The vanity of vainglory cannot corrupt the innocent purity of God’s realm of glory, which is not of this world. The blatant heresy of Russian innocence is a product of satanic lies, fake news and media manipulations of perception, nationalistic ideology dismantling Holy Orthodoxy in the interests of Russian dictatorship or Eurasian imperialism. Satanic deception serves many antichrists, dividing Orthodox communities by confusion in the name of dictatorial vanity, which glorifies ‘holy Russia’ in place of God’s holy reign of glory. When ‘holy Russia’ usurps the Holy Name of God, Holy Orthodoxy is highjacked because it is confused with dictatorial nationalism coupled with belligerent militarism. Visible Orthodox communities are shattered by militaristic powers and satainic lies, but God’s holy reign of glory stands steadfast in the hallowing innocence of wisdom, consuming the confusions and divisions of nationalistic heresies in the uncreated fire of grace. In the US, Putin attacked democracy by supporting Trump with the aim of destroying democracy by stealth. In the EU, Putin financed disintegration, supporting Brexit in the UK and Scottish independence within the UK, to undermine democracy and rule of law by sowing confusion and division wherever possible. Wholesome Orthodoxy stands steadfast in the wisdom of discerning peace, centering In God who liberates it from deceptive lies spread by the dictatorial power of Putin’s Eurasian imperialism.
Holy Orthodoxy also exposes and resists American as well as Russian militarism, their collusive manufacture of armaments of war, together with all nationalisms and imperialisms that worship war-mongering dictatorship. Whenever the vanities of fictional ‘Holy Russianness’ succeed in usurping the glories of Holy Orthodoxy, vanity is confused with glory in new proliferations of idolatry, spawning lies that divide friends into warring enemies. Twisted beliefs strangle sound faith with ruthless, poisonous perversity, not only in Orthodox countries, but throughout the world. Martyred Orthodox are brutally forced to emigrate from their blood-lands of confusion and their death-lands of division, but in illumined hearts the pure-lands of the Holy Spirit remain unconquered. When love and peace courageously contest lies and war, peace is fierce and love once again unveils the glories of holy chivalry. In the bloody tragedies of war, glory sees through vanity, purifying hearts in the living flame of uncreated light, consuming vanity and restoring sound glory. Whether in the City of Mary, Mariupol, or in the City of Vlodymyr, Kyiv, God is glorified in his holy martyrs, exposing the Russian heresy by revealing realms of glory.
The deadly virus of vainglory is revealed when the Name of glory reigns, restoring glory freed from vanity. Saints in peacetime become warriors for peace in times of war, revealing mysteries of Holy Orthodoxy, exposing heretical, dictatorial subversions. Critical times uncover lies as they unveil truth, healing the diseases of demonic nihilism and relativism. The lies of the Russian heresy may proliferate as fake news but are annihilated in the defence of peace. Extinguishing the deceptions of vanity is a truly costly glorification, unveiling both the blood of red martyrdom and the purity of white martyrdom, which unlike the red or white armies of the Russian Civil War, reveal holy martyrdom itself. Neither the parodies of red Communism or white Fascism were able to extinguish Holy Orthodoxy in the brutal wars of the twentieth century, nor are their kleptocratic heirs able to extinguish Orthodox glorification now. But critical discernment is crucial, for if nationalistic belligerence is confused with ‘Russian innocence,’ fake news wins. Of course, Russian vainglory is convinced it is always ‘innocent’ and the west guilty, but the Gospel declares all fall short of glory when vanity usurps glory, leaving defence of freedom and peace to Orthodox martyrs suffering alongside secular patriots.
Feast of the Annunciation March 25th 2022