Eastern Europe Update:Ecumenical Patriarch Addresses Synaxis;Exarchs Appointed

On Monday,3 September 2018,speaking before the Synaxis of the Hierarchs of the Ecumenical Throne at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Istanbul,Turkey,His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew elucidated the position of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the issue of autocephaly (independence) for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.Here are some excerpts:
In times of greater or lesser historical challenge,our Patriarchate-faithful to its vocation and ministry-neither says nor does anything unrelated to the incarnate Word.Its mission is not comprised of imposing some new ecclesiological principles but preserving truths of faith,precious traditions and inspired patristic teachings established many centuries ago.*
As the First Throne of Orthodoxy,the Ecumenical Patriarchate exercises a prophetic ministry,extending the mystery of the Catholic Church in Christ Jesus throughout the world in each era.*
The Ecumenical Patriarchate bears the responsibility of settling matters in ecclesiastical and canonical order because it alone has the canonical privilege as well as the prayer and blessing of the Church and the Ecumenical Councils to carry out this supreme and exceptional duty as a nurturing Mother and birth-giver of Churches.If the Ecumenical Patriarchate denies its responsibility and removes itself from the Inter-Orthodox scene,then the Local Churches will proceed "as sheep without a shepherd" (Matt.9.36),expending their energy in ecclesiastical initiatives that conflate the humility of faith and the arrogance of power.*
In the matter of Ukraine,the Ecumenical Patriarchate has appointed two exarchs,or legates,announcing on 7 September 2018 that:
Within the framework of the preparations for the granting of autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine,the Ecumenical Patriarchate has appointed as its exarchs in Kiev His Excellency Archbishop Daniel of Pamphlion from the United States,and His Grace Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton from Canada,both of whom are serving the Ukrainian Orthodox faithful in their respective countries under the Ecumenical Patriarchate.*
Both exarchs were born in Ukraine.
Analysis:The Ecumenical Patriarchate indeed exercised the functions mentioned above in the twentieth century in Eastern Europe by,for example,granting a Tomos of autocephaly to both the Orthodox Church of Poland and the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia.Now it serves a new century at a time of war in Eastern Europe instigated by the Putin regime in Russia,with the same leading ministry,in all its holiness and sincerity,as the Great Church of Christ in Constantinople that it has always been,bravely asserting the religious freedom of a Ukraine so long repressed by its mighty and sinister neighbour to the East.

Bulletin:Ecumenical Patriarchate Takes Up Another Request from Eastern Europe

Recently the Ecumenical Patriarchate agreed to consider a request from the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,backed by President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko and the Ukrainian Parliament,the Verkhovna Rada,to grant the autocephaly,or independence,of said Church.Now a similar request has been received from another Eastern European nation.
On 30 May 2018,the Holy and Sacred Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate met under the Presidency of His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew.It subsequently issued a communique regarding a request from the Schismatic Church of Skopje,Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,which was supported by a letter from the Prime Minister of FYROM,His Excellency Mr.Zoran Zaev.The Schismatic Church of Skopje asked the Ecumenical Patriarchate to take the initiative of returning this Church to canonical status under the name Archdiocese of Ohrid.*
The Holy and Sacred Synod has decided to seize this initiative and do what is necessary under the intangible conditions of the historic canonical powers and prerogatives of the primatial throne of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.*
Analysis:The Ecumenical Patriarchate under Patriarch Bartholomew is showing a great deal of strength in taking up these controversial issues at this time,putting itself on the line for troubled Orthodox Churches in need of legitimacy.It is making clear by deeds that it will not shy away from its pastoral obligations and canonical prerogatives,but will instead live up to its title,the Great Church of Christ.

Shop Talk:Julian Calendar Christmas

Out of regard for my readers in Eastern Europe,and all those belonging to associated Churches,who are observing Christmas on January 7,I shall continue to post Christmas material.

Pan-Orthodox Council Begins Tomorrow as Scheduled

On the eve of the Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church in Chania,Crete,the Ecumenical Patriarchate continues to insist it will begin with the Orthros and Divine Liturgy of Pentecost on Sunday morning 19 June 2016;and that its decisions will be binding on all Orthodox Christians,regardless of whether their Primates and delegations are present or not.Four Churches,those of Antioch,Russia,Georgia and Bulgaria,have suddenly reversed their course of more than two years and now decline to attend.They express an odd assortment of concerns,from seating arrangements to the way the Council was prepared.*
Because all 14 Primates and their Churches approved by consensus of the convening of the Council and promised to attend it as early as March 2014,their withdrawal,though painful to those who are attending,does not change the Pan-Orthodox validity of the Council or the Pan-Orthodox authority of its decisions,said Very Rev.Dr.John Chryssavgis,Archdeacon of the Ecumenical Throne.*
Although some Church leaders from certain regions are absent,Eastern Europe is still represented by His Holiness Patriarch Irinej of Serbia;His Holiness Patriarch Daniel of Romania;His Beatitude Metropolitan Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland;and His Beatitude Metropolitan Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia and their delegations;while the Middle East and Africa are still represented by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem and All Palestine and His Beatitude Patriarch Theodoros II of Alexandria and All Africa and their delegations.Hundreds of bishops and academics from all over the world will still be fully and vigorously participating in the prayerful deliberations of the historic event.More than 1,000 Orthodox Scholars from across the Orthodox Churches,including all the Churches that withdrew from the Council,have signed a petition urging full attendance of the event.

