Lenten Address of H.A.H. the Prince-Bishop of Rome-Ruthenia

ROME-RUTHENIA 5 March 2025 (NRom)

Rutherford (Radislav) I

Prince-Bishop and Pope-Catholicos of Rome-Ruthenia

Supreme Pontiff of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church

Радислав I

Князь-Епископ и Папа-Католикос Рима-Руси

Верховный Понтифик Объединенной Римско-Русской Церкви

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ around the world,

Today is Ash Wednesday, and Monday was Clean Monday -- uncharacteristically occurring prior to Ash Wednesday. We keep both of these important observances in the United Roman-Ruthenian Church according to our Julio-Gregorian Calendar.  And, this unusual situation of Clean Monday preceding Ash Wednesday points to the fact that both Latin and Eastern Pascha will occur on the same Sunday this year. 

As we now enter into the holy season of Great Lent, the Church calls us to a time of repentance, prayer, denial, and renewal—not as a burden, but as a sacred gift. Through these spiritual labors, we draw closer to Christ, cleanse our hearts, and prepare ourselves for the radiant joy of His Holy Resurrection.

The world in which we live is darkened by sin, pride, and the rejection of God’s truth. Yet, as Christians, we are not called to be conformed to the world, but to transform our lives in Christ (Romans 12:2). Lent is given to us as a time to refocus—to set aside distractions, to quiet our souls, and to return wholeheartedly to God.

Let us also remember that outward displays of piety mean nothing if they are not accompanied by true humility and love. To proclaim our fasting or other denials while neglecting mercy is to imitate the Pharisee, not the Publican. The Lord does not desire empty words or gestures done for show — He desires a contrite heart and quiet acts of love. It is not in grand pronouncements or public shows of fasting but in small, unseen deeds of charity that we truly keep the fast: in offering a kind word, in comforting the sorrowful, in feeding the hungry, in choosing patience over anger, in seeking reconciliation where there has been division. These are the true sacrifices that please God.

And remember that denial alone does not save us; it must be accompanied by humility, by true contrition, by the struggle against our passions. Those who fast, for example, but feed themselves with anger, judgment, or selfishness, render their denials in vain. True denial is a process to turn away from evil, to seek Christ in purity of heart, and to love our neighbor with sincerity.

Let us therefore keep this season as the Holy Fathers have taught us — by feeding our souls with prayer and charity. Let us reconcile with those whom we have wronged and forgive those who have sinned against us. Let us lay aside every excuse and instead walk boldly on the path of repentance, trusting in the boundless mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

May this Lent be for each of us a time of renewal, purification, and transformation. May our denials strengthen us, our prayer enlighten us, and our repentance lead us ever closer to the eternal light of Pascha.

With my prayers and blessings,
Радислав Пп. I

Patriarchal Letter: The Principles of Just Conflict, Sovereignty, and Historical Justice

Patriarchal Letter

The Principles of Just Conflict, Sovereignty, and Historical Justice

1 March A.D. 2025

The Church has always upheld the sacred principles of territorial integrity, the dignity of peoples, and the rightful exercise of authority in times of conflict. While peace is the ideal, history has shown that there are moments when nations must act to protect their people, de-fend historical lands, and resist external forces that seek to divide, subjugate, or erase them. This understanding is not contrary to the Church’s call for peace, but rather in accordance with its wisdom—proclaiming both the duty to preserve justice and the ultimate goal of reconciliation (St. Augustine of Hippo, City of God (Book 19, Ch. 7, 12)).

It is a grave error to conflate rightful defense and the restoration of historical justice with unlawful aggression. In Orthodox, Catholic, and Apostolic tradition, the legitimacy of action is determined not by propaganda or political expediency, but by the moral duty of leaders to safeguard their people, uphold historical truth, and prevent greater harm. When a nation is forced to respond to threats—whether against its sovereignty, its historical identity, or its sacred inheritance—it does so not as an aggressor, but as a guardian of what has been en-trusted to it by Divine Providence (St. Basil the Great, Letter 92).

At the same time, the Church upholds the importance of genuine humanitarian service as an expression of Christian charity and a means of healing the wounds of conflict. Those who risk themselves to aid the suffering, tend to the wounded, and provide relief to those in need perform a great and Christ-pleasing work. Yet, by the same Christian principle, we reject the misuse of humanitarian concerns as a cover for foreign manipulation, as well as attempts to install artificial regimes, erase historical nations, or demand submission to foreign ideological interests under the guise of a false definition of self-determination. Indeed, there is a false talk of peace that serves merely to cover war-like intention (St. Nicholas of Serbia). True peace cannot be imposed through coercion or by forcing a people to abandon their spiritual, cultural, and historical foundations.

In times of crisis, the Holy Church stands and must by the obligation of the faith stand firmly for truth, justice, and the moral right of nations to defend their people, their faith, and their historical lands (Ecclesiastical concept of Symphonia). Peace must always be pursued—but it must be a just peace, not one built on deception, coercion, or the erasure of legitimate historical and spiritual rights.