is thus substantial and significant. It is also called in Yiddish “a git’n kvitl\א גוטן קוויטל - a good note” day. We are used to surf on the web. Jews write kvitlech or tzeltlech, “small posts/requests - קוויטלעך און צעטלעך” to their rabbis. Long lists of “notes” daily arrive at the Western Wall either by fax, emails or now mobiles (there are delightful pictures of Jews putting their mobiles to the stones of the Wall allowing somebody to speak out his soul from afar.
In return, God sends back the “gite kvitlech\גוטע קוויטלעך”, the good judgment from heaven for a blessed year.
As they hold the “arbaa minim\ארבעה מינים - four species” the Jews will, on that special day, cry out: “Ana HaShem Hoshiya na\אנא ה' הושיע נא = o Lord, be merciful and save us” (Psalm 118:25). To begin with, it recalls the “hakafot\הקפות – circular movements” around the town of Jericho (Joshuah 6:14-15) as well as the sprinkling of the waters in the Temple (Talmud Yoma 59a).
In the Mikdash-מקדש/Temple willow branches that require a lot of water, were put at the four corners of the altar. The seven circular goings around the altar, later , after the destruction of the Temple,  the movement around the “bema/בימה or almenor\אלמנור” (lectern) are comparable to the shaving of the head (harvest) as in Talmud Nazir 29a or specific payment of debts in Sabbatical year (Sanhedrin 68b).
The peopleof the faithful and also of the "secular half-convinced/non-believers cry, shout and this is a “joyous moaning” combining happiness and anxious expectation of a good note well-sealed and duly sent by God. This comes out of  the entrails: ”Please, save right now!”
Targum Onkelos suggests that “Hoshiya-na” means “save Yourself right now!” This is an interesting matter. While they go around in circles, the Jews read a wonderful text for the Hoshana Rabbah and chant: “Ani VaHu Hoshiya-na\אני והוא הושיע נא - I and He save right now!” The jewish tradition considers that this links two verses of the TaNaKH, i.e. Ezekiel 1:1 “Ani (I) betoch hagolah\אני בתוך הגולה - I was amongst the exiled’ and Jeremiah 40:1: “VeHu (And He) was found in chains with all the other captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being deported to Babylon\והוא אסור באזיקים בתוך כל-הגלות ירושלים ויהודה המגלים בבלה”.
In both verses the text refers to God, as first and third Person showing the deep connection in times of dispair as in times of hope. We may not be aware that this leads to a victory that saves God’s reign and His human creatures. As a result,we may grow: “He is my father’s God and I shall extol Him\אנוהו” (in Hebrew: “Anvehu”; Exodus/Shmot 15:2).
All through our existences, we are called to make savings. This banking word does not imply that we would be God’s odd soul savings or properties under strict and limited control. In our cultures, savings mean that we would not spend or make money, profits. But when God saves us with a good one-year ticket, it is our task to increase the fruit He shares with us. I have been constantly visiting the sick for now more than 35 years. It is very strange how baby children saved from death are “deathproof”, unassailable.
This is also our own historic experience.We are good at savings, it is far more difficult to  agree that we are saved. In the Gospel it is accounted: “Aha , you (Jesus), save yourself and us as well” (Luke 23:39). In his “priestly prayer”, Jesus also says to God: “All I have is Yours and Yours is mine... May they all be one, just as, Father, You are in me and I am in You” (John 17:21).
We arrive to the last days that reckon with our sense of unity. If we move around the right way and joyously show we are real menchen (human beings of good heart), who said we should die or be rejected? Exclusion is one of the worse socio-cultural tendencies. Well, Hoshana Rabba sounds like the good old "Save Our Souls" that brings the lost ones back to society.

Av Aleksandr (Winogradsky Frenkel)

Re: Le Pardon

Cet article poursuit une reflexion menée depuis de nombreuses années sur le "pardon". Il reprend un article paru en 2007 et que j'ai révisé pour ce Kippour 2012.

This articledevelops and prolongs my reflection upon "pardon, forgiveness" to which I try to dedicate my life. It was first issued in 2007 and I revised it yesterday for Kippur 2012.

Après l'office des Vêpres du dimanche soir qui precèdent l'entree dans le temps du Grand Jeûne (Carême) qui debute le lundi dans la tradition byzantine, le clerge et les fideles accomplissent un rite profond, signifiant et riche. C'est le Dimanche du Pardon (Прощеное Воскресенье). Le rite est très long et solennel dans la tradition slave. Apres une série de prières de repentance et de pardon, le clergé de tout rang et les fideles se prosternent deux par deux- face-à-face, se demandent mutuellement pardon pour toutes les fautes volontaires et involontaires, conscientes et non-conscientes et se relèvent en s'embrassant dans l'espérance de la Résurrection. Le rite que nous avons accompli hier au Patriarcat grec-orthodoxe de Jérusalem, était succinct. Souvent le clergé et les fidèles échangent en grec un "kali saratakosti" (bonne quarantaine = de jeune), voire souvent "kalo Passkha". Le Patriarche Theophilos avait lu, au début une prière penitentielle qui implorait le pardon de Dieu. Cinq personnes m'ont dit "tzom kal - צום קל" (jeune paisible, simple) en hébreu. La phrase est curieusement un décalque de celle que l'on dit pour le Yom Kippur, comme si l'on devait mettre l'accent sur le jeûne - en fait, l'accent est sur le pardon et, en hébreu, il serait logique alors de dire "shalom uslikhah - שלום וסליחה".

Le rite provient du Kippur ou "Jour de Grand Pardon". Le pardon s'exprime de manière constant dans la prière chrétienne, mais uniquement en grec dans le Notre Père qui indique: "Padonne-nous nos offenses (péchés, remets-nous nos dettes) comme nous avons déja remis, pardonne à ceux qui nous ont offenses". Mais le sens du Kippour est bien different car il prend un valeur sacrificielle de notre vie comme elle l'était dans la tradition sumérienne et dans le sacrifice au dixieme jour du mois de tishri (nouvelle année d'automne). Pour ceux qui n'en seraient pas persuadés a la lecture du Nouveau Testament, il faut rappeler que l'affirmation du caractère propitiatoire du sacrifice du Christ dans l'épitre aux Romains 3, 25 et l'unité du sacerdoce du Christ dans l' épitre aux Hebreux 9 Ch. 7 et 8 ) presupposent une méditation approfondie de la théologie de Yom Kippour.

