Statement by the Roman-Ruthenian Pope on the Humanitarian Situation in Cuba

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church notes with grave concern recent public statements and policy directions voiced on the world stage suggesting a possible assumption of control by one country over the sovereign nation of Cuba, whether by military, economic, or other coercive means.

While the internal conditions of any nation may be subject to legitimate concern and discussion, the forced imposition of external control, whether framed as liberation or otherwise, raises serious moral questions. The sovereignty of nations and the dignity of peoples are not matters to be disposed of according to power or opportunity. No nation possesses the authority to dominate another or to dispose of the sovereignty of peoples according to its own will. Power does not by itself confer moral license, and the ordering of the world cannot be justly founded upon coercion or unilateral control.

Christian doctrine has long held that the use of force is permissible only under the most strict and grave conditions, particularly in defense against real, certain, and grave harm. These principles are articulated more fully within the Church's Doctrine of Just Defense, to which the faithful are bound in conscience. Actions or proposals that move toward domination, coercive regime change, or the exploitation of weakness stand in serious tension with these principles.

It must therefore be clearly stated that support for such directions, insofar as they involve unjust coercion, disregard for sovereignty, or the initiation of force absent moral necessity, cannot be reconciled with the moral teaching of the Church and stands in direct tension with the principles governing just defense.

At the same time, we recognize that nations and leaders act within complex circumstances, and not all actions or intentions may be known in full. For this reason, judgment must be made with care and precision, avoiding both naïve acceptance and unjust generalization.

The Church again calls for restraint, respect for sovereignty, and the pursuit of diplomatic solutions that uphold the dignity of all peoples. No nation’s suffering should become an opportunity for domination, and no people should be reduced to an object of geopolitical ambition.

May wisdom prevail over power, and peace over coercion.

Roman-Ruthenian Pope Confirms Just Wars Have Existed, Part of Christian Doctrine

Statement from H.A.H. the Roman-Ruthenian Pope
on Just War Doctrine

16 March 2026

Recent discussions in the broader Christian world have raised questions regarding the existence and legitimacy of what has historically been called “just war.” In light of this, it is necessary to reaffirm clearly the teaching received within the Christian tradition.

From the earliest centuries, the Church has recognized that while war is always tragic and a consequence of the fallen state of mankind, it is not the case that all use of force is morally equivalent. The tradition, articulated by the Fathers and developed in theological clarity over time, affirms that under strict and grave conditions, the use of force in appropriate defense of the innocent and the restoration of order within the legitimate authority and proper scope of the relevant actors may be morally permissible. (See the Church's teaching on the Doctrine of Just Defence here.)

This teaching does not glorify war in and of itself, nor does it diminish its horror. On the contrary, it places severe moral limits upon it, insisting that even justified defense carries with it profound moral responsibility and spiritual consequence. The recognition that a war may be just in principle and therefore morally permissible as an act of defense does not render war in and of itself inherently good, nor does it remove the obligation of repentance, restraint, and the pursuit of peace.  That is, war can be legitimate and just, but only as a tool for justice and good.

Therefore, it must be clearly stated: the concept of just defense, including what has historically been termed “just war,” remains part of the received moral teaching of the Church. To deny this entirely risks obscuring the essential moral distinction between defense and aggression, and may leave the innocent without moral recourse in the face of grave injustice.

At the same time, this doctrine must never be misused as a justification for violence undertaken lightly, preemptively without moral certainty, or for purposes of domination, expansion, or ideological ambition. The burden of proof for the just use of force remains extremely high.

The Church continues to call all nations and leaders to pursue peace, to exhaust every path of diplomacy, and to remember that even justified violence wounds the human family. The ultimate goal remains not victory, but reconciliation and the restoration of peace.

In all things, the faithful are reminded that they must act in accordance with conscience rightly formed, seeking justice without hatred and defense without losing sight of the dignity of every human person.

Roman-Ruthenian Pope Calls for Cessation of Hostilities in the Middle East

By A. DiNardo

ROME-RUTHENIA 12 March 2026 (NRom)

In response to the rapidly escalating armed conflict in the Middle East and the growing humanitarian crisis affecting civilians across the region, His Holiness Pope Radislav I of Rome-Ruthenia has issued a formal statement calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a renewed commitment to diplomatic negotiations.

The statement emphasizes the grave moral responsibility borne by political and military leaders when the use of force leads to widespread civilian suffering and risks broadening regional instability. It highlights the disproportionate burden that modern warfare places on ordinary families: those displaced from their homes, deprived of livelihood, or mourning loved ones lost in violence.

Drawing upon the Church’s moral teaching regarding the limits of armed force, the Roman-Ruthenian Pope stresses that even claims of just cause must be weighed carefully against the humanitarian consequences of military action. He warns that continued escalation not only deepens the suffering of those directly caught in the conflict but also threatens global stability through economic disruption, strained energy supplies, and wider geopolitical tensions.

While acknowledging the complexity of international conflicts, the statement affirms that dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path toward a just and lasting peace. Negotiation, His Holiness writes, is not a sign of weakness but an act of responsible leadership when the alternative is the continued loss of innocent life.

The following is the full text of His Holiness’s statement.

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Statement on the Escalation of Armed Conflict and the Suffering of Civilians
12 March 2026

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to serious diplomatic negotiations in the present conflict in the Middle East. Recent military actions have not only caused a humanitarian crisis extending beyond the region, they have already ignited a wider regional conflict that places civilian populations and global humanitarian stability at risk. Thus we urge all parties to return to the path of dialogue that was already underway when the hostile path was chosen, working towards a peaceful resolution which alone can bring a just and durable peace.

War always brings suffering to the innocent. In every conflict in the modern era it is civilians who bear the heaviest burden: families displaced, homes destroyed, livelihoods shattered, and lives lost that should never have been taken. The Church therefore raises its voice first and foremost for those who have no voice in the councils of war. We speak for the poor and the suffering who are marginalized by the actions of others. 

