Metropolitan Korniliy (Titov): The Russian dream is in the revival of Holy Rus'
Exclusive interview with the Tsargrad TV channel with the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, Metropolitan Cornelius (Titov)
Metropolitan Korniliy is the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church, the largest Old Believer consensus, a member of the Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations under the President of Russia. Today, the top leadership of the Russian State is paying increasing attention to the life of the Old Believers in our country and abroad, including their return to their homeland. In this regard, in recent years, Vladimir Putin has had several personal meetings with Metropolitan Cornelius.
The Old Believer First Hierarch spoke about this and much more, including the position of the Old Believers on the most pressing social and even political issues, to the Tsargrad TV channel. In an exclusive interview that Bishop Korniliy gave us in a unique place - Moscow Rogozhskaya Sloboda, one of the main historical centers of the Russian Old Believers.
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Tsargrad : Vladyka, two and a half years ago Vladimir Putin visited Rogozhskaya Sloboda, and in your last interview with Tsargrad you spoke in detail about this meeting. And just recently, at the end of November 2021, you met with Vladimir Vladimirovich again. What key issues were discussed with the head of state?
Metropolitan Korniliy (Titov) : First of all, I would like to thank the Tsargrad TV channel for your attention to our Church. For the interviews that we have already had, and for the very friendly relations we have developed. In general, the circle of sympathizers who know the Old Believers is expanding, including due to the fact that we meet and openly talk, discuss various issues that interest many people. So, meetings with our president have also already become a good tradition.
You remembered the significant historical meeting of 2021, when for the first time after the Schism of the 17th century (and this is already more than 350 years!), the head of state himself came to the Old Believers - to our spiritual, cultural and historical center in Moscow on Rogozhsky. His attention to our spiritual values, our history and culture, and to our pressing issues that we voiced then is very important to us. Unfortunately, today few people know the history of the Old Believers, but two and a half years ago I clearly felt that the attitude of the authorities and the people around me in general had changed greatly: there was a sincere, lively interest.
The recent meeting that you also mentioned took place on November 23 of this year, and this meeting was also very important for us. The key issue that we discussed with the president was the preparation of the celebration of the 400th anniversary of Archpriest Avvakum, which will take place next year, 2021. The entire Old Believers, I would even say, the worldwide Old Believers, are preparing for this event. Over these centuries, we have the first opportunity to talk so widely about this brilliant Russian writer, philosopher and fighter for the faith, the opportunity to turn to the history of the tragic Schism, without which it is difficult to understand the history of our Russian State in recent centuries.
Archpriest Avvakum. Photo: pravoslavie.ru
To understand what were the reasons for the tragedy of the Church Schism, which affected our entire society, the entire Russian people, to understand what its consequences were, and most importantly, how to make sure that this does not happen again, it is very important to turn to the personality of Archpriest Avvakum. And Vladimir Vladimirovich and I discussed in detail the cultural events that we have planned in connection with this anniversary.
Of course, for us, Old Believers, the most important thing is our prayers to this great saint, whom we honor as a sufferer, a martyr for the faith, but this is our internal church business. And in addition to this, open cultural events are planned, such as exhibitions, a concert of spiritual chants, and historical conferences. In almost every region of our country where Old Believers live (and these are more than 50 regions). And the Russian leadership - the president, the government, the Ministry of Culture and local governors, with whom I often meet, support this quite actively.
We also talked with Vladimir Vladimirovich about the resettlement of the Old Believers, their return to their homeland. This resettlement is very necessary for the Far East, where we have sparsely populated areas, especially close to the Chinese border. And already 130 Old Believers families have resettled over the past two or three years, and now there is potential for the resettlement of even more Old Believers. I told the president that recently 30 children have already been born into displaced families, new families are being created, and 50 families are preparing for resettlement next year.
Recently I was in Kirov, in Vyatka, where I met with the local governor, and he told me: we would also like the Old Believers to come to us. In general, respect for the Old Believers as people of traditional culture, strong believers, having a reliable family, honest and hardworking people is obvious. Therefore, Old Believers are expected in many regions to raise and revive the Russian land.
Well, the last issue that we discussed with Vladimir Vladimirovich was the possibility of state assistance in the revival of our Old Believer institute, which before the revolution was here on Rogozhsky, but, unfortunately, was closed during the Soviet years, and the building was gradually destroyed. This very large, dilapidated building was returned to us, but there are not enough funds to restore it. Therefore, we turned to the president for support so that the Old Believers could revive the spiritual educational institution. Vladimir Vladimirovich supported us, and now we are working out how this will be implemented.
