Metropolitan Augustine: Love Ukraine as Mother
The Union of Orthodox Journalists presents
Metropolitan Augustine: Love Ukraine as Mother
The subject of patriotism is hackneyed and overworked now. Above all, we must understand that patriotism and nationalism are different things. Regarding patriotism, no such device could measure it. A man should be judged by his deeds, not by his words. Patriotism is a living sense of love for the motherland, in action. When we talk about nationalism, the classics, thinkers, men of wisdom define a nationalist as a person who feels superior to others.
Patriot and Christian are not related notions. A true Christian must be a decent man, a good conscious citizen and a true patriot. The matter is not, as they say, in loving Shevchenko or wearing a vyshyvanka. These are attributes, manifestation of it. For me, the most important thing is mentality, attitude towards the motherland. A patriot is one who loves their motherland as Mother throughout her life. A true son of the motherland is one who, even seeing her shame, her trouble, wrong things in the past, will never take jibes at it and review the history of the past. It borders on rudeness of a caveman. When we talk about Ukraine's past, we must be those children who do not sneer at it, but feel pain at heart for the misfortune of the mother. They will feel sorry for mum and cover her nakedness. Everything can happen to your dear mother, even what the child feels ashamed of, but they will cover their mother, crying over her.
However, state, country and homeland are not identical concepts. I mean homeland, motherland. A power structure changes, a system changes, and the mother may have different pages in her biography. For example, the son has returned home and keeps running round the village with the words "I love my mother, I love my mother!" He’ll be taken into a psychiatric hospital. And there are those who quietly repair the house, refurbish it and take care of the mum. This is true love, as the heart-breaking song by Borys Oliynyk goes…
(song) Mother, the evening is up; the dew is looking out for you. Only you as a star are far in heaven, far as a tear behind lashes.
If Ukraine is our Mother, we are all her children, and children may be different. As they say, every family has a black sheep. The question is what is the limit of the child’s free behavior towards the mother. If the child has disabilities, weaknesses, flaws, carry each other’s hardships. But if this child cheeks and mocks at the mother, uses her, loses her life, it is necessary to protect the mother!
Look, let's not speak in abstractions but be specific. The uniqueness and, maybe, to some extent, a tragedy of Ukraine lie in the fact that it’s the only state, at least in Europe, which formed its territories during the stay in a great empire - the Russian Empire and then the Soviet Union. Consider all the Ukrainian land, all the regions. When and how did we start? So I like the following saying: "Ukraine is very well tailored, but poorly sewn".
The feeling of one family is a nice, patriotic slogan, but, unfortunately, it’s not so. More than 20 years we have been squabbling, sorting out our relationship. And I'm convinced that even the so-called great patriots do not understand what unity is, how to achieve it. When President Yushchenko awarded the title of Hero of Ukraine to Shukhevich and Bandera (posthumously), I happened to fly from Lviv on a plane with Yuriy Shukhevich, the son. In the departure lounge I congratulated him on the occasion and said: “Now you have a very good chance to unite Ukraine. – How is it possible? – Your father was conferred the Hero of Ukraine, and you, in turn, should declare that you find Vatutin and members of Young Guard (Moloda Hvardiaya) (first names that came to my mind) heroes.” – No way, it’s two different things! - How come? – Because they brought occupation to Ukraine, Soviet Ukraine. - I would like you to understand that your father is a hero for the three regions of Ukraine, and Vatutin, young guards are heroes for the rest of Ukraine. You should take a step forward, so that people see that you are ready for a compromise, even if it is contrary to your beliefs. - No, it cannot be so.”
I realized since the beginning of the Mongol-Tatar Yoke, Galicia has lost a live link with modern big Ukraine. For centuries Galicia used to be part of those states that have always been in opposition, confrontation with that state, which included Ukraine. Remember how many generations of Galicians kept weapons pointed at the East. In Khmelnytsk, Rivno regions, Volyn, lying to the east of Galicia, confrontation has lasted for years. It is terrible to hear one disabled, injured person scoff at others, blaming russified eaters for non-patriotism.
And when and how long were you independent? Who were you independent of? Give me figures, dates. Take 1914, the First World War: on the side of Austro-Hungarian army Galicians fought against Volynians who served the army of the Russian Empire. The former are heroes and the latter are not, just because they were in the Russian, so called, occupying forces. Is it patriotism?! It’s ridiculous! They are all Ukrainians.
We say “hybrid war” ... The hostilities in the East have elements of civil war, no matter what figures are presented. The difference between internal forces, the National Guard, and the Armed Forces is the following: the Armed Forces resist the enemy, protect the borders of the state, while the National Guard should deal with violators, conflict-makers inside the country. They have different tasks. During the clashes on Maidan I said to Berkut special forces that they should remember that protestants, even though they might break the law, were their countrymen, brothers, etc. and they should not forget about it. The task for officers of the Armed Forces is much simpler – they see an enemy or guerrilla forces. This greatly affects the attitude and the understanding.
I deal with the priests, who give blessings to soldiers who are sent to the zone of the ATO. I explain to them that they can’t refuse in blessing, can’t say “Do not go there, let others, less smart or worse, go.” My brief commandment is this: may God bless and save you, return alive, but fear that your hands may be marred with innocent blood. If you know that there are civilians where you have to shoot, do not do that, even if you are facing the court-martial, for God sees everything. My instructions are known to military prosecutors, security service, and no official has ever told me anything yet. If there is doubt, do not shoot. Even an unintentional car crash with casualties is investigated thoroughly, though the driver could do it by negligence. And in the armed conflict they may say “If I hit it wrong, the war will pay all scores”. This is the worst thing that could happen. One must have a Christian conscience.
Starting from Maidan and further, the events in our country show there are some things not worth such a price. When I hear talks about high patriotism of those “great patriot”, you know, I find them a good cover for ambitious, selfish goals which are far from being patriotic. Living patriotism, not declared and demonstrated, is what matters.
(song)… rye-dawn destiny, rye-tale, young sunflowers – a gray-haired swallow, a gray-haired sun…