Dans le cas du christianisme oriental, il est très significatif que cette demande de pardon se fasse a l'entrée du Careme qui est aussi un temps de réconciliation. Mais c'est un temps ou l'on marche vers la Resurrection. En fait, c'est le temps du debut de la nouvelle année pour la tradition biblique, de la pemière moisson. La participation au mystère de la résurrection du Chist requiert aussi un approfondissement des parole de saint Matthieu (5, 21.24.25). Au verset (19) "Car c'était Dieu qui, dans le Christ, se réconciliait le monde, ne tenant plus compte de la faute des hommes, et mettant en nous la parole de réconciliation." Et: "Celui qui n'avait pas connu le peche, Il (Dieu) L'a fait pour nous sacrifice pour le péche (grec: amartian epoiesen = asham en hebreu) afin qu'en Lui nous devenions justices de Dieu (2 Corinthiens 17-21).

Comme le mois nouveau de Adar (rosh chodesh Adar = ראש חודש אדר) a commencé pratiquement pendant le shabbat car la lune est alors née (a 11 h.10 a Jerusalem), et qu'il faut alors se rejouir, le jeune du Yom Kippour katan יום כיפור קטן - ou "Petit Jour de Pardon" avait ete avance au jeudi. Ces petits Yom Kippour ont été instaurés au 16eme siècle par l'Ecole de Safed puisque la lune est éclairée par le soleil par des reflets qui laisseraient croire qu'elle parait, nait, grandit, devient pleine puis diminue et disparait. Ceci montre une permanence physique dans la fidélité de Dieu qui s'exprime par une dimension de double reflet: de la blancheur lumineuse de la lumiere du soleil sur la lune et de ce reflet de la lune sur la terre.

Peut-on tout pardonner? La question se pose de façon tres réelle a tous les niveaux de la société, mais aussi de la nature humaine. Il y a la question que Simon-Kaipha pose à Jesus: "Combien de fois dois-je pardonner? sept fois?" - Jesus répond; "soixante-dix(-sept) fois sept fois" (Matthieu 18, 21). Que la mesure soit de 49 ou depasse 50, il ne faut pas penser que c'est une mesure déterminée. Elle excède précisement, dans sa symbolique, les 500 qui étaient la mesure ou middah ( mesure parfaite dans le Temple). Ici, la question n'est pas dans un bâtiment ou dans une mesure rituelle. Il y a une plénitude d'une autre nature et c'est là que se situe le pardon. Soyons francs ou ayons l'honnêteté de dire que le pardon le plus élémentaire pour des vétilles pose déja des questions relationnelles énormes. Alors lorsqu'il s'agit de pardonner des manquements bien plus profonds et graves, souvent en lien avec la vie et la mort, la question est bien plus difficile à résoudre.

Le judaïsme français - la sociéte française - est actuellement interrogée par le décès de Maurice Papon. Juge pour crimes contre l'humanite et poursuivi par les associations juives, il permet de s'interroger sur le pardon et ou la justification de son jugement. Pour ma part, omme je l'ai expliqué succinctement dans l'article "Qiyum - Existence 1 et 2", je ne me suis jamais senti réellement solidaire d'une action qui consiste a poursuivre un haut fonctionnaire français dont les manquement - certes très graves (mais moins importants que les actions menées par d'autres qui ne furent jamais inquietes) - ont valu sa dégradation. Le judaisme français avait besoin de trouver une personnalité "représentative, emblématique". Il l'a trouvée en Maurice Papon. Il est tout-à-fait regrettable que d'autres n'aient pas été jugés dans les années qui ont suivi la guerre. Le cas "Papon" devient alors une sorte de constat inachevé. Car il fut ministre de la République sous Giscard d'Estaing, c'est-à-dire que sa vie s'est déroulée d'une manière trop normale. Une accusation et un chatiment justes auraient du intervenir bien auparavant et lui barrer de manière stricte toute possibilité de poursuivre sa carriere. Ce ne fut pas le cas. Et comme souvent en France, les attitudes sont troubles, peu claires, ambivalentes. Par ailleurs, aucune condamnation judiciaire, aucune décision légale ne peut exiger et obtenir le véritable pardon d'un peuple, de certains de ceux qui ont collaborer. La France a réagi avec décence dans bien des cas. La chasse aux nazis a été et reste une oeuvre nécessaire, indispensable; mais elle doit déboucher sur un jugement qui implique une réconciliation humaine et spirituelle a laquelle peu de personnes sont vraiment disposés.

En Israël, cette question se pose a tous les niveaux. Un paroissien a un jour fait venir un ami a la Liturgie du samedi. Je célèbre en effet en plusieurs langues afin d'exprimer cette union de croyants de toutes langues peuples et races (Apocalypse). Le visiteur s'est étonné que nous priions aussi en ukrainien. Le paroissien lui a répondu avec bon sens et compréhension sur la raison de mon choix spirituel et linguistique: prier en Israël et à Jérusalem en hébreu et en ukrainien n'est pas seulement célébrer par gout de varier des langues qui sont d'ailleurs évidents pour des citoyens israéliens qui ont tous un lien avec l'Ukraine.