We also note that the present escalation carries grave consequences beyond the battlefield. Disruption of energy supplies, global economic instability, and the interruption of essential goods to various otherwise-uninvolved countries threaten the welfare of countless people far removed from the immediate conflict. In an interdependent world, war in one region quickly becomes hardship for many others.

Our faith clearly teaches that the use of force must always be governed by strict moral limits, undertaken only under grave necessity and never without deep moral responsibility. Even when nations claim just cause, such claims must always be measured against the strict moral limits that govern the use of force. Regardless of legitimacy, violence always wounds the human family and leaves lasting scars upon the conscience of mankind.

When violence expands conflict rather than containing it, and when civilian suffering multiplies rather than diminishes, serious questions arise as to whether the strict moral limits governing the use of force are being honored. For this reason we call upon all leaders and parties involved to halt further escalation and to return in good faith to diplomatic engagement. The path of negotiation may be difficult, but it remains the only path that preserves life and prevents further tragedy. Yet, both sides must be willing to talk and listen, continuing the work that was already in process. Negotiation by its very nature cannot be a one-sided dictation. 

And we must remember that negotiation is not weakness. It is the difficult work of true statesmanship when the alternative is the continued loss of innocent life. May God grant wisdom to those who hold worldly power, comfort to those who mourn, and peace to a world too often wounded by violence.

Radislav Pp. I

On Authority, Conscience, and the Dignity of the Human Person

Patriarchal Letter of Radislav I of Rome-Ruthenia

26 January A.D. 2026

Dearly beloved in Christ:

Across the centuries, human societies have risen and fallen not only by the strength of their armies or the wealth of their treasuries, but by the moral character of those who exercise authority and of those who obey it. Authority, in its proper form, is a gift entrusted by God for the protection of life, the preservation of order, and the service of the common good. It is neither self-originating nor self-justifying. It exists only insofar as it remains oriented toward justice, restraint, and the dignity of the human person. History teaches a sobering lesson: when authority forgets its limits, and when obedience forgets its conscience, the result is not order and stability, but harm and violence clothed in procedure.

Obedience is a virtue only when it remains bound to moral truth. Detached from conscience, obedience becomes mere compliance. Compliance, when unexamined, becomes a pathway by which ordinary people participate in extraordinary wrongs. No law, no command, no institution absolves a person from the responsibility to discern whether an action serves justice or undermines it before God and neighbor. To say “I was only following orders” has never healed a wound, restored a life, or justified an injustice. The doctrine of the faith is clear that each person remains morally accountable not only for what they intend, but for what they enable.

Power tempts not only rulers, but systems. Then, systems, once untethered from moral restraint, tend to reward efficiency over wisdom, order over mercy, and loyalty over truth.

When fear is cultivated as a tool of governance, compassion comes to be portrayed as weakness. Restraint in turn is mocked as betrayal, and cruelty begins to appear a so-called necessity. In such climates, cruelty often appears ordinary, and conscience is dismissed as inconvenience. Yet no society is strengthened by the erosion of its moral foundations. Authority that relies on intimidation rather than legitimacy eventually consumes itself.

Institutions are judged not by their declarations, but by their practices. Those who serve within them, whether in uniform, office, or administration, do not cease to be moral agents when they assume a role. To carry out harm while claiming neutrality is not neutrality; it is moral abdication. To enforce injustice while claiming legality is not lawfulness; it is moral evasion. The measure of an institution’s integrity is found in whether it permits, protects, and even honors those who refuse to act against conscience.

One of the great moral dangers of any age is the temptation to outsource responsibility, i.e., to surrender judgment upward, to systems, or to ideology. Yet, conscience cannot be delegated. Human dignity cannot be compartmentalized. Moral responsibility cannot be automated. Whenever a person is reduced to a category, a statistic, or an obstacle, something essential has already been lost, both in the victim and in the one who consents to such reduction.

We therefore call all people, especially those entrusted with authority, to renewed vigilance of the heart. Let leaders remember that they are stewards, not masters. Let servants of institutions remember that loyalty does not require moral blindness. Let citizens remember that order without justice is merely organized disorder. Above all, let us resist the ancient temptation to believe that “our side” is exempt from moral scrutiny. No tradition, no nation, no cause is purified by abandoning the dignity of the human person.

The health of a society is revealed not in moments of triumph, but in moments of strain, when fear tempts us to surrender principle for the illusion of control. May we choose instead the harder path: the path of conscience over convenience, of restraint over domination, and of moral courage over silent compliance. For it is not power that preserves civilization, but the disciplined conscience of those who wield it.

May wisdom guide us. May humility restrain us. And may we never forget that every human being stands before God not as an instrument, but as a person entrusted to our care.

On Power, Law, and Moral Accountability: Patriarchal Letter of HAH the Roman-Ruthenian Pope

RADISLAV PP. I 

Patriarchal Letter: On Power, Law, and Moral Accountability

In every age, nations are tempted to clothe power in the language of righteousness. When a state claims the right to act beyond natural law, beyond treaty, and beyond the limits it demands others observe, it does not reveal moral clarity but moral disorder. The Christian tradition has never taught that might alone makes right. On the contrary, the greater a nation’s power, the greater its obligation to restraint, justice, and fidelity to law. Power is not self-justifying; it is accountable before history, before humanity, and before God. 

The Church has long taught that law among nations, treaties, and recognized norms exist not as mere constructs to observe when convenient, but as moral instruments intended to restrain violence and preserve order, insofar as they reflect authentic justice and the natural law. When states honor these norms selectively, invoking them when useful and discarding them when obstructive, they corrode the very moral framework they claim to defend. Such behavior erodes trust, destabilizes regions, and invites retaliation under the same logic. Indeed, no nation may declare itself inherently righteous, appealing to a self-defined conception of the good, in order to legitimize whatever actions it chooses. That constitutes arrogance. When a nation proceeds further, denying that other nations may claim the same moral license, such reasoning also becomes hypocrisy. What one power claims for itself today, others will claim tomorrow. 

