Latest news with #Tikhon
Herald Malaysia
6 days ago
- General
- Herald Malaysia
The Russian catechism of Metropolitan Tikhon
From the 2026/2027 school year, the 'Fundamentals of Russia's moral and spiritual culture' will be introduced as a new subject in Russian schools. The drafting of the textbook has been entrusted to the Metropolitan of Crimea, known as Putin's 'spiritual father'. Jun 04, 2025 MOSCOW: From 1 September 2026, a new subject will be taught in Russian schools, 'Fundamentals of the Moral and Spiritual Culture of Russia' (abbreviated as Odnknr ), with the aim of teaching the traditional 'universal human' values that underpin all religions. The specific textbook for this subject, a veritable 'Russian catechism,' will be prepared by the Metropolitan of Crimea, Tikhon (Ševkunov), known as Vladimir Putin's 'spiritual father.' The text will be drafted by the Moscow State Pedagogical University, which has asked the Moscow Patriarchate for guidelines, entrusted to the metropolitan-publicist, filmmaker and writer, as officially announced by the press service of the Ministry of Education. The manual will not only be an exposition of abstract principles, but will be illustrated and explained with 'examples from the lives of great men of Russia'. In recent years, the new subject had been included in topics concerning the 'Culture of the Peoples of Russia' and 'History of Our Region' depending on the location of the school, but these variations had been criticised directly by Patriarch Kirill (Gundjaev) of Moscow, who urged that 'specific teaching of values should not be excluded from middle school classrooms'. During the 'Christmas Readings' in February, the patriarch announced with great satisfaction that his request had been accepted, involving all history teachers in the teaching of 'moral and spiritual' subjects, precisely to highlight the most meritorious aspects and figures of Russian history. Metropolitan Tikhon will not only be the main advisor and inspiration for the new textbook, but will also act on the basis of his recent appointment, decided directly by President Vladimir Putin, who has included him in the new working group on children's and youth education, which brings together representatives of all relevant state bodies. The director of this commission is the deputy head of the presidential administration, former Prime Minister Sergei Kirienko, together with presidential adviser Andrei Fursenko, former Minister of Education, and Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko. The group is tasked with establishing the necessary measures to 'create a single educational environment' in all organisations involved in education, reviewing and revising all school curricula from primary and secondary schools to vocational schools and higher education. In previous versions of 'Culture of the Peoples', according to the reviews, a 'harmful' interpretation of the Romanov dynasty, from the 17th to the 20th century, had been given, and in the new programme there will no longer be the expressions 'rule of law' and 'civil society', considered merely 'Western influences' on the final and 'degrading' phase of the state of the emperors, now too closely related to Western dynasties. This is one of Metropolitan Tikhon's most typical assessments, which he often repeats as 'Russia can only exist in the imperial dimension', like that of the 16th- and 17th-century monarchs starting with Ivan the Terrible. As already announced by Education Minister Sergei Kravtsov, Russian history will be rewritten according to 'moral and spiritual' principles dating back to the times of Kievan Rus', excluding the concept of 'colonisation' of the Slavic tribes 'of the plains', the so-called Poljani, who are contrasted with the Drevljani, anticipating the division between Poles-Ukrainians and Russians, according to the description in the ancient Chronicle of Nestor. This definition has become classic in Russian scholarly texts since the 19th century, and even more so in Soviet times, and will now be replaced by the term osvoenie, 'appropriation', to indicate a process whereby the Russians expanded into territories that were still empty or uncivilised, without therefore violating the rights of other populations, but bringing 'authentic values', while 'colonisation' will be attributed only to Western kingdoms and nations.--Asia News
Russia Today
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Ukrainian drone strikes Russian Orthodox church
A Ukrainian drone has targeted a Russian Orthodox church in Belgorod Region, setting fire to the building, the local governor, Vyacheslav Gladkov, has reported. Since the escalation of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev in February 2022, the Russian border region has repeatedly come under artillery and mortar fire, as well as UAV attacks, by Ukrainian forces. In a post on his Telegram channel on Saturday, Gladkov wrote that the 'the enemy is striking our holy sites again – an enemy drone has attacked Saint George Church in the village of Tolokonnoye,' not far from Belgorod. According to the official, the building's domes caught fire as a result of the incident. The governor thanked local self-defense forces for swiftly responding to the attack and extinguishing the flames quickly, which prevented further damage to the church. In a separate post on Saturday, Gladkov estimated that over the past 24 hours, Kiev's forces have launched over 40 drones and fired nearly 150 artillery shells at multiple localities in Belgorod Region, resulting in material damage. There have been no reports of casualties. Last Thursday, the iconic New Jerusalem Orthodox church complex in the region burned down following a Ukrainian drone strike. Commenting on the incident at the time, Gladkov described it as a 'deliberate' attack and also accused the Ukrainian military of subsequently targeting the firefighters who were trying to contain the blaze. The metropolitan bishop of Belgorod Region, Ioann, similarly characterized the attack as 'intentional,' saying that Kiev's troops had deployed incendiary bombs. He also accused Ukrainian forces of targeting the first responders at the scene. The New Jerusalem complex, a wooden reproduction of biblical Jerusalem, was built in the early 2000s. In late February, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that 'it's clear that the Kiev regime doesn't shy away from anything… There's nothing sacred [for them].' He made the remarks after Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) reported that it apprehended two suspects who had allegedly planned to assassinate Metropolitan Tikhon, the head of the Simferopol and Crimean diocese, with a bomb, presumably at the behest of the Ukrainian intelligence services. Metropolitan Tikhon is purported to be a close spiritual adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, though neither man has ever confirmed this.