L'Ukraine était le plus grand ghetto créé par Catherine la Grande. Ici, en Israël, l'extraordinaire cohabitation entre Juifs et non-Juifs d'origine ukrainienne a un degre ou a un autre doit inciter a une reflexion profonde sur un pardon qui reste un mystere qui depasse tout entendement. Priere, sur la Terre Sainte en hebreu et en ukrainien, c'est affirmer en Israel que le pardon peut s'incarner et s'inscrire en faux contre la haine seculaire.
Combien furent les nazis ou fascistes qui reconnurent avoir commis des crimes contre l'humanité? Josef Goebbels, catholique pratiquant, s'est vu proposer, à la veille de son exécution, de se confesser et de parler a un prêtre. Il répondit qu'il n'avait rien a se reprocher. J'ignore si Maurice Papon a reçu ou non les derniers Sacrements de l'Eglise et surtout s'il a confesse quoi que ce soit en rapport avec cette fin de vie en jugement. Cela resterait de l'ordre du secret. Mais il est evident que personne ne peut obliger quiconque a l'aveu. L'Eglise romaine de rite latin en fait une obligation pour recevoir l'absolution sacramentelle. Les Eglises orientales et byzantines ne l'exigent pas.

Un aveu de culpabilité, le remords, la demande de pardon requièrent une disposition de l'âme qui n'est possible que dans un climat de grande paisibilité. Et de confiance. Dans le cas Papon, le malaise est double, tres profond: d'une part, une France politicienne d'après-guerre toujours en train d'essayer de régler son passe (cela concerne encore des membres influents de la politique francaise, comme d'ailleurs Francois Mitterrand en son temps). Et aussi le malaise profond des Juifs de France, pris dans le filet ambigu de l'assimilation trompeuse et d'une déjudaïsation effroyable alors que le judaïsme nord-africain ne revint qu'en 1962, sans pouvoir choisir Israël.

Si j'ai quelqu'appel religieux, je dirais que j'essaye d'être vraiment le témoin du pardon qui me fut inculqué par les miens, en particulier par ma mère, Zénaïde Chai Bassi. Je reste convaincu que le "pardon" est l'âme du judaïsme ET du christianisme et dépasse toute chose démontrable ou explicable. Immatériel, sans que l'on puisse déceler une action de Dieu ou un mouvement humain qui révèle combien une personne change, évolue, se mue au cours de la vie.

Pourtant, le pardon est sans doute la forme la plus élevée, la plus difficile à atteindre pour letre humain. On peut se gausser de paroles. J'ai entendu des sermons, des homélies savantes ou apparemment persuasifs et théologiquement fondés sur le pardon et la nécessité de pardonner. Face aux travaux pratiques, ces paroles se montraient fumeuses et ineptes.

Depuis que j'ai atteint l'âge de raison, je crois pouvoir affirmer que j'ai toujours pardonné, le plus souvent sans tenir en mal ou retenir quoi que ce soit contre quelqu'un. J'ai essayé de donner un exemple dans mon chemin sur le christianisme (Qiyum - existence 2). Mais c'est aussi vrai dans la vie quotidienne. Je me suis rappelé ce matin comment un jeune juif m'a un jour traite de "putz - פוץ - crétin simplet" en yiddish (c'etait il y a presque cinquante ans) et fut obligé de s'excuser, ce que je ne demandais pas. Il y a des cas auxquels j'ai réflechi ces temps derniers: j'aurais dû frapper, répondre, même violemment, en tout cas verbalement. Or, j'ai réagi en prenant beaucoup de distance. Cela m'est naturel, intuitif: le temps est long, très long. Il n'est pas pesant. Il domine tout. Et donc, il est possible de passer, ce qui est d'ailleurs le nom-même de l'Hébreu (Ivri/עברי ). Beaucoup d'exemples de cette nature me viennent à l'esprit. Il y a autre chose: un autre réflexe humain qui allie de manière souple les notions de temps, de compréhension, d'intuition et de "passage au pardon".

L'âme du pardon est de tout supporter, non que tout soit supportable, loin de là! Mais, très souvent au cours de la journée, les paroles du psaume s'imposent à l'esprit "Ils ne savent pas ils ne comprennent pas - לא יודעו לא יבינו". Je n'ai aucune prétention ou même idée de croire que je comprends quelque chose. Si, que la valeur de nos jours, de nos vies est si précieuse, si unique que le pire criminel (et il y en a beaucoup... sous bien des formes), comme aussi chacun de nous, peut réfléchir la lumière du pardon, même au prix du mépris le plus apparent. Le pardon oblige aussi de se taire, de manière volontaire et par dignité. A Jérusalem, il y a des âmes qui crient, hurlent - non seulement les vieilles soufffrances de la persécution anti-juive. Il y a le cri de l'âme de tout habitant, de tout peuple, langue, nation, de souffrances si peu comprises et explicables qu'il ne semble rester que la solution de la déraison. C'est là que le pardon prend son sens sur un chemin pascal.
C'est aujourd'hui le Jour du Grand Pardon 2012/5773. Cet article est souvent consulté dans mon blog. Je l'ai repris de différentes façons. En cette année 5773, le pardon constitue à l'évidence une part importante de mon service de Dieu. Peut-on parler d'un abus voire d'un surcroît ou "trop-plein" exaggéré de pardon de ma part? Beaucoup me le disent mais admettre mes explications: il n'y a vraiment pas de mesure possible, de barrière au pardon humain. Il y va de la conscience.

Jour après jour depuis trois ans et demi, je puis apprécier et évaluer le poids de la densité grasse, lourde, sombre de l'âme humaine dans de multiples circonstances. J'ai donné un exemple dans mon livre "Les Portes Royales: le Sacrement de l'Ordre et le Judaïsme" (Nouvelle Cité 1989). Il s'agit de récit sur R. Souzya. Le saint homme se croyait appelé à une vocation de direction spirituelle, comme cela est d'ailleurs souvent le cas dans tout clergé ou cléricature. Un lien de dépendance dont les "Kleriker/clercs" sont friands. Le rabbin se rendit chez son maître et demanda de recevoir une "bénédiction, grâce" de voir le péchés des vivants... Tellement simple! Le maître lui répondit qu'il n'y avait pas de problème... On dirait "pas de soucis" en françois d'oil actuel (2012).

Le lendemain à l'aube, Rabbi Souzya se promenant dans sa ville, est effrayé par la densité opaque, profonde, noire, sordide de tous les péchés qu'il "visualise" en ligne dans les rues, sur les places, à l'occasion de ses rencontres. Il avait cru répondre à une vocation. Il ployait sous l'obsession destructrice de péchés rendus presque matéiels et dévastateurs.

