The Kremlin Decided to Send Surkov in the Role of Attorney-General to Support Gundyaev

The Russian Orthodox Church welcomed appointment of the Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Vladislav Surkov as curator on questions of interaction with religious organizations in the Russian government. According to the head of Synodal Department on relationships of Church and society Vsevolod Chaplin which are cited by Interfax, Vladislav Surkov — “is a person with bright position, intellectual of the purest tint, creative personality in the real meaning of this word, it is interesting and pleasant to work with him”.

Chaplin also noted wide experience of Surkov in work with religious organizations having added that “mutually acceptable point of view was always found in different questions and I am very grateful to him for it”.

It’s a riddle - why Holy Fathers got excited about appointment of the curator not even from Presidential Administration, but from the government? Curator - that is official who will fulfill duties on interaction with religious organizations in between main duties. Let’s assume that earlier that coaching was entrusted to the "social" Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets, but nobody told a word about it. Probably she also recollected about this duty not every day.

There’s one answer, perhaps the Russian Orthodox Church has been feeling longing for the attorney-general for already a century, probably, it doesn’t admit it itself. Otherwise why Holy Fathers, prayers pay attention to a minor duty of not the high-ranking official of the state? They have eternity before them, while here they see only curator?

Besides if we have only one religious organization in the country? It is even interesting, if Muslims and Buddhists will also tell something on the occasion? What about Protestants and Catholics, Krishnaites and Seventh-Day Adventists?

Though it’s clear, of course, that we have a lot of different Adventists, while there’s only one state-forming Russian Orthodox Church. One should understand that unexpected appointment of Surkov as the attorney – general is reflection of some processes either in church, or in the state.

Apparently, they in the Kremlin as well as in St Daniel monastery understood that Cyril failed to become "eastern father". He used to be bright bishop, but he failed to become the same way bright as archpriest and especially as the spiritual leader of "churches in Russia”. Perhaps, it was necessary to run risks and to make metropolitan of Kiev Vladimir Sabodan archpriest - then the center of gravity of the orthodox world would have been inevitably shifted to Kiev, but it would also have facilitated integration as imperial Moscow wouldn't frighten so strongly. Instead the Russian Orthodox Church has gained extraordinary force using efforts first of all of the states, it gained much more force, than in the days of the last Romanovs, but this strengthening ends exactly on the border of the Russian Federation, reverse process is taking place out of it. Deficiency of personality heading it is seen against this strengthening of the church. It is quite possible that Surkov’s appointment attorney-general is aimed to strengthening of the weak patriarch, at the same time it will limit secular, even political ambitions of Cyril.

There is other side of a question - Surkov. From the point of view of common sense the head of government office of the Russian Federation in the rank of the Deputy Prime Minister always has something to be engaged in, it is laborious and troublesome work, the weaker the government, the more work the head of the government machinery has. While Surkov being very visible as the first Deputy Chief of Presidential Administration responsible for domestic policy somehow gets lost in the government. Probably, documents flow, structural games and organization of every day work of the government is out of his usual competence and focus of his interests. Here you are Chaplin says: “a person with bright position, intellectual of the purest tint, creative personality’ and here – document flow...

It is quite probable that Surkov copes with duties of the head of administration not so brightly and they want to strengthen his position a little giving new function – may be even to pull him out of failure position of the main bureaucrat of the White House. Then it is clear – they spread rumours about his “KGB” past not for nothing to smooth absolutely inexpressive biography of the Kremlin demiurge somehow – it appears that he was not the student of institute of culture in Khimki who failed to graduate it, but was on illegal work! Then, of course, it’s ok - new curator will receive "agent Mikhaylov" for inspection.

The prospect of such tandem can be very impressing as in XXIV century when weak tsar occupied a throne, while the state was reigned from his name by his own parent in the in a dignity of patriarch. Now it’s all different - weak patriarch will be supported by strong courtier with the prospect of control of the domestic policy (Putin’s confessor is considered one of the most influential people in the country not for nothing). However, then the question of opinion of other faiths becomes inappropriate and almost indecent, as well as reminder about the article of Constitution where it is stated about secular character of the state.

Аnatoly Baranov, editor-in-chief of FORUM.msk

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