We discussed with Vladimir Vladimirovich the possibility of government assistance in the revival of our Old Believer institution. Photo: Kremlin Pool / Globallookpress
I am sure that these favorable relations and the positive cooperation that we have developed with the president, the government and regional authorities in recent years are very necessary for both us, the Old Believers, and the state. To raise and revive our spiritual and moral foundations after the destruction of the last century.
Ts.: You mentioned the “worldwide Old Believers”. It is known that in addition to the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church there is the Russian Old Orthodox Church, there are many bespopovtsy, chapels, Pomeranians, Fedoseevites... Is there any interaction with them?
Metropolitan Cornelius: Yes, you named various Old Believer agreements (and sometimes disagreements) that developed after the Schism. Unfortunately, the Old Believers were unable to communicate with each other for many years. Scattered in different parts of Russia and other countries, they simply could not convene a Council to discuss common dogmatic foundations, hence our disorder and disunity.
As you know, priests and non-priests are different doctrinal Old Believer platforms. But there are issues that unite us: these are our common cultural values, the way we defend the traditional family, talk about bookishness, about the pre-schism history we share. And, of course, about our common immediate tasks, including the 400th anniversary of Archpriest Avvakum.
World Old Believer Forum 2021. Photo: official website of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church
A year and a half ago, the World Old Believer Forum was held in Moscow. This is a real historical phenomenon, the first after the Schism. We could not get together either in Tsarist or Soviet Russia. And now the government has supported us, and we have invited Old Believers of different consents from all over the world to meet and discuss our common problems for two days. At the same time, we immediately decided that we would not touch upon doctrinal issues that divide us. And now we are preparing for a new Old Believers forum, scheduled for October 2021, which will be attended by hundreds of Old Believers from all over the world.
Ts.: Vladyka, relatively recently it became known that within the framework of the interaction of various Old Believer consensus, including co-religionists of the Russian Orthodox Church, two projects appeared. The World Union of Old Believers, which was headed by Leonid Sevastyanov, a Christian of your Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church. And the International Old Believer Union, which was also headed by your Christian Valery Korovin. Why did these two organizations arise at the same time, are there any contradictions between them or do they complement each other? Do you support their work?
Metropolitan Cornelius: This began at the forum, which, as I have already said, took place a year and a half ago in Moscow. And there it was proposed, I quote, “to create a public organization for mutual assistance in public affairs, protection of one’s civil rights, for joint dialogue with the authorities and cooperation at the international level in economic issues.” Preparations began, and the Valery Mikhailovich Korovin you mentioned undertook to develop the Charter of this organization. The final discussion will be at the next forum in the anniversary year of 2021, and if the Charter being developed is approved, then this organization will be created, uniting Old Believers of different consents.
And Leonid Mikhailovich Sevastyanov found himself a little “ahead of the train” here. Hearing this idea, he wrote his own project and registered this union in his name. Of course, legally anyone can do this. But in our Old Believers, we believe that this should be conciliar, and I said that let the Old Believers hold their own councils, approve or disapprove of this idea at them, and then we will bring its discussion to the forum of all Old Believers.
So the “World Union of Old Believers” is exclusively his personal initiative. Leonid Mikhailovich promised economic and legal assistance to Old Believers of different consents, but this is his personal project. And that’s why Valery Korovin and I continue to work on creating the International Union of Old Believers. And if it is accepted by the Old Believers at the forum in October 2021, we will bring this idea of ours to life with God’s help.
Valery Korovin. Photo: Pravda Komsomolskaya / Globallookpress
Ts.: And here I cannot help but ask about the dialogue between your Church and the Russian Orthodox Church. It is known that back in the 2000s many questions were raised, commissions were created for this dialogue, but at what stage is it at today?
Metropolitan Cornelius: For almost 15 years of my metropolitan ministry, I would characterize our relations as good neighborly peaceful coexistence. Indeed, we created a commission that gave answers to questions from authoritative scientists of the Russian Orthodox Church about their doubts regarding our Belokrinitsky hierarchy (founded in 1846 by Metropolitan Ambrose of the Patriarchate of Constantinople - editor's note). This topic is not new for us at all, and, of course, we have no doubts on this issue.
We presented our answers to the commission of the Russian Orthodox Church, but it is still unknown to what extent we satisfied or did not satisfy the questioners. In general, I repeat, we have good-neighborly peaceful relations, we live in the same state, and we have a common attitude towards traditional, primarily family, values. As for the fight against abortion, drunkenness, debauchery, perversion, all this is our common field, where we can, by helping each other, revive our spiritual and moral foundation, as it was in Holy Rus'.
