A Russian Orthodox church goes up in Pyongyang
Will it be a "showcase" church or one for "foreigners only"? Whatever the answer, four North Koreans are studying at the Moscow Patriarchate seminary.
Pyongyang (AsiaNews) The construction of an Orthodox Church in Pyongyang is nearly completed, this according to Oslo-based Forum 18 News Service who interviewed Fr Dionisy Pozdnyayev, a Russian Orthodox priest from the Moscow Patriarchate invited by the North Korean government to minister to foreign nationals in the North Korean capital.
Ho Il Jin, chairman of North Korea's Orthodox Committee, told Russian news agency RIA Novosty that the decision to build the new church was taken by the North Korean government which is also footing most of the bill.
North Korea's capital already has a Protestant and a Catholic church, which for many seem to be 'showcases' built for the benefit of foreigners since they do not offer any regular liturgical service.
It remains unclear whether the new church whose grounds Kliment Kapalin, Archbishop of Kaluga and Borovsk, blessed on June 24, 2003 will be open to locals or reserved for foreign Orthodox residents.
According to Dmitry Petrovsky, spokesman for the Moscow Patriarchate's Department for External Church Relations, North Korean representatives said that it was important that Orthodox believers in Pyongyang have the opportunity to practise their faith and expressed hope that the church would strengthen ties between Russia and North Korea. For Russian ambassador to North Korea Andrei Karlov the church marks "the return of Orthodoxy to Korea after a long break".
In 2002, Jang Jae-on, president of the Korean Council of Religionists (a pro-government group), said in a visit do the Vladivostok diocese that the decision to build an Orthodox church in Pyongyang was "a sign of Russo-Korean friendship".
In an interview with Russian agency Vremya Novostei in October 2002 Father Dionisy said that "if North Korean authorities are not opposed, we will respond to the wishes of Koreans who would like to visit the church." He added that Jang Jae-on promised that he would do his utmost to ensure that Koreans learn more about Orthodoxy.
By the early 1900's some 10,000 Koreans converted to Orthodoxy as a result of Russian missioners' work in cities like Seoul (South Korea) and Wonsan (North Korea) and several villages. However, Japanese colonial rule and the Stalinist regime in the north cut short the process of evangelisation.
Missionary activity did start again in South Korea where there are now four Orthodox churches. Perhaps it might not be too naïve to think that the new church in Pyongyang might actually be a sign of "Orthodoxy's return" in the north. In fact, for Father Dionisy the "creation of an Orthodox Committee in 2002" marks the official recognition of Orthodoxy.
What is more, four North Koreans are studying at the Moscow Patriarchate's Theological Seminary. Since there are no known descendants from the original Orthodox converts the four students will probably be the first Orthodox Christians in North Korea.
"While Orthodoxy may not be in their family tradition," Father Dionisy said, "all four are well-educated and speak Russian, English and Japanese," adding that "their teachers are happy with their progress and it is possible that they will become priests".
In an interview with Reuters, Dmitry Petrovsky said that the four students are concentrating on the study of Russian (Church Slavonic included) and the catechism to prepare for baptism.
Two Russian students from the Moscow Theological Academy are also currently studying the Korean language and culture at Pyongyang's Kim Il Sung University.
If, as the Pope said, the Church breathes with two lungs a western one and eastern one, it can only be hoped that both will breathe together to evangelise North Koreans for their minds and souls are as starved as their bodies.
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