From a Christian perspective, the use of force beyond one’s borders, including the seizure of persons or the exercise of coercive authority over another nation, must be judged not by slogans, political alignment, or claimed outcomes, but by objective moral principles. The Gospel grants no nation a messianic role. No state, however powerful, is the Kingdom of God. When governments presume moral exemption for themselves while condemning identical actions by rivals, they fall into hypocrisy, which Our Lord condemned with particular severity.

The Church’s tradition of just governance and just war is exacting, not permissive. It requires legitimate authority exercised within moral and legal bounds; a just cause involving actual and grave injustice; right intention ordered to justice rather than dominance; true necessity, exercised as a last resort; proportionality in means and consequences; and respect for the innocent and for sovereignty rightly understood. These criteria are not rhetorical ideals but binding moral conditions. They are cumulative, not optional.

Claims of a generalized, speculative, or remote “threat” do not meet the Christian standard for just cause. Likewise, criminal activity in and of itself does not rise to the level of a cause for military action. Furthermore, fear, strategic advantage, or anticipated future risk, however sincerely asserted, do not justify coercive force in Orthodox and Catholic moral theology. While preemptive action can be legitimate under just war doctrine, preemptive action based simply on conjecture belongs to modern security doctrine, not to the Christian tradition. Likewise, merely preventative action is never doctrinally permissible. Where necessity is absent, force becomes expedience; where expedience governs, justice under God is already compromised.

Equally grave is the corruption of moral judgment that arises from double standards. When a state excuses for itself what it condemns in others, it implicitly declares that law binds only the weak, while practical legitimacy devolves into a question of "who can" rather than "who may." Such reasoning does not merely weaken credibility; it dissolves the very concept of justice. In Christian moral reasoning, hypocrisy is not a secondary flaw but a decisive one, because it replaces principled judgment with tribal loyalty and power with permission.

The Church, therefore, must speak clearly even when her voice is unwelcome. She is aligned with no empire, bloc, political party, or ideology. She stands with law over lawlessness, with restraint over domination, and with repentance over self-congratulation. The faithful must resist the temptation to excuse immoral actions simply because they are committed by those we favor or fear to criticize. Before God, there is no double standard.

Finally, we must remember that nations, like individuals, will be judged not only by the evils they oppose, but by the means they employ. History is unkind to those who imagine themselves exempt from the rules they impose on others. The Church prays for the conversion of rulers, that humility, justice, and the fear of God may not only dwell in their hearts reflected in their policies. For when law is trampled and power is unchecked, it is always the poor, the voiceless, and the innocent who suffer first.

May we have the courage to name injustice wherever it appears, the wisdom to distinguish authority from domination, and the faith to believe that obedience to God’s law is never weakness, but the only path to true peace.

Roman-Ruthenian Pope Urges Christians to Put Christ First in Christmas Allocution

H.A.H. Radislav I placed Gesu Bambino
at the beginning of the Nativity liturgy.

By Staff

ROME-RUTHENIAN 25 December 2025 (NRom)

Full video available below.

In a wide-ranging Christmas allocution delivered on the Latin Feast of the Nativity, His Apostolic Highness the Most Holy Prince-Bishop Radislav I, Roman-Ruthenian Pope, head of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church, called on Christians to place allegiance to Christ above all other loyalties, warning that compassion and mercy are being eroded in contemporary public life.

Speaking at the opening of the Church’s extended Nativity cycle, which spans nearly a month and includes Western and Eastern Christian feasts, Radislav I framed Christmas not as a cultural tradition but as what he described as “the most radical event in human history.”

“The Nativity of Christ is not a sentimental story, nor a seasonal ornament,” the Pope declared. “God does not save the world by force, nor by decree, nor by the wisdom of rulers, but by humility, obedience, and love.”

A Christmas That Challenges Power

Drawing on the Gospel imagery of the manger, Radislav emphasized that Christ’s birth took place not in security or comfort, but “upon the margins,” in poverty and danger. He contrasted the vulnerability of the infant Christ with the fear of King Herod, noting that merely worldly power reacts with anxiety rather than reverence to divine humility.

This theme became the foundation for a pointed reflection on modern culture, with concern about what the Pontiff described as growing demands for total loyalty from nations, parties, and ideologies. “Our first allegiance is not to any party, platform, or flag, but to Christ,” he said. While affirming that Christians have responsibilities as citizens and neighbors, he warned that when the Church allows itself to be claimed by partisan causes, it “ceases to be a light and becomes merely another voice in the noise.” 

“The Child in the manger belongs to no faction,” he added.

Compassion as a Measure of Justice

A significant portion of the allocution focused on compassion, particularly toward those on society’s margins. Radislav argued that a loss of mercy leads inevitably to moral and civic decay.

“A society that loses compassion loses its soul,” he said, adding that governments that forget mercy also forget justice. He cited Christ’s words from the Gospel of Matthew: “I was a stranger, and you welcomed Me,” describing them not as poetic language but as a form of judgment.

While acknowledging the reality of evil and the necessity of order, the Pope cautioned against fear-driven responses to social challenges, especially those involving the poor, the sick, foreigners, and the displaced.  “Christ teaches us to love,” he said, “while the world teaches us to shout.”

The Role of the Church

Radislav also outlined what he sees as the Church’s mission in an age marked by anger, division, and ideological rigidity. Rejecting the idea that the Church should mirror prevailing cultural trends, he described its role as fundamentally therapeutic and transformative. “The Church does not exist to mirror the world, but to heal it,” he said. “She does not adopt the spirit of the age, but baptizes men and women into Christ.”