Of course, we remember 1971, when at the Local Council of the Russian Orthodox Church our old rituals, which our ancestors sometimes defended at the cost of their lives, were recognized as true. We also remember the words of Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeev), who spoke about the importance of preserving the ancient Byzantine monophonic Znamenny singing and thanked us, the Old Believers, for preserving it. Singing, which UNESCO recognized as a heritage of world culture.
Ts.: You said very important words about traditional family values. Today in our country a lot of fuss is being made around the bill on so-called “family and domestic violence”. Many representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church very harshly criticize it as a bill on the right to external interference in family life. What is your opinion on this issue?
Metropolitan Cornelius: A few days ago this question was asked to President Vladimir Putin during his meeting with the media. And he began his answer by saying that, of course, he condemns any violence. But the laws that already exist protect the family, including those who are beaten and offended in their families. And of course, we must, within the framework of these laws, protect our citizens, first of all, of course, women and children. That's roughly what he answered.
For my part, I would like to add that external interference in family life, when it is carried out without a court decision by some liberal law, is very close to juvenile justice, which is completely unacceptable for our country, our society, which the Western countries tried to impose on us several years ago. liberal organizations.
Yes, today we already have laws that should protect against violence. But in the new bill, as I understand it, there are not even clear criteria for what kind of violence this is. It says “moral violence”, but how to define it, what is it? He just “looked askance” or “the child didn’t get enough sleep” - everything can be the subject of “moral violence”. This means that it is necessary either to separate the family, or to remove the child from this family.
Today, of course, we absolutely need to protect the family. And this includes protecting the family from the interference of those liberal media that now come out via the Internet, which children watch from morning to evening, through television with its depravity, and so on... Families, and especially young people, must be protected from all this, and take some measures. then laws, to establish some kind of framework so that it does not destroy the family, the psyche.
We need to return to the Domostroy: the Domostroy of Holy Rus', which defined the family as a small church: the Orthodox faith, father, mother, submission, blessing. This is what should hold our family together. Therefore, of course, we do not need any liberal justice. And the Old Believers have always supported a return to our basics, to our spiritual moral origins, to creating a strong family and also try to carry this out in their everyday life.
Ts.: School education is of great importance for education, which, unfortunately, still bears the traces of both Soviet atheistic education and the no less terrible liberal education that the Soros Foundation and other Western foundations actively imposed on our country in the 1990s. country. Just recently you gave a major report on this topic at the Federation Council. Can you describe in a few words your opinion about the state of today's national education, and what can be done to return it to the mainstream of Russian tradition?
Metropolitan Korniliy: In the Federation Council, when the issue of education was discussed there, I spoke from the position of our Church and, in general, from the position of Orthodox Holy Russia. Education is the comprehension of the Image of God. Without this education we cannot save our souls and enter the Kingdom of God. And it is very important that this education does not turn into a “disgrace.” Because if there is no Image of God, then the result is “ugliness.”
Education, first of all, begins with the family. This is the church family way of life, traditions of honoring elders, blessings, constant prayer, going to church. Of course, much was lost during the godless Soviet era. We understand that the concept of sin now almost does not exist, what repentance is, what the fear of God is. This is what we need to return to, this is basic education. That is, not how to teach, different methods, Unified State Examination and so on, but what to teach so that the Image of God is ultimately imprinted in the soul of the child. And then everything will line up, including what sciences he will study, applied or humanities.
Unfortunately, today there are a lot of single-parent families where there is no father or the father is a drinker, and today’s school and its teachers were often formed under the communist regime. But of course, I would like to see spiritual education in all classes of the school. Now this is only a very small segment, in elementary school one hour a week (“Fundamentals of Orthodox Culture” as part of the course “Fundamentals of Religious Cultures and Secular Ethics” - editor’s note).
It is clear that the problem comes down to who will teach, and whether or not to allow priests into schools. And if those teachers who are simply not prepared, who came from the godless Soviet times, teach dryly, as they say, “for show,” the child will understand this perfectly and will not perceive anything useful.
And, of course, it is very important for the state to understand how much the media influence the spiritual education of a modern person, especially a young person. Yes, now the media talk more about faith, about the Church, but it’s roughly in the following order: football - ballet - Church. The church is in last place in terms of importance and time. And you, child, choose. But we must understand that the Church is the main thing, it is not some hobby, not football, but the main business of a person’s life. To understand why you live, how to save your soul, what sin is, what repentance is. And how many people are dying spiritually today, being corrupted by today’s liberal media!