A cet égard, le Sacrement de Réconciliation ou de Confession/Absolution des péchés ne peut se réduire à un acte d'audition systématique et routinier.

Rabbi Souzya retourna vite chez son maître. Celui-ci lui dit que les "dons de Dieu sont irrévocables" et qu'il ne pouvait suspendre une bénédiction divine accordée en réponse à tant de ferveur. En revanche, le maître lui proposa de proposer d'obtenir d'auprès de Dieu une autre bénédiction, une grâce modératrice.
C'est ainsi que R. Souzya obtînt du Très-Haut et Bon Seigneur de pouvoir entendre les péchés sans les voir et surtout de descendre avec le pénitent qui se confesserait à lui, sans ployer sous le poids des fautes et des transgressions. Il descendrait au plus profond de l'abîme du mal pour obtenir avec le pénitent le pardon divin et remonter avec lui vers la surface humaine. Une libération. Ce principe est connu dans la tradition juive: c'est celle du mouvement "yeridah leshem aliyah\ירידה לשם עליה = descendre pour (re-)monter". Ce même mouvement est présent dans l'élévation du serpent d'airain dans le désert ou l'"élévation" de Jésus de Nazareth sur le Bois de vie (Crucifixion et Ascension).

Cet épisode est toujours présent à mon esprit. Le silence couvre des choses qui s'empiler dans un non-sens inadmissible. Il est toujours possible de sortir alors de manière opportune des versets bibliques ou évangéliques comme "Père, pardonne-leur, ils ne savent pas ce qu'ils font" (Luc 23, 34). Le principe est commun dans le clergé et "le peuple". Au fond, il est si facile pour un individu singulier muni d'une autorité sur les âmes - l'expression est en soi comique - de prétendre que les autres devraient être plus humble que lui-même ne le sera jamais... A ce niveau, je dois dire que le nombre d'exemples de ce type de petits despotes paisiblement inspiré de rien est pullulant.

Le pardon induit une conscience. La conscience ne peut être évaluée matériellement. Elle n'est pas à la mesure de centilitres, de mètres carrés, inches, cubits, verstes ou éphas. A Jérusalem, dans la société israélienne - pour parler du lieu où je sers comme prêtre, il est évident que toutes les mesures possibles se croisent et s'ignorent par la "magie" d'une opacité épasse, dense, profonde qui emporte tout et conjugue les âmes, les langues, les êtres, les générations, bref l'histoire dans virvoltement aux allures d'incohérence.
Tous les paramètres mentaux et comportamentaux sont présents, d'une façon qui est "trop". En hébreu, on parle de "Yitron/יתרון" - au sens de "quel est l'avantage à...?" (Qohelet 1, 3). On dirait "too much" en anglais ou "c'est trop" en français courant (2012).

Le Jour du Grand Pardon ne peut être séparé d'un mouvement liturgique annuel. Il mène à la fête des Tentes ou Sukkot/חג הסוכות, la fête eschatologique des Tabernacles.

Toutes les liturgies orientales orthodoxes ou pré-chalcédonnienes sont clairement d'inspiration kipppourique. La liturgie byzantine amarée à l'expression hellénistique ou syro-araméenne est issue du culte du Temple de Jérusalem et son développement est apparu comme un surgeon d'une sensibilité et véracité typiquement sémitique. Les Eglises de la tradition occidentale ont progressivement pris le large.

Les Eglises n'ont pas de "Fête eschatologique des Tentes". Les Eglises byzantines ont un temps liturgique unique après la Pentecôte. C'est le temps dit de "Esprit ou de Pentekoste" qui s'est affirmé au jour-même de la Fête de Shavûot ou Fêtes des Semaines, Don de la Loi écrite et orale. C'est ainsi que le judaïsme se perçoit.

L'Esprit et la Loi, dans la mesure où tous peuvent reconnaître que Dieu n'est que source de mouvement dynamique. Il faudra précisément beaucoup de temps pour que les chrétiens et les les juifs puissent saisir la portée de la formulation paulinienne: "La Loi tue, l'Esprit fait vivre / το γαρ γραμμα αποκτεννει, το δε πνευμα ζωοσιει" (2 Corinthiens 3, 6).

La suppression de la fête eschatologique des Tentes conclut en apparence une ère liturgique. La parole de saint Paul a été le plus souvent perçue de manière négative à l'égard de la tradition juive, dès son temps jusqu'à nos jours.

Il est possible d'interpréter autrement ce verset. La Loi n'est pas abolie (Romains 9, 4). Elle est naturellement accompagnée par la Loi Orale ou Mishna, fondement et matériau qu'est le Talmud qui a été tardivement transcrit et constitue l'esprit, la manière mentale et pédagogique particulière qui ouvre sur le don des Commandements au Sinaï.

La grammaire hébraïque, dans la mesure où elle existe intrinsèquement, distingue entre les consonnes ou "os/עצמות - aetzamot". Elles sont écrites, donc "substantielles". Les voyelles sont appelées "âmes/נשמות - neshamot" car elles colorent, donnent une tonalité contrastée et variable, changeant le sens des mots, en hébreu comme en arabe, de manière toujours pertinente et sans apparaître dans l'écriture.

Il appartient aux générations à venir de montrer cette cohérence qui inclut au Sinaï la Lettre et l'Esprit dans une unité harmonieuse. En effet, l'apôtre a raison que la lettre seule ne peut vivre; de ce fait, elle tue en ce qu'elle ne peut entraîner seule à la vie. L'esprit vivifie, suggère, propose, appuie des significations aux formes diverses. Le temps des successions générationnelles ne se sont pas épuisées et nul ne maitrîse la grande fécondité des mots et des souffles présents dans la Tradition.