He urged Christians to respond to hostility with mercy, confusion with calm, and division with steadfast commitment to truth, arguing that holiness, rather than volume or influence, is the true means by which the world is changed. “We do not save the world by shouting louder than others,” he said. “We save it by becoming holy.”

A Call to Renewal

Concluding the allocution, Radislav invited the faithful around the world to see the Nativity not only as a historical event but as a present reality that demands personal transformation. He called on Christians to reject what he termed “the false gods of power, wealth, and pride” and to recommit themselves to what he described as “the hard, joyful work of being Christians.”

The Pope ended with a message of hope, invoking the Gospel of John: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

With a final blessing, he extended prayers for families and communities across the world, wishing them “a holy and blessed Nativity” as the Church enters its season of Christmas celebrations.

United Roman-Ruthenian Church Announces Historic Concordat Between the Russian and Yugoslavian Branches of the Order of St. John

H.R.H. Sire Rubén, Royal Protector
of the Order of St. John

By A. DiNardo 

ROME-RUTHENIA 17 November 2025 (NRom)

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church today formally announced the signing of a historic concordat between the Russian branch of the Hospitaller Order of St. John, led by His Highness Don Basilio Calì, Prince of Rhodes, Grand Master, and the Russian-Yugoslavian branch of the Order of St. John, maintained under the ecclesiastical protection of the Church. 

The concordat was solemnly signed earlier this month by His Apostolic Highness Prince-Bishop Radislav I, Roman-Ruthenian Pope, Sovereign of the Russian-Yugoslavian Order of St. John, and His Royal Highness Sire Rubén (Esteve IV), Chief of the Merovingian Dynasty, Royal Protector of both historic branches of the Order.

Church officials described the agreement as “a reaffirmation of historical legitimacy, fraternity, and continuity” within the ancient chivalric tradition rooted in the Crusader Knights of St. John.

H.I.M. Tsar Pavel I of Russia as Grand Master of the Knights of Malta

A Renewal of a Shared Heritage

The cooperation between the Russian obedience and the Yugoslavian obedience (also known as Russian-Yugoslavian) represents a reunion of two lines that share a common origin in the upheavals following the fall of Malta in 1798. When Tsar Pavel I gave sanctuary to the displaced Knights of St. John, he established the order under his sovereign authority, becoming the first Orthodox Grand Master in the Order’s history. That tradition endured within the Romanov dynasty (the order later being known as a Grand Priory in Russia) until the early twentieth century, when Tsar Nikolai II placed the care and continuity of the Order under the Royal House of Yugoslavia. King Peter II later renewed the statutes of the Yugoslavian continuation in 1964 while in exile.

H.M. King Peter II of Yugoslavia

In the complex history of the Russian–Yugoslavian succession of the Order of St. John, the United Roman-Ruthenian Church ultimately became the principal steward of the line descending from King Peter II. His Apostolic Highness Pope Radislav I had long held the rank of Bailiff Grand Cross under the authority derived from King Peter II’s statutes, and had also been admitted to a Russian successor branch recognized by Prince Trubetskoi, who served as Lieutenant Grand Master in the time of Peter II. While various modern bodies claim heritage from the original Knights Hospitaller of St. John, including from the Russian and Yugoslavian traditions, what can be clearly affirmed is that the branch maintained within the United Roman-Ruthenian Church is the only continuation that unites both the Peter II succession and the Trubetskoi connection under a single, traceable line of authority supported by the ecclesiastical endorsement of the Orthodox Old Catholic Roman-Ruthenian Pope. In this sense, the Church’s custodianship represents not exclusivity, but the responsible preservation of the specific lineage entrusted to it.

H.R.H. Sire Rubén, Royal Protector, at the Magistral
Palace of the Russian obedience of the
Order of St. John located in Malta

The related Russian branch, under Grand Master Don Basilio Calì, preserves the active charitable and chivalric dimension of the legacy. The new concordat formally links the two living continuations of the same historic institution, recognizing shared roots, mutual legitimacy, and a commitment to safeguarding the Order’s heritage for future generations.

Also, the United Roman-Ruthenian Church recognizes that the centuries-long history of the Knights of St. John has resulted in several successor bodies around the world, each preserving aspects of the Order’s charitable and chivalric mission. While the Church maintains its own historic Russian-Yugoslavian continuation, it affirms respect and Christian fraternity toward all legitimate traditions descending from the ancient Hospitaller heritage. The concordat announced today is thus not exclusive in spirit, but stands as a testament to unity, mutual goodwill, and shared devotion to the timeless ideals of the Order.

First page of the concordat document

Details of the Concordat

The concordat establishes mutual recognition between the two branches as continuations of the historic Russian and Yugoslavian tradition of the Order of St. John. It also appoints H.R.H. Sire Rubén (Esteve IV) as the Royal Protector of both obediences.

Church officials emphasized that, while the Russian-Yugoslavian branch remains primarily custodial and honorary in nature, the concordat allows deeper cooperation with the active charitable works of the Russian branch.

Significance of the Agreement

The concordat marks one of the most meaningful developments in the Order’s modern history. For the first time in decades, the two obediences that stem from the same Russian and Yugoslavian inheritance have formally affirmed a shared mission of Fides, Caritas, et Servitium (Faith, Charity, and Service).

Its significance includes a restoration of unity in a divided legacy. The Order’s survival through political turmoil—from Napoleon’s conquest to the Bolshevik Revolution and the fall of Yugoslavia—left multiple lines of succession. The new agreement strengthens unity among the legitimate continuations of the Russian tradition. And, the concordat ensures that this distinctive heritage is preserved both spiritually (through the Church) and actively (through the Russian branch).

With both branches under the Royal Merovingian Dynasty’s patronage and, for the Yugoslavian branch, the sovereignty of the Roman-Ruthenian Pope, the Order gains renewed stability. 

Statements from Church Leadership

In remarks following the signing, Pope Radislav I stated that the agreement “honors the memory of Tsar Pavel I and King Peter II, and solidifies the shared vocation of the Order across its historic branches.” He noted that the Church remains committed to preserving the Order’s legacy with dignity and fidelity.