It is these very important questions that I raised in the Federation Council, although, of course, I do not have clear knowledge of how to solve them. We can only pray that the Lord will guide our authorities, those who control various television channels, and the media. And of course, it is very important to say that our salvation, the salvation of Russia, the Russian people, is that, as Dostoevsky said, “the whole purpose of Russia lies in Orthodoxy,” that when Russia prayed, it was saved. And if we return to this prayer, to communication with God, then yes, we will be saved, but if not, then our ending may be very sad.
Ts.: Vladyka, in the mentioned report, and in our conversation, you harshly and consistently criticize the same liberal media. I remember that about 10 years ago you even advocated reviving censorship to a certain extent in Russia. But it is clear that these media, which often serve the interests of our geopolitical opponents, do not remain in your debt. Recently, publications have begun to appear designed to discredit you.
On the one hand, you are charged with “too patriotic” support for Crimea and Donbass, on the other, it is said that after Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin visited the Old Believer Intercession Cathedral, the temple was allegedly re-consecrated. Finally, you are accused of almost being passionate about alternative medicine. I would like to hear your comments on this matter.
Metropolitan Cornelius: The very word “liberal” today carries a negative connotation. Because liberal freedom is “freedom” that ends, as I recently read, with a gay pride parade. We see perfectly well the entire path of the West:
- Give us freedom! -What do you need freedom for? – To be free from God, from His laws, from His framework.
And they are trying to impose this on us. Of course, these media are unpleasant when we try to return Russia to the framework of the Laws of God, to Holy Rus', and also to Domostroy. And the fact that they scold us, I have realized over the years, is good. If they didn’t scold me, then I would have to somehow strain myself. If the liberal media started praising me, it would become clear that I was doing something wrong.
We pray for Donbass that peace will be restored there. As for the reconsecration of our Intercession Cathedral after Vladimir Putin came there, then, of course, there was no consecration. After all, what is the consecration of a temple? This is a large liturgical rite that takes two days: with evening and morning services, special prayers, processions of the cross, and so on. But, since people from the Federal Protective Service with weapons, and of unknown faith, entered the temple, we, as is customary, sprinkled it with holy water. This is in the church statutes; such sprinkling is performed periodically in every church.
As for the reconsecration of our Intercession Cathedral after Vladimir Putin came there, then, of course, there was no consecration. Photo: Kremlin Pool / Globallookpress
Well, and a completely ridiculous accusation is that I am being treated by some “sorcerers”. I can say for sure: I have never been treated by them in my life. There are doctors, there are prayers, and this is the only thing we resort to as Orthodox Christians. Of course, we don’t have to be liked by everyone, but we peacefully pray for those who hate and offend us, so that the Lord will enlighten them and so that they will come to a true understanding of what is good and what is evil.
Ts.: But there are accusations from the other side, that the Old Believers are not only not patriots, but the true creators of the 1917 revolution. Some publicists like to accuse the Old Believers of taking a massive part in the revolutionary events of a hundred years ago. How would you respond to this?
Metropolitan Cornelius: A revolution is always blood, fear, devastation, sacrifices. And Orthodoxy, on which our Old Believers are based, is, of course, incompatible with violence. This is what Christ commanded us. And therefore, the true Old Believers, the guardians of these foundations, and these are millions of people, were against the revolution, in contrast to several people who went down in history as to some extent supporting this process.
Moreover, the Old Believers suffered more than others from this revolution: the Cossacks, the peasantry, and entrepreneurs. The color of the Old Believers. A hundred years have passed, and we see what suffering, blood, horrors there were, and God grant that this revolution never happens again. Conclusions need to be drawn today, because from behind the hill they are again calling almost to the barricades, that is, to step on this historical rake again.
But you cannot simply take 1917 out of the context of history. The starting point is 1551, the Council of the Hundred Heads, which established our Russian Orthodox spiritual foundations. Alexander Solzhenitsyn, speaking about the relationship between the Schism of the 17th century and the revolution of the 17th year, takes us back to the moment when these foundations began to collapse. It was during the schism that the elite separated from the people, reforms became a violent break in traditions, and Peter I drove a wedge into this.
It is also worth remembering that the godless destruction of the 20s and 30s of the last century was carried out by Russian people: they destroyed churches, threw down bells, chopped and burned icons and church books, imprisoned and killed priests. Not the French, not the Germans and not the Poles. And the Russian people were led to this by the previous two centuries of breaking our traditions. This, unfortunately, according to Solzhenitsyn, gave birth to 1917. And he continues the idea that in Old Believer Orthodox Rus' the revolution would never have won.
Old Believer Feast of the Holy Myrrh-Bearing Women in Rogozhskaya Sloboda. Photo: Andrey Lyubimov / AGN “Moscow”
So I repeat once again: God forbid that a bloody revolution should ever come again, because, as Pushkin said, “Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless” is a terrible thing. Let us pray that bloody violence will bypass Russia.