Le véritable dialogue entre judaïsme et christianisme ne commencera vraiment qu'au jour où l'Eglise, dans sa très grande diversité, atteindra le seuil de ce qu'elle peut accepter et recevoir du judaïsme. Il n'a pas traversé les siècles en vain. Il ne peut y avoir de compétition dans la foi au Dieu Unique et vivant. Cette parole orale qui est au coeur de toute la transmission juive permettra de comprendre avec bien plus de profondeur l'héritage du Nouveau Testament.

La Tradition orale ne peut se substituer à la Tradition des Pères de l'Eglise. Il ne faut pas entrer dans ce domaine qui est volontiers source de conflit. La Mishna est l'âme vivante du judaïsme tel qu'il s'exprime aujourd'hui par le renouveau linguistique et culturel de l'hébraïté. Cette nouveauté doit prendre sa mesure et ses marques pour être reconnue de manière positive et constructive.

Il reste un point à souligner: les nombreuses études talmudiques menées depuis plus d'un siècle par les théologiens allemands, en particulier Hermann L. Strack et Paul Billerbeck (c'est surtout ce dernier qui a réalisé les recherches), sont essentielles. Elles ne suffisent pas et le travail ne peut être mené par les seules entités ecclésiales chrétiennes.

Le Second Concile du Vatican qui s'ouvrit voici seulement cinquante ans a lancé une piste d'approche timide et précaire des traditions juives. Dans son remarquable livre "Einsame Zwiesprache (1958)/(en anglais: "Martin Buber and Christianity, A Dialogue between Israel and the Church, transl. by Alexander Dru, London 1961), Hans Urs von Balthasar faisait, un peu plus de quinze ans après la fin de la Catastrophe-Holocauste, Shoah/שואה , Hurban/חורבן , un constat sincère sur les relations entre le judaïsme et le christianisme (la traduction française est excellente et est accessible à un grand nombre):

"Since the foundation of the Church, a dialogue between Jew and Christian has always been rare and invariably brief. Judaism shut itself off from Christianity, and the Church turned its back on the people which rejected it. The history of their relations and contacts is, it must be confessed, dispiriting."
Ce constat établi en 1958 par écrit reste totalement véridique, vrai et confirmé aujourd'hui en 2012. On ne saurait faire fi de l'évolution des études juives au sein du monde académique chrétien. Ce n'est qu'une infime parcelle de ce qui devrait être mené. Le dialogue n'inclut pratiquement pas de reconnaissance ou de légitimité juive à la société israélienne qui revigorise l'identité de l'homo hebraicus. L'hébreu continue de passer, de traverser la passerelle du temps et de l'espace. Dans sa survivance, il confirme un pardon divin pétri de vie, en dépit de ce que les juifs sont ainsi que toute l'humanité.

Les mots de Hans Urs von Balthasar restent vrais car la pensée, la crédibilité spirituelle d'Israël n'est pas approchée comme à hauteur de ce que les traditions des Eglises chrétiennes prétendent confesser dans la foi.
C'est une chose d'aborder, voire d'accoster, de loin et brièvement, la réalité du judaïsme moderne comme le notait le cardinal suisse allemand. C'en est une autre de d'assurer une compréhension à niveau égal entre ce que le judaïsme et le christianisme disent du Règne de Dieu.

Le théologien de Lucerne poursuivait: "The penances, persecutions and sufferings imposed upon the Jews in Christendom were usually looked upon simply as a just expression of God's punishment, and not, which would have been more Christian, as an addition to the mystery of suffering which the Church contemplates in the Cross: they point and lead to the bottomless misunderstandings and the endless theological short-circuits that followed". (op. cit. pp. 11-12).

En cette veille de la Fête de l'Exaltation de la Sainte Croix célébrée par l'Eglise de Jérusalem, Mère de toutes les Eglises de Dieu, le rappel des paroles de Hans Urs von Balthasar viennent rappeler la profondeur abyssale qui sépare les deux Voies de reconnaître que la rédemption est proposé à toute souffle de vie (prière du soir/maariv de Yom Kippour en rites achkénaze et sépharade).

Hans Urs von Balthasar écrit: "In that atmosphere, the dazzling eschatological light that falls on Israel from the 11th Chapter of the Epistle to the Romans, which had hardly been mirrored in the works of Origen before it was once again obscured, is not so much as noticed. (...) It must be admitted however, that there are times when it looks as though an ultimatum had been delivered, as though the point had been reached  when a final breach was unavoidable." (id.).

La tâche du pardon reste entière, quasi intacte. Par mon ministère à Jérusalem et dans les Eglises orthodoxes, mais aussi au sein du monde catholique, je puis attester que l'étude, la connaissance ne font que poindre. Il s'agit effectivement de bribes d'un dialogue solitaire ou mis en présence de soif insatiable de conquête des âmes. Il est très rare l'étude chrétienne du judaïsme intéresse véritablement les juifs. Elle demeure "anecdotique". Le judaïsme est en phase de reprise du prosélytisme au sein des Nations, sans tenir compte de l'authenticité de l'héritage de foi et d'expression théologique profonde vécue en exil de Jérusalem (Tobie 13).

Archiprêtre Alexander Winogradsky Frenkel

Clôture de Kippour 5773 - Veille de la Fête de l'Exaltation de la Sainte Croix


Si l'on prend garde, les traditions occidentales romaine, latine ou anglicane pour rester dans cette sphère de proximité sacramentelle se sont éloignées de cette racine kippourique. La liturgie ambrosienne de Milan est demeurée plus proche de l'example oriental, tout comme, de manière suggestive, la version tridentine de l'Ordo Missæ romain.

 

Kippur 5773

History can hardly be clear-cut. It is like a sliding page that scrolls up and down and sculpts memories and human frailty. Yom HaKippurim/Day of at-one-ment 5773 echoes with the Roman Christian (Gregorian and Julian) Year 2012. Other computs are available in Christianity and Islam is apparently a bit laidback with 1433.