H.R.H. Sire Rubén, Royal Protector of both branches, praised the concordat and stated that for him “it will be a great honor to accept this responsibility.”

An Enduring Mission

The Order of St. John, from its origins in the medieval Hospitaller tradition to its Russian and Yugoslavian chapters, has remained steadfast in its dedication to Christian charity and chivalric service. The 2025 concordat reaffirms that legacy, ensuring that both the active and custodial aspects of the Order continue to work in harmony, preserving a tradition that has endured for nearly a thousand years.

Radislav I of Rome-Ruthenia Issues New Encyclical “De Civitate Christiana”: A Call to Renew the Heart of Civilization

By M. Derosiers

ROME-RUTHENIA 31 October 2025 (NRom)

Summary:  In a powerful new encyclical, De Civitate Christiana, H.A.H. Prince-Bishop Radislav I, Roman-Ruthenian Pope outlines a call for spiritual renewal in modern society. He emphasizes that humanity's quest for peace stems from a divine yearning for communion with God, and true change begins in the heart, not through ideology or policy. The Church serves as a moral guide, advocating for justice and truth under the Cross of Christ. Radislav I critiques modern economic and political systems, urging a sacred economy rooted in service rather than profit. He envisions government as a ministry of justice that must align with God's eternal law to be legitimate. Ultimately, the encyclical champions the idea that transforming the world starts with the conversion of the soul, paving the way for a civilization centered on the sacred.

The full text of the encyclical is available at the Pontifical Chancery.

Celebrating the Living Heritage of Sacred Art and Culture

By Staff

ROME-RUTHENIA 26 October 2025 (NRom)

His Apostolic Highness the Most Holy Prince-Bishop Radislav I of Rome-Ruthenia, together with Her Apostolic Highness the Apostolic Princess, attended a performance of Spyashchaya Krsavitsa (The Sleeping Beauty) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky — one of the crowning masterpieces of the classical repertoire and a timeless reflection of Christian artistry within the Russian cultural tradition.

The Pontifical and Imperial Household continues its long-standing dedication to the arts as a vital expression of faith, beauty, and civilization. The United Roman-Ruthenian Church regards music, dance, and fine art not merely as entertainment, but as sacred extensions of divine creativity — mirrors through which humanity perceives the harmony of God’s creation.

Tchaikovsky’s work, blending grace, discipline, and spiritual depth, remains a reminder that art transcends all political or temporal divisions. It speaks instead to the eternal soul of a people and of humanity itself, the same universality that the Church seeks to preserve and uphold in every nation and culture. In supporting the arts, we honor not only the gifts of the Creator, but also the shared heritage that unites East and West in beauty, reverence, and peace.

Satire Meets the Ivory Tower: “Trying to Sue the U” Exposes Academia’s Dark Underbelly with Wit and Courage

By A. DiNardo 

ROME-RUTHENIA 15 October 2025 (NRom)

Brace yourself for an academic adventure like no other.

Fiction—or not?—the truth
here stings.

Trying to Sue the U, is a satirical epic poem circulating online, now celebrating its one-year anniversary. The epic takes readers on a rollicking journey through the labyrinth of modern higher education. It’s a biting fairy tale for grown-ups—equal parts tragic, comic, and cathartic—that exposes the contradictions, bureaucratic absurdities, and moral compromises within universities today.

At its heart, this is not just literature—it’s a mirror held up to power.

A Brave Lecturer vs. the Ivory Tower

In this grand allegory, readers follow “The Brave Little Lecturer,” a defiant figure who dares to challenge the entrenched hierarchies of academia. When he confronts injustice—wage theft, retaliation, discrimination—he finds himself battling a hydra-headed institution that protects itself at all costs.

The poem’s strength lies in its clear-eyed portrayal of systemic failure wrapped in razor-sharp satire. Each character, from “Sneaky Snake” the campus ruler to “Big Gopher” the cold-hearted HR bureaucrat, embodies a familiar archetype of modern university life. On the surface they may seem exaggerated, but  in fact they are painfully recognizable to anyone who’s spent time in academia’s shadowed halls.

Sneaky Snake, the evil campus administrator
who terrorizes all the faculty

Through rhyme and rhythm, the author transforms what could be a grim exposé into something more powerful: a chorus of protest disguised as play.

A parody that reads like a case file.

Lifting the Lid on Academic Hypocrisy

Universities have long marketed themselves as temples of truth and enlightenment. Yet Trying to Sue the U peels back that glossy veneer to reveal a troubling picture—one of censorship, hypocrisy, and double standards.

"Nokloo," the Not-So-Fearless Campus Leader, ever feckless

From administrators who “bury their heads in the sand” to lawyers who weaponize taxpayer money, the poem skewers the machinery of institutional self-preservation. It’s a “civil rights fairy tale,” yes, but one with real-world implications. 

With Truth and Justice, the Brave
Little Lecture thwarts the greedy lawyers

For many adjuncts, lecturers, and contingent faculty, the Brave Little Lecturer’s plight hits close to home. The satire may be cloaked in whimsy, but its commentary on academic labor conditions is deeply authentic.

They silenced a teacher, but not the story.

The piece asks a burning question: When those who teach justice and ethics fail to practice them, what remains of higher education’s moral authority? Answer: Tyranny. 

A Tradition of Truth Through Humor

In the best tradition of literary satire, from Jonathan Swift to George Orwell, Trying to Sue the U uses humor not to trivialize, but to clarify. Its absurdities illuminate uncomfortable truths about power and privilege within supposedly egalitarian institutions rooted in social justice. 