President Plans Massive Increase of US Response to Russia

President Barack Obama's fiscal 2017 budget includes much more funding for the European Reassurance Initiative,quadrupling America's special support of its NATO allies aimed in particular at recent Russian aggression in Georgia,Crimea and Eastern Ukraine,as well as Russia's large scale ground exercises along the NATO periphery and high number of bomber flights near NATO and partner airspace,to 3.4 billion dollars.*
An ERI funding of 3.4 billion will enable the US to strengthen our robust military posture in Europe and improve our ability to uphold our Article 5 commitments to NATO members,the President said on 2 February.It should make clear that America will stand firm with its allies in defending,not just NATO territory,but also shared principles of international law and order.*
The funding will result in more prepositioned US military equipment and supplies in Europe;more rotations of US land,air and maritime forces into Europe;more exercises with NATO allies and partners;and more infrastructure improvement in NATO countries.*
It is a very clear sign of the US commitment to enhance the deterrent in Europe,and especially the Eastern part of Europe,noted Andris Razans,Latvian Ambassador to the United States.

China and Russia:Power and Partnership

Several scholars have been carefully analysing developments in the military postures of China and Russia,as well as the strategic interrelationship between the two states.
China's recent naval buildup is aimed at:
1.targeting the US fleet;
2.targeting US allies;
3.targeting US bases,
in the view of Thomas Karko,International Security Program Fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.The US must invest in more standoff and penetrating weapons to meet this challenge,such as the LRSO,or long range standoff missile;and the LRS-B,or long range strategic bomber.It must invest a lot more in the fleet and missile defences against these Chinese threats as well,which are conventional threats.
As Admiral William Gortney noted,for the forseeable future,we are still going to need rockets to kill rockets.*
The Chinese are doing testing every three months.That will require a layered counter.Hardening,deception and dispersion are needed.We need to proliferate counters to these things and to alleviate the strain on our forces.US Navy and US Army stress is only going to get worse.
China-Russia ties are taking the form of arms sales,as well as exercises in the Pacific and the Mediterranean.It's a great concern to many Asian militaries.Both states appear dissatisfied with the status quo.Historically,dissatisfied states tend to clump together to work against the hegemons.Both Russian and Chinese leaders call for an end to US alliances in those areas,according to Zack Cooper,Japan Chair and Asian Security Issues-Fellow at CSIS.
Russia and China are employing hybrid warfare in Eastern Europe and the South China Sea.We are reaching an important inflexion point here if these ties continue to grow.For the first time,Chinese military equipment may be flowing toward Russia.China is trying to sell a frigate to Russia,observed Paul Schwartz,Russia Military&Security Senior Associate at CSIS.
China has produced about 80 catamaran small missile boats,complemented with air and submarine-launched missiles,to overwhelm US missile systems.In the far east,China and Russia can pretty quickly link up ship-to-ship.China and Russia joined together to limit US basing in Central Asia.They want to see US power limited and constrained.They share opposition to US ballistic missile defence.*
China opposes NATO expansion because they do not want to see US military influence get stronger,said Jeffery Mankoff,CSIS Russia&Eurasia Program Deputy Director&Fellow.*
Something else has to happen to drive China and Russia really closely together,added Paul Schwartz.China is still very closely integrated with the West.Some kind of shock in the Western Pacific;a Taiwan Strait dispute;a Senkaku Islands dispute,would have to happen.
The Japanese navy is more competent than the Chinese.It has better leadership skills and traditions.The Chinese coast guard is building a 10,000 tonne paramilitary coast guard ship.They will push and push until Japanese or US Navy ships show up.The Japanese have more than 40 highly capable destroyers and diesel electric submarines,while Vietnam is building up its navy with Russian technology.The Chinese still rely on conscripts,but are developing a mid-level cadre.
If China keeps building like they are,they are 15-20 years away from matching the US Navy.They are starting to deploy an aircraft carrier to learn from and plan to deploy three more with over-the-horizon targeting capability,the CSIS expert believes.

Cosmetics and the Luxury Retail Market

Spain,Italy and Greece are not in any healthy condition,according to William Lauder,Executive Chairman of cosmetics titan the Estee Lauder Companies.Central Europe is OK,not bad.Eastern Europe is better still.Germany,France and the Benelux are pretty solid.
Asia's our fastest growing market;China is the fastest in Asia.Chinese consumers are shopping both at home and abroad.There's still an awful lot of growth going on there.We're building for the long term.
The female consumer's behaviour is influenced by her employment;her spouse's employment;and the housing market.
Most of our competitors are European or Asian-based,such as LVMH and L'Oreal.According to the comparables,we are the world's leading prestige market for beauty.A customer will spend 35-50 dollars for our products,versus 500 for a handbag or 50,000 for a necklace.
In California,there is strong Australian buying within a 20 mile radius of LAX airport.It is the major gateway of the Australians to the US;20-30% of area retailers' business is from Australians,given the strong Australian dollar.
Estee Lauder(EL)