Times and delays, decades, days and nights, Lunar or Solar cycles can swing, sway, swindle, revolve. Time and duration are elastic and can smash whimpses of light or shadow to all directions. It does not mean we only have reached the date I put everyday here online in the Menologion. Indeed, we are tonight on Tishrei 9, 5773/ט' דתשרי תשע''ג for the Jewish "style". It is difficult to define because it transcends faith, DNA, national essays of identity, constancy, being and though possessing nothing but being what God plays around with them.

 God would never play games. God does not cast lots. He proposes time and space to humankind and the peoples, nations, races, tongues make a choice or act with irrationality. Human beings are basically gregarious, much animal-like, barely "tamed" or taming the others. Man comes out of a world of total ignorance, loneliness, solitude and fright on a route to conquering both time and space.

The Hassidic tradition is right. The Greek word "historia" includes a large portion of concealment as suggested if the word is written according to the sounds and letters of the Semitic and Hebrew languages: "hester/הסתר ". God is concealed/El Nistar - אל נסתר as the Son of Man or Messiah and Jesus of Nazareth also move along and around the reality of visible and invisible.

On Yom Kippur 5773, we may not get to the key point night and day, tonight's cycle that shall end tomorrow in the afternoon in Jerusalem. Newness comes and will grow, blow up from a tiny branch or even leaflet of time or space that started decades ago, inaugurating changes that only show the surfacing of different instants and moments, periods. Leaf/leaflet is "elah/עלה " and feminine in Hebrew and indicate this ascending direction.

For the first time in 3000 years or so - let's agree to consider that we reach tonight a specific milestone - none of the rregular Jewish Autumnal feast will be celebrated in Egypt, at least openly, in an official way. The milestone is peculiar: it also determinates tonight that Exodus did take place and that the Families of the Jews have quit Egypt as "Mitzrayim = מצרים ", the land inside of the ropes, symbolically describing a spiritual and human prison. It is evident that this makes no sense with regards to the present-day Republic of Egypt and its naming in Arabic or Hebrew.

We come to something that surpasses a milestone: a sort of hapax, we speak of "chidush/חידוש " i.e. a matter, a reality that suddenly appears to be totally new, innovating. Who could think for there could be a break in the ritual and liturgical celebration of the Jewish religious cycles in the Land of Egypt? It is clear that celebrations may take place next year or in two years. Still the total official break is brand new.

In Afghanistan, but also Iran and Iraq, the presence of the Jews is drastically restricted and residual. Consequently, the Fertile Crescent or more accurately the birthplace of Abraham and the monotheistic "primary clash" with his father slowly puts a point mark to spiritual reign of the Sumerian civilization.
It is a long process and it will take decades, centuries before it will evolve toward new re-orientations. It will slow slowly raise a new furrow whose seeds are showing as in a concealed way.

It would not be possible to write more right now in this post. On the other hand, it confirms the general trend that I try to depict in the development of the situation in Eretz Israel and Jerusalem: that the breach created by the emergence of the State of Israel and the in-gathering of the exiled lead us to "the end of the time of the Gentiles" as stated in the New Testament, the Gospel of Saint Luke (Lk 21. 23-24).

This observation has definitely no political basis. On the other hand, the existence, reality, consistancy of the Jewish entity through history, the surface of the whole of the Earth, diachronically and synchronically questions in the same way as God interrogates the humans on Kippur Eve: "Who are You, who is alike to You, God?" mirroring back the quest of what the humans want to reach, God willing.

av Aleksandr (Winogradsky Frenkel)

Le petit chat est mort

Les chats tombent-ils du ciel, en tout cas des étages, à 6 heures, lorsque le fond de l'air est frais et qu'une jeune femme rentre en tricycle sur le boulevard? Deux fois par semaine Mademoiselle se rend en tricycle à son travail pour revenir, en fin de journée, sur le parcours périphérique, accélérant avec entrain, pestant, fulminant comme une Gavroche citadine rompue aux pavés de la ville.

Mademoiselle n'est jamais seule. Depuis quelques années, elle est acompagnée, à distance, par une jeune femme qui fait le chemin avec elle... en parallèle, de manière équilibriste. Elle la surveille tant bien que mal depuis le tramway!

Connaîtriez-vous le syndrome de Prader Willi? Une maladie étonnante. Elle surprend toujours géniteurs, parents, amis (au fond si rares) et surtout prit beaucoup de temps à être clairement défini à l'apparition du génôme.

Mademoiselle resta dix années sans diagnostic. Aujourd'hui, il est possible de détecter la maladie dès avant la naissance. Un cerveau de petit pois pour un corps flasque et trop rond, légumeux? Un intense, un immense besoin de tendresse, des gestes lents. Mademoiselle a bénéficié d'un Q.I. performant. Cela la sauve, lui donne intelligence et beaucoup de capacités tout en lui donnant de mesurer ses limites à dépasser, si possible.

L'insatiabilité est gargantuesque, jamais repue. Le regard semble fuyant. La démarche est lourde. Mademoiselle a réchappé de justesse au trépas ou l'after-life, c'est selon!
Quand ces enfants reviennent d'un sommeil léthal, ils en sortent forts comme de l'acier. Une sorte de souffrance lancinante, d'élan quasi irrépressible... Encore faut-il ouvrir les clés de décodage.

Les années ont passé. La gamine est devenue demoiselle. Elle a souffert. Bref, elle filait au vent sur le péripherique urbain portant une tunique, casquette, les lunettes au dessin scaphandrique engoncée dans son manteau de fourrure à manches courtes. Un look assez semblable à celui des conducteurs de voiture des Taxis de la Marne.

Mademoiselle monte. La passion du cheval, une fringale innée de connaître et de prendre soin des équidés. Une passion forte, un moteur bien plus puissant que tous les obstacles à vaincre. Dompter la faiblesse des muscles. Vaincre ses frayeurs et maîtriser ses pulsions contraires.

Elle sidéra le jury lorsqu'elle obtînt son diplôme professionnel de soigneur d'équidés. Son "mémoire" bénéficiait des techniques électroniques, des apports de l'internet. Le jury n'en croyait pas ses oreilles. Elle expliquait les maladies, les soins, l'évolution des races avec brio. Elle s'enflammait et décrivait avec panache la dignité de l'"equuus calaballus", cheval de haras ou bête de somme.