Chameleon, the diversity officer who pretends to serve and
protect the people, but really protects the university administrators

The poem’s “cast” reads like a fable for the 21st century: “Chameleon,” the diversity officer who protects the powerful; “Big Bark,” the state attorney who defends the machinery of the system; “No-Hope Foryu,” the overworked, hapless, and ineffective federal civil rights officer. Each character highlights how accountability erodes when institutional reputation trumps integrity.

Big Bark, the State Attorney General, whose interest isn't justice,
but protecting the University even when it breaks the law

It’s a clever inversion of the academic epic. Where universities once celebrated intellectual bravery, this poem doesn't just suggest they now punish it, but rather blatantly states it. Yet it does so with a wink and a rhyme, making the medicine go down with a smile.

Art as Accountability

What makes Trying to Sue the U truly significant is its moral courage. In a culture where faculty often fear retaliation for speaking out, this piece breaks the silence through allegory. It invites public engagement in what is too often treated as an internal, untouchable affair.

How the epic satire portrays "Lady Justice,"
a high-priced whore up for sale to the highest bidder

By framing institutional failure as mythic comedy, the author creates distance—enough to laugh, but not enough to look away. The result is a kind of poetic whistleblowing, wielding metaphor instead of lawsuits.

Why It Matters

As academia grapples with crises of integrity, funding, and public trust, Trying to Sue the U feels less like parody and more like prophecy. It reminds us that art can still serve as conscience, that laughter can be resistance, and that even in satire, truth can find its voice.

Behind the humor is a simple demand: fairness, transparency, and the right to speak truth to power without fear.

The satire ends on a happy note, as the Brave Little Lecture refuses to play the
game that has been rigged by the corrupt system, follows his own path, and triumphs over injustice.

And perhaps that’s why the Brave Little Lecturer endures—not as a caricature, but as a symbol of every educator who refuses to give up on the ideal that universities once promised to uphold: that knowledge should serve the public good, not just the powerful few.

In the end, “Trying to Sue the U” may perhaps be fiction (or not?) — but its message is anything but.

New Patriarchal Letter on Christian Duty released by Prince-Bishop of Rome-Ruthenia

By Staff

ROME-RUTHENIA 10 October 2025 (NRom)

In a recently-released patriarchal letter entitled In omni generatione, His Apostolic Highness the Most Holy Prince-Bishop Radislav I, Roman-Ruthenian Pope, Supreme Pontiff of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church, offers a strong and compelling reminder of the Church’s eternal mission amid the shifting sands of politics and national identity. Speaking with the authority of the Apostolic tradition, His Holiness warns against the seductions of nationalism and partisanship that threaten to entangle the Bride of Christ in worldly loyalties. Instead, His Holiness calls clergy and faithful alike to reaffirm their true citizenship in the Kingdom of God, where mercy triumphs over power and truth stands above ideology. This letter serves as both a rebuke and a beacon, urging believers to remain steadfast, compassionate, and unafraid as witnesses to a faith that transcends every earthly empire.

_____________

Complete text of the Patriarchal Letter In Omni Generatione:
(Text in Latin and Old Russian follow)

In every generation, the Church must remind the world that our first allegiance is not to any flag, party, or political philosophy, but to the Kingdom of God. Nations rise and fall, parties change their colors and slogans, yet Christ alone is constant. When the Church forgets this, when she lets herself be caught in the nets of nationalism or ideology, she loses her prophetic voice and becomes merely an echo in the world’s discordant symphony. 

     Clergy especially are called to shun party and partisan politics, for political parties merely seek to use the Church for their own ends. They try to convince the faithful that they alone are the right Chris-tian path, but quickly turn when the Church disagrees, even often suggesting that the party or the nation or a political leader is the true litmus test of religious authority and legitimacy. It is, we must always remember, the Church that proclaims what is Christian, moral, and ethical — and that Church is One, Holy, Apostolic, Orthodox, and Catholic. In some countries, those not of the apostolic faith proclaim to speak for what is Christian, so often creating a bizarre blend of pseudo-Christianity, politics, and nationalism. Stranger still is that often those of the apostolic faith, seeking a Christian society, follow along, ceding their Apostolic birthright to others. This must be al-ways and everywhere avoided, and we must be ever-vigilant against it. This must be always and everywhere avoided, and we must be vig-ilant to keep the Bride of Christ free from worldly entanglements.

     Now, it is not a sin to love one’s homeland, whether it is the place you were born or a land of your ethnic heritage. Love of culture, land, and heritage can be holy in proper measure and when it reflects di-vine charity — in which case it stems from the Christian command to love one's neighbour. But when love becomes pride, and pride be-comes contempt for others, then the nation itself has become an idol. We see it when leaders speak of power more than mercy, and when policy is made without compassion. We see it when people start to think ill on the other side of a border rather than seeing in them the face of Christ. The Gospel does not ask us to make the world in our own image. Rather, it asks us to see Christ in the stranger, the sick, the poor, and the immigrant — for "I was a stranger, and you wel-comed me." 

     Too often, political life today has become a theater of anger, where winning is valued more than wisdom and cruelty is mistaken for strength. The Church must not imitate this spirit, and the faithful must not be drawn into such behavior. Moreover, the faithful must not consider such behavior to be the authentic Christian path. We are not to be the chaplains of any earthly empire, but the conscience of all.

     Our calling is to stand where others fear to stand: between ene-mies, among the suffering, within the storms that always arise. We do not speak with labels such as liberals or conservatives, right-wing or left-wing, but as Christians — Apostolic, Orthodox, Catholic Christians. We are to love truth more than empty, worldly victory, mercy more than comfort, and God more than ever-fleeting nations.

     The Church existed before any kingdom, empire, or republic, and will endure when all have passed away. So many rulers over time have pledged the destruction of the Church on earth, and yet here we stand. We have outlasted every single one of them and will continue to do so. The Church cannot be destroyed, and when it looks dire and the church stands at a precipice, Christ and His Holy Church will conquer. Therefore, let us live as citizens of heaven, faithful, compas-sionate, and unafraid. And let us pray for the conversion of all secular leaders and all people to the Holy Faith of Christ.

