Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, Eastern Europe; The Soviet Union, Volume IV

861.404/7–2248: Telegram

The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Smith) to the Secretary of State

restricted

Moscow, July 22, 1948—6 p. m.

1392. Pravda July 22 carried Tass announcement results discussions current meeting heads Orthodox Church.¹ Topics discussed were: Relations with Vatican, oecumenical movement, Anglican hierarchy, Church calendar. “Unanimous” resolution adopted censuring Vatican for warmongering, anti-democratic and anti-national activities, especially against Slav people.²

Distinction stressed between guilty Catholic hierarchy and innocent Catholic masses. Resolution adopted opposing participation in August meeting World Council of Churches in Amsterdam on grounds meeting has chiefly political anti-democratic aims. Group also issued “call to Christians whole world” for struggle against warmongers. Tenor resolutions adopted on remaining issues not indicated.³ Signatories of all resolutions were Moscow patriarch, Georgian patriarch-Catholikos, Serbian and Rumanian patriarchs, Bulgarian exarch, Albanian bishop, Polish and Czechoslovak archbishops. (For list of delegations, see Embassy A–681, July 14.⁴)

Only non-orbit representative to sign all resolutions was Metropolitan Alexander Emesski⁵ on behalf Patriarchs Christopher of Alexandria and Alexander of Antioch.

Information reaching Embassy indicates although ostensible purpose meeting was celebrations Russian Church anniversary, delegates found themselves faced with above-mentioned ready-made agenda for discussion and resolution. When representatives Athens and Constantinople patriarchs refused attend discussions on grounds authorized only participate historical celebration, they were politely invited but not pressed attend as observers. Other delegates apparently did attend discussions as observers. Opening speech by Russian patriarch largely historical but concluding paragraphs noted and vehemently denied charges by “enemies of orthodoxy” and “of Russian people” that Russian Church attempts “subject sister churches to its influence, direction and domination.”

Father Dzvonchik,⁶ dean New York Russian Orthodox Cathedral during Embassy call stated there had been no discussion regarding efforts Moscow Patriarchate to establish primacy over Constantinople Patriarchate. He understood efforts had been made include subject in agenda but on opposition from Constantinople patriarch topic dropped.

Sent Department 1392; repeated Istanbul 2; Athens 23.

Smith

1. The celebrations had begun on July 8 in Moscow in commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the autocephaly of the Russian Orthodox Church, with the concluding service in the newly restored Cathedral of the Assumption on July 18 at the Monastery of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergey in Zagorsk. The Embassy sent back reports about the crowded ceremonies attended by the highest officials of Orthodox churches. In telegram 1342 from Moscow on July 16, not printed, the delegates to the conference were said to have been much impressed “by extent and fervor religious belief here which they believe greatly increased in last two years.” (861.00/7–1648)
2. The Embassy sent later in despatch No. 665 from Moscow on Sept. 7 some of the publications of the Moscow Patriarchate Press which had been distributed to the delegates. One in particular, “The Vatican and the Orthodox Church” (Le Vatican et l’Eglise Orthodoxe) was judged as providing “further evidence of the use of the Russian Church to further the ends of Soviet foreign policy.” (861.404/9–748)
3. By the time that the Embassy in Moscow sent despatch No. 625 to the Department on Aug. 23, not printed, it could express the judgment: “Both in its publications at the time of the conference and in its conduct of the actual meeting the Russian Church appeared to be pursuing a course parallel to that of Soviet foreign policy, seeking at the same time to consolidate its own influence in Eastern Europe and the Near East and to expand that influence also within the American continent.” (861.9111/8–2348)
4. Not printed.
5. Corrected by the Embassy in its despatch No. 572 on July 26 to read Metropolitan Alexander of Horns; Alexander of Emessa, i.e., Horns (861.404/7–2648).
6. Archpriest Joseph Onisim Dzvonchik. He had been a delegate to the All-Russian local sobor in January–February 1945 which had elected Alexey as the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. See Foreign Relations, 1945, vol. v, p. 1118.