Russia Today
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
New Jerusalem Temple burns down after Ukrainian attack (VIDEO)
The iconic New Jerusalem orthodox temple has burned down as a result of a Ukrainian drone attack, Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov and the local metropolitan bishop have said. Since the escalation of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev in February 2022, the Russian region bordering Ukraine has repeatedly been targeted by artillery and mortar fire, as well as explosives-laden UAVs from across the border. In a post on Telegram late Thursday, Gladkov wrote that the 'Ukrainian Armed Forces have barbarously attacked our universally beloved New Jerusalem temple compound.' 'During the holy Easter week, one of [the region's] holiest places was deliberately struck,' he said, adding that Ukrainian UAVs subsequently targeted the firefighters who were trying to contain the blaze. In a separate post, Gladkov suggested that the incident proves 'nothing is sacred' for the Ukrainian forces. The metropolitan bishop of Belgorod Region, Ioann, confirmed the destruction of the New Jerusalem Temple complex in a statement on Telegram Friday morning. 'For several hours, a group of drones was intentionally destroying the wooden buildings of the compound,' he said, claiming that the Ukrainian military used incendiary bombs, and the UAVs were controlled via satellite, making them difficult to jam. The bishop also accused Kiev of targeting the first responders at the scene. In an article on Thursday, RIA Novosti quoted another representative of the Belgorod Region diocese as saying at least two large drones took part in the attack, with one apparently acting as a radio retransmitter, amplifying the signal for the other UAV. The orthodox compound, a wooden reproduction of biblical Jerusalem, was built in the early 2000s. According to Gladkov, over the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian military attacked a total of ten locations in Belgorod Region with artillery shelling and nearly 100 drones. In late February, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, 'it's clear that the Kiev regime doesn't shy away from anything… There's nothing sacred [for them].' He made the remarks after Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) reported that it detained two suspects who had allegedly planned to assassinate Metropolitan Tikhon, the head of the Simferopol and Crimean diocese, with a bomb, presumably at the behest of the Ukrainian intelligence services. Metropolitan Tikhon has been described as a close spiritual adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, though they have never confirmed this.
Russia Today
04-03-2025
- Russia Today
Russian man faces charges over selling data to Kiev
A Russian man is facing treason charges for allegedly selling sensitive information about the nation's military to Ukrainian intelligence, according to the Federal Security Service (FSB). The suspect, whose name remains undisclosed, contacted the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) last year, offering cooperation as a surveillance operative, the FSB stated on Tuesday. Since then, he has reportedly provided the SBU with intelligence concerning several locations near Voronezh, including a military base and ammunition depots on the outskirts of the central Russian city. In a video shared by the Russian agency, he also admitted to monitoring military aircraft take-offs and landings for Ukrainian agents. Currently in custody, the accused faces severe penalties, potentially life imprisonment, if convicted, the FSB said. The SBU plays a crucial role in the Ukraine conflict, including conducting sabotage operations and targeted assassinations on Russian territory. Last week, the FSB reported stopping a Ukrainian plot to murder a Russian bishop. Metropolitan Tikhon leads the Simferopol and Crimean diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, which makes him a target both as a senior figure in an organization that Kiev views as hostile and as a spiritual leader in the Russian peninsula that Ukraine claims under its sovereignty.
Russia Today
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
‘Nothing sacred' for Kiev
The Ukrainian government has no qualms about targeting religious leaders in its conflict with Russia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has stated. Earlier on Friday, the Federal Security Service (FSB) reported that it had foiled an assassination attempt on the Crimean Metropolitan of the Russian Orthodox Church. Kiev attempted to place a bomb in a Moscow monastery to target Metropolitan Tikhon, the head of the Simferopol and Crimean diocese, the FSB claimed. Speaking to the press on Friday, Peskov said that 'it's clear that the Kiev regime doesn't shy away from anything… There's nothing sacred [for them]. This has been confirmed once again. That's all I can say.' The FSB reportedly apprehended two suspects, a Russian and Ukrainian citizen respectively, who confessed to being recruited in mid-2024 by Kiev and conspiring to attempt to bomb Moscow's Sretensky monastery. The pair had intended to flee Russia shortly thereafter, using forged documents provided by their Ukrainian handlers. The FSB released a video featuring the Ukrainian suspect, who claimed that he had been working as an aide to Tikhon while secretly gathering intelligence on him. The man alleged that Kiev's intelligence officers threatened to kill his family, should he refuse to cooperate. Tikhon has been described as a close spiritual adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, the cleric himself has never confirmed this. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022, there have been a series of assassinations on a number of prominent public figures and officials, which Russian authorities have claimed were commissioned and organized by Ukrainian intelligence.