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     In omni generatione, Ecclesia mundum admonere debet primam nostram fidelitatem non ad ullam vexilli formam, factionem, aut philosophiam politicam pertinere, sed ad Regnum Dei. Gentes sur-gunt et cadunt, factiones mutant colores ac clamores suos, Christus autem solus manet immutabilis. Cum Ecclesia hoc obliviscitur, cum se ipsam implicari sinit retibus nationalismi aut ideologiae, vocem suam propheticam amittit, et fit tantum echo in symphonia mundi dissonante.

     Praesertim clerici vocantur ut partium politicarum consortia de-vitent, quippe quae Ecclesiam ad suos fines uti tantum velint. Saepe persuadere conantur fidelibus se solos esse veram viam Christianam, sed statim se vertunt, cum Ecclesia dissentit, etiam suadentes fac-tionem, nationem, aut ducem politicorum esse verum criterium aucto-ritatis ac legitimitatis religionis. Meminisse semper oportet Ecclesiam esse quae definit quid sit vere Christianum, morale, et honestum — eamque Ecclesiam unam, sanctam, apostolicam, orthodoxam et ca-tholicam esse.

     In quibusdam nationibus, quae fide apostolica carent, sibi vindicant loqui pro Christiano nomine, saepe monstrum quoddam pseudo-Christianitatis, politicae et nationalismi conficientes. Mirabilius etiam est quod nonnumquam fideles apostolici, Christianam societatem quaerentes, his consentientes nativum suum apostolicum ius aliis tradunt. Hoc semper et ubique vitandum est, atque oportet nos sem-per vigilare, ne Sponsa Christi vinculis mundanis implicetur.

     Non peccatum est patriam diligere, sive sit terra nativitatis, sive gentis originis. Amor culturae, terrae, ac hereditatis sanctus esse potest, si modum servat et caritatem divinam reflectit, ex praecepto Christiano quod iubet nos proximum diligere. Sed cum amor in su-perbiam vertitur, et superbia in contemptum aliorum, tunc ipsa natio idolum facta est. Id cernimus cum duces de potestate plus quam de misericordia loquuntur, et cum consilia sine compassione statuuntur. Id cernimus etiam cum homines trans fines alios suspectos habere incipiunt, nec amplius in eis vultum Christi agnoscunt. Evangelium non mandat ut mundum ad nostram imaginem fingamus, sed ut Christum in peregrino, in aegroto, in paupere, in advena videamus: “Hospes eram, et suscepistis me.”

     Nimis saepe vita politica hodierna facta est theatrum irae, ubi vincere plus valet quam sapientia, et crudelitas pro fortitudine habe-tur. Ecclesia hunc spiritum imitari nequit, nec fideles tali morum ra-tione decipi debent. Quin etiam, tales mores numquam pro via Chris-tiana habendi sunt. Non sumus cappellani cuiuslibet imperii ter-restris, sed conscientia omnium.

     Vocationem habemus stare ubi alii timent stare: inter inimicos, inter dolentes, in mediis tempestatibus quae semper oriuntur. Non loquimur titulis liberalium aut conservativorum, dexterae aut sinis-trae, sed tamquam Christiani — Apostolici, Orthodoxi, Catholici. Veritatem plus quam inanem victoriam, misericordiam plus quam commodum, Deum plus quam caduca regna diligere debemus.

     Ecclesia ante omnia regna, imperia, ac res publicas exstitit, et per-severabit cum omnia haec transierint. Tot principes per tempora in-teritum Ecclesiae minati sunt, et tamen adhuc stamus. Omnes illos superavimus, et superaturi sumus. Ecclesia destrui non potest; et cum omnia desperata videntur, cum ipsa ad praecipitium stare videtur, Christus et Ecclesia eius sancta triumphabunt.

     Ergo vivamus ut cives caeli, fideles, misericordes, et intrepidi. Et oremus pro conversione omnium ducum saecularium ac totius populi ad Sanctam Fidem Christi.

_____________________________

     Въ каждомъ родѣ и племени Церковь обязана напоминать міру, яко первѣйшее наше послушаніе должно быть не знаме-ни, не партіи, не политическому мудрованію, но Царствію Божію. Царства возстаютъ и падаютъ, партіи изменяютъ свои цвѣта и лозунги, но Христосъ Единъ пребываетъ неизмененъ. Когда же Церковь забываетъ сіе и дозволяетъ себѣ быть уловленною въ сѣти национализма или идеологіи, тогда она утрачиваетъ свой пророческій гласъ и становится токмо от-звукoмъ въ раздвоенномъ гомонѣ міра.

     Особливо же духовенство призывается отвращатися отъ партійности и политическихъ влеченій, понеже партіи ищутъ лишь употребити Церковь въ своихъ тщеславныхъ намѣреніяхъ. Они стараются убѣдити вѣрныхъ, яко только они хранятъ истинный христіанскій путь, но вскоре отвра-щаются, аще Церковь не согласна съ ними, и нередко дерза-ютъ утверждати, яко партія, или народъ, или властелинъ по-литическій — суть мѣрила истинной вѣры и законности. Все-гда же подобаетъ памятовати, яко Церковь есть та, яже воз-вѣщаетъ, что есть христіанское, нравственное и благочести-вое, и та Церковь — Едина, Святая, Соборная и Апостольская. Въ некіихъ странахъ иные, не держащіеся апостольской вѣры, осмѣливаются глаголати отъ имени христіанства, создавая странное смешеніе ложнаго благочестія, политикі и национа-лизма. Еще же страннѣе то, яко иногда и сыны вѣры апо-стольской, желая устроити общество христіанское, следуютъ за ними, уступая свое апостольское достояніе чуждымъ. Сего подобаетъ всегда и всюду избѣгати и бодрствовати, да не бу-детъ Невѣста Христова связана мірскими узами.