Elle n'eut jamais d'amis dans ce milieu qui hésite entre le bas du fossé et une sorte de pavé qui se voudrait hautain. Stupéfiant de la voir soulever, de son corps en élan et pourtant peu musclé, des bottes fournies de paille au bout d'une fourche pesante.

Elle ne fut jamais aidée par ses collègues de travail. Joyeuse et attendant presque chaque jour des marques de satisfaction de la part de ses "collègues" et des écuyers, elle fut mise à l'écart sans ménagement. Mademoiselle a de la constance. Son Q.I. performant est devenu un "steeple-chase" mental.

Mademoiselle a su gérer ses défaillances. Elle rencontra ceux qui furent progressivement capables de saisir le labyrinthe subtile d'une maladie hors normes. Car qui prend ainsi du poids jusqu'à étouffer de nourriture sans même pouvoir arrêter l'abreuvoir? Ou encore voler n'importe quoi. Tout peut être amélioré. Après dix ans sans diagnostic, nous savons qu'il est aujourd'hui possible d'anticiper la naissance d'un nourrisson qui pourrait naître marquée du syndrome de Prader Willi.

Il reste à maîtriser la solitude. Un besoin constant de tendresse, de reconnaissance, de respect. La dignité s'impose dans chaque être humain, à moins que l'humain dérive trop souvent vers cet instinct grégaire, toujours prêt à moquer et dénigrer.

Mademoiselle fut réprimandée pour avoir coupé les queues des chevaux de compétition hippique... Le directeur de son centre d'équidés à teneur hippique eut l'oeil rieur et perçut des capacités variées. Il réprimanda la Demoiselle, prenant le soin de l'écouter. Ce dialogue laissa la jeune fille souriante. Il y a toujours quelqu'un qui passe et confirme qu'un acte raté ou malvenu peut est transformé en des incitations à mieux faire.

Aujourd'hui Mademoiselle carrocole sur les routes. Elles est aussi championne de course et de galop! Car la pondération et le désir tenace de monter ses amis lui a donné les ailes de gagner et de concourir sans hargne.
Le soir tombe doucement. Voitures et vélos sont au rendez-vous de cette envolée de pouliches mécaniques qui déferlent dans toutes les capitales.

Mademoiselle pédale vite, comme pour se dépasser chaque jour. Il faut rentrer tôt, d'autant que c'est un jour culinaire: elle va cherche son boun-boun hebdomadaire, le mêt asiatique qu'elle déguste déjà mentalement...
Tout peut tomber du ciel. La pluie, la neige, un vent fort, oui, sans doute. Des objets volants que l'on jette de-çi de là. Mais, "enfin! c'est fou çà!", clame Mademoiselle. Il est 16 heures 53 et le petit chat est jeté depuis l'étage d'un immeuble sur le véhicule tricycle de Mademoiselle. Comme un vol de félin hors du foyer primal, le petit chat s'affaisse au pied de Mademoiselle et de son équipage.

Mademoiselle s'inquiète, se penche, crie "à l'inoui". Le petit chat est mort.

Elle saisit l'animal, trouve rapidement un vétérinaire. Le véto constate le décès devant la jeune femme scandalisée par cette situation. Il lui dit qu'il porter plainte puisque le petit chat est mort après un vol au-dessus d'une nidation circulatoire urbaine. Le dialogue est bref. Mademoiselle laisse le chat à la morgue vétérinaire et s'empresse d'aller porter plainte pour meurtre du minou.

Le petit chat est mort. Mademoiselle argumente avec la Police pour savoir ce que les forces de sécurité peuvent faire pour capturer le meurtrier. Mademoiselle constate alors que sa prostestation ne mène nulle part.

Et pourtant! Il y a bien plus que de la décence dans la réaction de Mademoiselle. Il y a de l'humain. Il n'est pas question d'ergoter sur les niveaux d'humanité. Mademoiselle a réagi ainsi parce qu'elle a perçu alors un sursaut d'irrespect pour ce que nous sommes tous.

Le petit chat est mort. Il y avait du mépris dans les "chiens crevés" qui désignèrent longtemps les "faits divers" et préludaient tout bonnement à la presse people, les paparazzi, la gloriole fade et d'apparence sans teint.
La vie de Mademoiselle est tellement tissée de rebonds sur refus, rejets. Elle perce constamment l'épaisseur profonde des autres aiguisés à l'ignorer sinon moquer ce qu'elle fait. Elle a réagi en portant le petit chat moribond aux représentants sanitaires et légaux de la société et cela ouvre sur un autre regard.

Mademoiselle a eu un réflexe de respect de la vie et de la créature. Au fond, un passant aurait reçu le même chaton sur la tête... il serait éventuellement allé à la pharmacie pour soigner son chef. Ou bien le promeneur d'un soir aurait pensé que le monde est vraiment fou. On n'est plus en sécurité nulle part.

Prendre un chat agonisant dans ses bras déjà rompus à l'effort. Elle l'a fait en raison de sa conscience à aimer et respecter. Dans l'enfermement global du handicap, de la maladie, ces êtres sont rivés à l'essentiel, à autrui, en particulier ceux qui sont blessés ou assassinés sans raison.

Le judaïsme parvient au Jour du Grand Pardon. Il précise que les sept Lois noachiques s'appliquent à tous être vivants. Ce sont les commandements d' 1) d'établir des tribunaux dans chaque ville, 2) l'interdiction de blasphémer, 3) de pratiquer l'idolâtrie, 4) les unions illicites, 5) le meurtre, 6) le vol et 7) d'arracher  et de manger le membre d'un animal vivant. (Livre des Jubilés, 7,21).

La décision du Concile de Jérusalem (ce fut plutôt un synode local non compté dans la liste finale des conciles bien qu'il constitua une réunion fondratrice de la communauté chrétienne) en 49/52 - les dates varient - amena le premier évêque Jacques de la Ville Sainte à préciser aux Gentils, les non-Juifs, qu'ils étaient tenus de respecter ces règles-sources de vie.