Ts.: In fact, you said very important words that we need a strategy for the country without shocks, without revolutions. Today, the World Russian People's Council, in whose work you have been participating for about 15 years, is developing two directions: a strategy for saving Russia until 2050 and the concept of the “Russian Dream”, what we want to see our country in the foreseeable future. How do you evaluate this work of the ARNS?
Metropolitan Cornelius: If we talk about the Russian historical dream and our movement forward, then as a turning point I remember the Millennium of the Baptism of Russia, 1988. Then a new path began - a return from communist slavery, which can be compared to the Egyptian slavery from which Moses led.
The Lord providentially leads us out, because true Christianity remains only in Orthodoxy. Archpriest Avvakum also said: “Rome fell long ago and lies without rising.” Today we see the processes that are taking place in the West, this is spiritual decay, and now many understanding Western people are turning specifically to Russia, to Orthodoxy.
It took Moses 40 years to lead him out of Egyptian captivity; we have passed 30 years since the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus'. Let's live another 10 and see where the Lord has brought us. It seems to me that there is a prospect, with God’s help Russia is growing stronger, its voice is being heard more and more. Most importantly, our authorities now understand that without the Church it is impossible to build Russia and save the people. This was also said at our meeting with Vladimir Vladimirovich. And we see that this is a believer.
We are grateful to the World Russian People's Council that it raises these topics, how we can develop Russia, how to save the people, how to revive Orthodoxy in our country. We are grateful to the organizers, Konstantin Valerievich Malofeev, with whom several months ago we had a great interesting meeting and conversation about the path to the revival of Russia.
And at the end of our conversation, I would like to congratulate all believers, all Orthodox Christians on the highly solemn holiday - Merry Christmas! May God grant peace on Earth, peace in man and Love, which is the Lord Himself, and prosperity. Once again, happy holiday to everyone, good health and spiritual salvation!
Russian Orthodox Church
Born on December 22, 1976 in Kuibyshev (Samara), he was raised in a believing Orthodox family. From the age of three he attended the Peter and Paul Church, at the age of 14 he became a subdeacon with Archbishop Eusebius (Savvin) in the Intercession Cathedral in Kuibyshev. Soon he also began to perform the obediences of the altar boy and cell attendant of Bishop Eusebius. He continued to carry out these obediences until the end of high school.
With the blessing of Archbishop Sergius of Samara and Syzran, on July 3, 1993, in the Pskov-Pechersk Monastery, Archbishop Eusebius tonsured him into the minor schema with the name Cornelius. Then he remained an altar boy and subdeacon of Archbishop Sergius of Samara for another year.
On July 6, 1994, he was ordained as a hierodeacon in the Church of St. John the Baptist in Samara.
On July 31, 1995, in the Intercession Cathedral, he was ordained hieromonk and appointed rector of the Archangel Michael Church in the village of Orekhovka, Alekseevsky district, Samara region.
In 1997, he was transferred to the clergy of the Church of the Holy Martyrs Faith, Hope, Love and Their Mother Sophia in Samara and received obedience to build the first Orthodox church at that time in the working-class neighborhoods of Bezymyanka. On June 22, 1999, he was appointed rector of the Church of St. Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir, which was under construction in Samara.
In 2000 he was elevated to the rank of abbot.
In 2003, with the blessing of the DECR chairman, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad (now His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'), he was appointed temporary member of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem.
Since June 1, 2007, he served as dean of the Samara city Volga district of the Samara diocese, supervised the construction of several churches of the deanery, and completed the construction of a second church on the territory of his parish.
On September 15, 2009, he was appointed rector of the parish of the Holy Chief Apostles Peter and Paul in Samara. On March 3, 2010, he was appointed dean of the Samara city Central District of the Samara diocese.
On April 4, 2010 he was elevated to the rank of archimandrite.
He graduated from the Samara Theological Seminary and the Kyiv Theological Academy. In 2009 he graduated from the Samara Humanitarian Academy.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of July 27, 2011 (magazine No. 70), he was elected Bishop of Volgodonsk and Salsky.
On September 9, 2011, in the Throne Hall of the Patriarchal Chambers of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, on September 11, during the Divine Liturgy in the Trinity Cathedral in Shchelkovo, he was consecrated Bishop of Volgodonsk and Salsky. The services were led by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.
By the decision of the Holy Synod of August 30, 2021 (journal No. 99), he was appointed His Eminence of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory, head of the Arkhangelsk Metropolis.
On September 1, 2021, during the Divine Liturgy in the Donskoy Monastery in Moscow, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill elevated him to the rank of metropolitan.
