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Transcript/ScriptUKRAINE RUSSIA RELIGION
HEADLINE: Religion, Language Emerge as Key Fronts in Ukraine Conflict
TEASER: The schism between the Moscow and Kyiv Patriarchates of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and the struggle over the use of the Russian or Ukrainian language are two important battlegrounds.
PUBLISHED AT: 2/10/2021: at 3:40pm
BYLINE: Ricardo Marquina
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Kyiv
VIDEOGRAPHER: Ricardo Marquina
PRODUCER: Ricardo Marquina
SCRIPT EDITORS: LR, MAS
PRODUCER: Rob Raffaele
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV _X_ RADIO __
TRT: 3:29
VID APPROVED BY: BR
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE: JON SPIER NARRATES ENGLISH VERSION))
((INTRO)) [[The conflict between Ukraine and Russia has been going on for a long time and has many fronts, not just military. The religious schism between the Moscow and Kyiv Patriarchates of the Orthodox Church, and the struggle over the use of the Russian or Ukrainian language are two important battlegrounds in this conflict. Jon Spier narrates this report by Ricardo Marquina in Kyiv.]]
((NARRATOR))
The bells call the faithful to Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Vladimir, in Kyiv. In a country under military threat from Russia, all spheres of life are marked by the conflict with Moscow, including spiritual life.
This is the central cathedral of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, under the authority of Patriarch Filaret. The Church in 2018 separated from the Moscow Patriarchate, as a result of the tension generated by the earlier Russian annexation of Crimea and the war in eastern Ukraine.
As leaders of the Kyiv Patriarchate see it, the Moscow-controlled Church is a "fifth column" – or subversive element - of the Kremlin.
((RADIO VERSION: Olexander Shmuryhin is a Ukrainian Orthodox priest under the Kyiv patriarchate.))
((Priest Olexandr Shmuryhin, Ukrainian Orthodox Church - MALE, IN UKRAINIAN - ORIGINAL VOA))
“Unfortunately, there are often elements of politics in the Church, if we are saying that the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Kyiv patriarchy is the church of Ukrainian people, it's always with the words and deeds that stand in support of Ukrainian people and Ukrainian independence. At the same time in the Ukrainian Church of Russian patriarchy, there are elements and prayers for the Russian world, Russian interests.”
((NARRATOR))
But the Ukrainian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate is predominant in the country, which is home to great historic centers of the Orthodox faith such as the Kyiv Monastery of the Caves.
Representatives of the Moscow patriarchate say the division within the Orthodox church is artificial, and they deny that they are promoting the interests of the Kremlin in Ukraine.
((RADIO VERSION: Nikolai Danilevich, a cleric under the Moscow patriarchate, serves as deputy director of the church’s office of external relations.))
((Nikolai Danilevich, Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Moscow Patriarchate - MALE, IN RUSSIAN - ORIGINAL VOA))
“The proposal is that we have one national language, one official language – is Ukrainian. And as for the rest, we know that everybody could speak the language that they want to. We understand that for decades Russian language was instilled in Ukraine because we were part of the Soviet Union. And right now, we need to give our language - the Ukrainian language - as much support as we can.”
((NARRATOR))
The language has also become part of a battle cry between Moscow and Kyiv, but also among the Ukrainians themselves.
Ukrainian politicians appear to be united in making Ukrainian the only official language of the state.
((RADIO VERSION: Kira Rudyk, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, heads the liberal Holos – or “Voice” party.))
((Kira Rudyk, Holos Party Leader (FEMALE IN ENGLISH - ORIGINAL VOA))
“The position of the Holos party is that we have one official language which is Ukrainian. And as for the rest, we know that everyone can speak the language they want. We understand that for decades the Russian language was instilled in Ukraine because we were part of the Soviet Union, but now we must give the Ukrainian as much support as we can.”
((NARRATOR))
For critics of the Ukrainian government's language policies, such as Ivan Stepurin, a publisher of books in Russian, the politicization of the language is counterproductive for the country. He and others reject new measures which they say make it increasingly difficult to publish in Russian.
((Ivan Stepurin, Publisher - MALE IN RUSSIAN - ORIGINAL VOA))
“It is very difficult for a person who has read Russian all his life to suddenly switch to Ukrainian. But especially in Ukraine there are wonderful writers who write in Russian and who believe that Russian is part of the Ukrainian culture, like the rest of the languages of our multinational homeland.”
((NARRATOR))
The armed conflict is also a political, religious and cultural conflict - a break both physical and spiritual between Russia and Ukraine that – depending on the outcome - may be decisive.
For Ricardo Marquina in Kyiv, Jon Spier, VOA News.
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateFebruary 10, 2022 17:06 EST
BylineRicardo Marquina
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
