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No visa for Catholic priest
No explanation for Jesuit’s exclusion

A Polish Jesuit priest who for most of the past decade has played a crucial role in rebuilding Catholic institutions in Russia was refused a Russian entry visa on February 27, for the third time in a row.

Father Stanislaw Opiela, the secretary of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Russia and the rector of the St. Thomas Aquinas College of Catholic Theology in Moscow, has now been unable to return to his duties for more than six months. Russian Foreign Ministry officials have so far refused to explain to Catholic leaders why he has been repeatedly refused a visa. An official at the foreign ministry’s department of consular service likewise declined to comment on Father Opiela’s visa refusals.

Father Jerzy Karpinski, the current provincial of the Society of Jesus in Russia, said the third successive refusal was issued without explanation by the foreign ministry. The first time, Father Opiela was invited by the Russian section of the international Catholic charity Caritas. The second time, he was invited by the Apostolic Administration for European Russia as secretary of the bishops’ conference. On February 6, the Aquinas College invited Father Opiela to teach at the college. 

“We are in a critical situation,” said Father Karpinski. “He is the only one who can teach some Christian disciplines. Furthermore Father Stanislaw remains the secretary of the bishops’ conference and rector of [the college]. I am having to carry out his duties for the moment.”

Father Bogdan Sewerynik, vicar general of the Apostolic Administration for Latin-rite Catholics in European Russia, said he was perplexed by the government’s recalcitrance. “It’s difficult to say what the reason is,” he said. “Maybe it’s connected with the registration of the Jesuit order.” The Ministry of Justice three times refused to re-register the Jesuits under Russia’s controversial 1997 religion law.

Discussions on famed icon
Another question: Is it authentic?

A small 16th-century icon, the Mother of God of Kazan, associated with many healings and other miracles, is causing a stir in both Russia and Rome.
The icon appeared mysteriously in 1597 in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, a republic of the Russian Federation, where it became famous for miracles obtained through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1904 the icon was stolen from Kazan cathedral, and shipped abroad by a man named Chaikin. It is preserved today in the papal apartments along with other revered icons. Kazan authorities would like to retrieve the city’s Madonna and Pope John Paul II has voiced no objection.

Last October the mayor of Kazan, Kamil Ishkakov, and members of the town council visited the Vatican and met the Pope. Ljudmila Andreeva, a member of the delegation, said John Paul assured them that he would be only too happy for Kazan to have its precious icon again. But it was clear that the exchange could only take place between Church leaders, since it is a religious rather than secular treasure. The Pope made it clear that the sacred Orthodox Madonna should return through the hands of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Aleksei II.

However, the problem is complicated by another issue. Since the renewed interest shown for the Kazan Madonna, growing doubts over the authenticity of the icon in question have been voiced by Russian art-history specialists. Natalia Chugreeva, of the Andrei Rublev Museum, declared that from the information she had obtained from the Vatican regarding its dimensions, photographs, and x-ray examinations, she concluded that the icon now housed in the papal apartments is a copy produced in the first half or middle of the 18th century.

In reply Andreeva, who is a member of the city council, stated on behalf of the Kazan authorities: “We know about this interpretation, but the detailed verifications we have collected in the past two years confirm the authenticity of the icon.” A Kazan delegation is to meet Chugreeva to listen to her conclusions. However Andreeva is convinced of the importance of the religious artistic treasure for her city. “The most important thing for us is that the icon returns to Kazan,” she said. “It can do much to revive the religious sentiment of our people.”