As the Orthodox (belatedly) forgives Pussy Riot, Russians want to put affair behind them
Moscow (AsiaNews) - Although international media and public opinion are still focusing on the Pussy Riot affair, most Russians are fed up with it. For them, already too much attention has been paid to the case. Three Russian punk feminists, part of a group that performed an anti-Putin song in Moscow's cathedral, were convicted of "hooliganism motivated by religious hatred" and sentenced to two years in prison. Since the sentence was issued last Friday, the 'Pussy' (as the group is informally known in Russia) has been a major topic of conversation in the Russian federation. Even though many middle class Russians are critical of President Vladimir Putin, they are also tired and ashamed by the affair for further discrediting the country abroad. Masha Dubinskaya, a 28-year-old architect from Veliki Novgorod, told AsiaNews that Russians are even changing the way they speak. Young couples no longer use the traditional term of endearment 'pussik' (darling) in order to avoid any association with the outrageous group.
In a recent survey, the Levada Center, an independent Russian non-governmental research organisation, has found that 79 per cent of Russians are more or less aware of the affair.
Just over a third of the 1,600 respondents believe that the band broke moral rules, whereas more than half (53 per cent) believe people have the right to public protest against the Moscow Patriarchate, albeit not in churches.
In February, the Pussy Riot collective performed a 'punk prayer' inside Christ the Saviour Cathedral, asking the Virgin to free the country from Putin, who had just be re-elected president of Russia.
According to 38 per cent of respondents, by staging the anti-Putin performance in the Cathedral, the Pussy Riot members violated the public moral rules rather than insulted the president (9 per cent), which is what the Khamovnichevsky District Court said in its ruling.
However, 43 per cent of respondents consider the punishment excessive. Another 4 per cent believe that the accused should have been acquitted.
Since the beginning, the Russian Orthodox Church has been hard on the group, and for this, it has been criticised by its own members. Eventually, it chose to remain silent until after the trial. In an official statement, the Patriarchate said it had "forgiven" the young women, calling on Russian authorities to show "mercy within the limits of the law."
Still, division have emerged within the Orthodox community over the issue. On Sunday, Deacon Sergey Baranov, from the Eparchy of Tambov (southwestern Russia), wrote an open letter to Patriarch Kirill, informing him of his decision to leave the priesthood as a sign of protest against a verdict "imposed by an ecclesiastic court."
In rejecting the accusation, Orthodox leaders expressed regrets for Baranov's decision. However, for Archimandrite Savva (Tutunov) from the Moscow Patriarchate, such a choice "is absurd".
In its own defence, the Kremlin said that other countries have similar laws, Germany for instance. In an statement online, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said that Germany's criminal code, for example, allows up to three years in prison for "disturbance of religious worship" or "abusing a denomination".
Still, the sentence is seen as disproportionate in the United States, Germany and the rest of the European Union. Likewise, world music stars and human rights advocates see as excessive.
The Vatican and the Catholic Church in Russia have not issued any official statement. In noting the silence of the Church of Rome, the daily Nezavisimaja Gazeta said that it was surprised that the pope did not show solidarity with the patriarch in defence of Christianity, an issue dear to both religious leaders.
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23/12/2013
