According to the NTB Internet magazine, Russia’s State Duma is taking an interest in religious problem, following Zhirinovsky’s presentation, particularly in the relations between the Russian government and the Vatican. The parliamentary International Affairs Committee was instructed to forward an inquiry to the Foreign Ministry about the reasons for the meeting between Russian Premier Mikhail Kasyanov and Pope John Paul II while on a visit to Italy. The Duma also wants to know precisely what steps are being taken by the government to “prevent the expansion of Catholicism on the territory of Russia and other Orthodox countries.”
As proposed by Zhirinovsky, the committee was further instructed to ascertain “the Foreign Ministry’s reaction to John Paul II’s pending visit to Kyiv.” These protocol assignments were made at a Duma sitting without a vote. Russia’s Catholics immediately responded to Duma’s formulations and assignments. The Conference of Catholic Bishops of Russia issued a statement signed by Bishop Tadeusz Kodrusiewicz. It reads, in part:
“We are building neighborly relations with other confessions and religions, participating in the Christian Interconfessional Consulting Committee; we always invite Russian spiritual leaders to our celebrations and happily accept invitations to Christian, Moslem, Judaic, Buddhist, and other religious events.
“In cooperation with various volunteer organizations and government agencies, we are trying at this difficult period to support fellow countrymen by providing assistance to those that need it, regardless of their religious affiliation, ethnic origin, and beliefs. This assistance is invariably accepted with gratitude.
“Our serious concern about the ‘prevention of the expansion of Catholicism’ is explained by the fact that the inquiry was forwarded to the Foreign Ministry by the State Duma, a representative body of authority called upon to express and protect the interests of the whole society, including religious minorities, such as the Catholic community.”
It should be added that the Russian media presented Premier Kasyanov’s recent visit to the Roman Pope like a pulp detective story. Courtesy of the Western press, we learned that among the issues discussed was the possibility of John Paul II’s visit to Moscow. The impression was that Mr. Kasyanov went to Rome on a secret mission that happened to become public knowledge.
What interests us in this Russian story most is the part of the protocol assignments concerning Ukraine. For example, how is one to interpret the part about the Russian government’s steps being taken to “prevent the expansion of Catholicism in the territory of Russia and other Orthodox countries?” Does it mean that the Holy Synod founded by Peter I is part of the Russian government? Even more interestingly, what kind of “reaction” do the Russian lawmakers expect from the Foreign Ministry with regard to John Paul II’s visit to Kyiv? Such “assignments” (I would not want to say words ) can only be interpreted as incompetence compounded by imperial licentiousness.