Si l'on ne fait pas de confusion entre les Sacrements des Eglises issue de l'Empire Romain (catholiques et orthodoxes), les Lois noachiques sont reprises en force aujourd'hui dans l'Etat d'Israël tandis que l'Eglise y porte moins d'attention.

Et Mademoiselle? Elle est à la croisée de ces héritages. Le commandement de ne pas arracher un membre à un animal vivant ne pouvant répondre à une agression, affirme le respect du règne animal, des animaux domestiques. Domestiqués, il ne sont plus aptes à trouver seul leur pitance. Dans les familles juives, la famille nourrit les bêtes et bestioles de la maisonée avant de passer à table... et non par la fenêtre.

Les Actes des Apôtres (20, 25-29) omettent deux commandements: 1) celui d'établir des tribunaux et de rendre la justice et 2) d'arracher le membre à un animal. Il faut alors souligner que pour le Chrétien, dès la primitive Eglise, le corps de Jésus supplicié sur la Croix représente l'Agneau immolé tandis que la Croix est dépassée par le jugement divin.

Il est dès lors tellement curieux que les croyants se soient égarés à écarteler les coupables pour leur faire avouer des crimes tout en maintenant des cours de justice sous des chênes ou dans des bâtiments officiels.
Mademoiselle reprit son tricycle pestant de tous les mots d'oiseaux contre le chauffards de la route.
Le petit chat est mort dans un chant du cygne dédié à une Demoiselle.

Archiprêtre Alexandre Winogradsky Frenkel

Jérusalem
Tishri 9, 5773 - September 12/25, 2012/5721 - Dhul-Qi-Dah 9, 1433

Light

Here is a very nice and intriguing, catching painting by Gerald van Honthurst on the Presentation of the Lord Jesus born in Bethlehem. Anat Lowy-Gur is a Jewish Israeli photographer. We never met, but she is very talentuous in taking pictures, real "photo-graph". The Greek roots of the word explain that "something i.e. the picture has been 'written by light'".

It is strong and meaningful. It makes also sense that a photographer - Israeli and Jewish - "focuses" on such a painting. Photos are also shots and true, they "kill and fix up an instant. Pictures are also "depicted", i.e. written or drawn down in different possible ways, especially at the present. We use and abuse our society with "writing "via, through, by means of" the light, what is bright. It is thus quite parallel to the "ideograms" (it refers to the same "writing via sight, visibility).

It makes sense that Asia has so powerfully developed technically and connection-oriented the "dialogue, visual speech through image, just as icons, but in a too often secular way. The Russian tradition has included the photographs as true "icons", in particular for remembering the dead.

Anat shows the importance of the light on the baby. She makes no religious statement. But the painting called her to say that light is used in a very special way. I dare say that we are facing light all the time. Here in this painting, the Light comes from the Most High, the One Who created heaven and earth and light. When Prophet Isaiah says that the nation of Israel is "a light for the Nations/ עם לאור גוים (Is. 42:6, 49:6, 51:4 = Luke 2:32 = Acts 13:47//26:23), he points out the element that comes from outside of us and is present at the initial of the Scripture. The Gospel apply this "light of the world" to Jesus himself as the Only Begotten Son and to the people of the believers as stated in the sermon on the mountain (Matthew 5:14, John 8:12//9:15), the individuals and the House of Israel then Jesus and the faithful and each human being are "light of and for the world", in the inhabited areas of our planet but much wider deep into the universe.

Light can also be flickering, just be like a flash, a glimpse, like a crossing idea. Light is also so tenuous, a small , tiny and short sign. Light is "not a burden, quick, qgile, swift". It cannot be seized as such. There is another moment that is exceptional in the Gospel: when Jesus comes with his disciples and on the mountain Jesus appeared with Moses and Prophet Elijah and he was transfigurated / והשתנה בעיניהם (John 17:2) = 2 ܐܰܝܟ݁ܰܢܳܐ ܕ݁ܝܰܗ݈ܒ݂ܬ݁ ܠܶܗ ܫܽܘܠܛܳܢܳܐ ܥܰܠ ܟ݁ܽܠ ܒ݁ܣܰܪ ܕ݁ܟ݂ܽܠ ܡܳܐ ܕ݁ܝܰܗ݈ܒ݂ܬ݁ ܠܶܗ ܢܶܬ݁ܶܠ ܠܶܗ ܚܰܝܶܐ ܕ݁ܰܠܥܳܠܰܡ܂ 2 איכנא דיהבת לה שולטנא על כל בסר דכל מא דיהבת לה נתל לה חיא דלעלם܂ 2 καθως εδωκας αυτω εξουσιαν πασης σαρκος ινα παν ο δεδωκας αυτω δωση αυτοις ζωην αιωνιον (Aramaic and Greek). Hebrew crosses darkness to enlighten and shine; for a few seconds, like in a flash, the Gospel recounts how Jesus, Moses and Elijah were together, like a flash, very short that embodies and assembles past, present and future.

The Light

Photographs aim at doing the same by providing history in a glance, a glimpse, summarizing the light from "shadow-tzel/צל " to "image, (rising out of shadow to shine-tzelem/צלם ". This gives a great responsibility to photographers and those who make use of what is bright and visible.

_____________________

Anat Lowy-Gur had written the following about her appreciating the painting:

Adoration of the shepherds - amazing painting by Gerard van Honthorst, it is a known theme that I just love - the baby serves as the light source shining on all admiring family members around. presented at Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne, and I was lucky to see it :)

The interesting part of the thing is that she also put on the picture in a women photographers' group that is typically Jewish and Israeli and wrote the following in her comments:

נשים מצלמות יקרות, משתפת אתכן בציור מרהיב (בעיני) של הצייר Gerard van Honthorst המוצג במוזיאון Wallraf-Richartz בקלן גרמניה. בציור נקודת האור היא התינוק שרק נולד ומאיר באורו את כל בני המשפחה הסובבים - מעריצים. אני הוקסמתי מקווה שתאהבו גם