For whom will the Venerable Seraphim of Sarov vote in the parliamentary elections?

On September 12, another press conference was held at the administration of the Volyn Eparchy of the Kyiv Patriarchate, at which, along with several important issues of the religious life of Volyn, an acute social problem was raised – the use of the religious factor by election technologies.

Last year, society had the sad opportunity to observe how certain politicians crudely use the Church in their desire to win over voters at any cost. At that time, Ukrainians were also unpleasantly struck by the actions of certain hierarchs and clergy of the UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate, who, having forgotten about the true purpose of the Church of God and their priestly mission, consciously or unconsciously became accomplices in criminal acts and an instrument of Moscow's imperial policy.

Publicizing the position of the eparchial administration and of Bishop Michael of Lutsk and Volyn in particular regarding this phenomenon, the press secretary of the eparchy, Archpriest Vitaliy Sobko, noted that before the upcoming parliamentary elections, we will once again not be surprised by politicians' intentions to use the religious factor. But can one try to hope that the Moscow Patriarchate in Ukraine will change its position? After all, as they say, a smart person learns from their own mistakes, and a wise one from others'. Unfortunately, most likely, such a change of principles will not occur. And is it easy for a thief to give back what was stolen, or for a renegade to cross out himself?..

Recently, Ukrainians have been watching on central TV channels the election advertising of the "Union" party, which demonstrates its support for the pilgrimage of residents of mostly eastern Ukrainian cities to the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov brought from Russia. This charity, according to the advertisement, is carried out with the blessing of Patriarch Alexy of Moscow and Metropolitan Volodymyr (Sabodan). "The subtext-call of this advertisement obviously should be: 'All saints, to the elections!'" emphasized the press secretary. "It turns out that we are dealing with something more terrible than pro-Russian policy through the mediation of the Moscow Patriarchate. It is already about undisguised blasphemy, which can seriously negatively affect Christian Ukrainians. It is about an attempt to devalue and stain the sacred with fleeting social passions. It is about the brutal use of a shrine – a mediator of God's grace – as a lever of foreign political influence. And this is still six months before the elections!.."

St. Seraphim, of course, is not delighted to be the main character of the election campaign video of the "Union" party. Moreover, he is probably surprised: why do Ukrainian "patriot-politicians" prefer not the Ukrainian shrines they have forgotten (for example, the Kholm Miraculous Icon of the Mother of God, which is now being restored in the Museum of the Volyn Icon), but him, a Russian saint?

One does not want to believe it, but it seems that this is the beginning of a new, subtly calculated Russian religious-political tactic, where the main actors will be not so much pro-Russian hierarchs, as in the past, as Russian shrines. Already to them, according to the plans of Moscow's great-power church strategists, pious Ukrainians will not refuse...