     Не есть грѣхъ — любити Отечество, будь то земля, въ коей кто родился, или страна отеческаго рода. Любовь къ куль-турѣ, къ землѣ и къ наследію можетъ быти свята, аще пребу-детъ въ должной мѣрѣ и отражаетъ любовь Божію; ибо тогда она проистекаетъ изъ заповѣди Христовой — любити ближ-няго своего. Но когда любовь обращается въ гордыню, а гор-дыня — въ презрѣніе къ инымъ, тогда народъ самъ становит-ся идоломъ. Мы видимъ сіе, когда вожди глаголютъ болѣе о силѣ, нежели о милосердіи, и когда уставы творятся безъ со-страданія. Мы видимъ сіе, когда человѣцы начинаютъ по-мышляти зло о тѣхъ, что за границею, не видя въ нихъ образа Христова. Євангеліе не заповѣдуетъ намъ творити міръ по своему образу; оно велитъ узревати Христа въ странствую-щемъ, въ болящемъ, въ нищемъ и пришельцѣ, понеже рече-но: «Былъ есмь странникъ, и пріяхосте Мя».

     Слишкомъ часто нынѣшняя политическая жизнь становит-ся позорищемъ гнѣва, идеже побѣда цѣнится болѣе, нежели мудрость, и жестокость почитается силою. Церковь не должна подражати сему духу, и вѣрніи да не увлекаются таковыми нравами. Еще паче — да не почитаютъ сіе истиннымъ путемъ христіанскимъ. Мы не должны быти капелланами какова-либо земнаго царства, но совѣстью всякаго.

     Призваніе наше — стояти тамъ, идеже иные боятся стояти: между врагами, среди страждущихъ, въ мразѣ бурь мірскихъ. Мы не глаголемъ языкомъ партійнымъ — ни либеральныхъ, ни консервативныхъ, ни десныхъ, ни лѣвыхъ, — но яко христіане: Апостольскіе, Православные, Соборные. Мы долж-ны любити Истину болѣе, нежели тщетную побѣду мірскую, милость — болѣе, нежели покой, и Бога — болѣе, нежели су-етныя царства земныя.

     Церковь существовала прежде всякаго царства, имперіи или республики и пребудетъ, когда всѣ они прейдутъ. Многіе властители во времена различныя клялись истребити Цер-ковь на земли, и вотъ — мы стоимъ нынѣ. Мы пережили ихъ всѣхъ и пребудемъ впредь. Церковь не можетъ быть разру-шена, и даже когда видится, яко она стоитъ на краю бездны, Христосъ и Святая Его Церковь восторжествуютъ. Сего ради да живемъ яко граждане Небеснаго Царства — вѣрніи, мило-стивіи и безстрашніи. И да молимся о просвѣщеніи всѣхъ вла-стителей мірскихъ и всѣхъ человѣковъ ко Святѣй Вѣрѣ Хри-стовой.

Statement by the United Roman-Ruthenian Church to the United Nations for the 2025 High-level Segment

By M. Derosiers

NEW YORK, 19 July 2025 (NRom)

In a compelling statement to the United Nations’ 2025 High-level Segment, the Holy Apostolic See of the United Roman‑Ruthenian Church (URRC) has called for a stronger role for faith-based and cultural institutions in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The statement, formally received by the UN Secretary-General, underscores the need for sustainable and inclusive progress that is both scientifically grounded and ethically informed.

Themed around “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda,” this year’s high-level segment marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations—a milestone that the URRC used as an opportunity to advocate for the integration of traditional values, ethical governance, and spiritual heritage into global development strategies.

A Call for Moral and Cultural Integration

The statement from the Holy Apostolic See emphasizes that technical innovation alone is insufficient to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). According to the Church, long-term success demands a renewed commitment to dignity, tradition, and moral responsibility.

“As a transnational Orthodox ecclesiastical body with deep historical roots in Eastern and Western Christian traditions,” the Holy Apostolic See stated, “we are guardians of faith and liturgy and active participants in human development, peacebuilding, and ethical governance.”

Key Proposals Highlighted in the Statement

The Church outlined several areas where it believes faith-based communities, particularly those like the URRC with strong grassroots networks, can contribute meaningfully:

• Integration of Faith Communities in SDG Implementation: URRC urged greater inclusion of religious institutions in education, healthcare, and moral development, noting their trusted presence at the local level.
• Education Reform Rooted in Ethics: The Church advocates for systems that cultivate not only intellectual excellence but also virtues such as compassion, responsibility, and service to others.
• Preservation of Intangible Cultural Heritage: The statement stressed that the survival of traditions such as language, liturgy, and music is crucial for community resilience and identity.
• Intergenerational Programs: Emphasizing that both the elderly and the youth are vital to a healthy society, the URRC promoted dialogue and mentorship as tools to strengthen social cohesion.
• Faith-Based Environmental Stewardship: Drawing from doctrinal principles, the Church called for development strategies that respect and integrate spiritual approaches to environmental ethics.

Spiritual Traditions as Pillars of Sustainability

In its conclusion, the Holy Apostolic See framed traditional communities not as relics of the past, but as catalysts for renewal in a fragmented world. “As we approach the milestone of 2030,” the statement reads, “may our shared commitment to truth, compassion, and justice guide us toward a future where no one is left behind.”

This submission marks one of the most robust interventions by a religious body during this year’s segment, reinforcing the growing recognition that sustainable development must be multidimensional, addressing not only the material but also the cultural and moral foundations of society.

____________________

Full Text of the URRC Statement

Full Text of the Statement by the United Roman‑Ruthenian Church to the United Nations for the 2025 High‑level Segment: Received by the Secretary‑General

Objective and Purpose:

This statement by the Holy Apostolic See of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church and its Pontifical Nunciature to the UN contributes to the 2025 ECOSOC High-Level Segment by emphasising the essential role of cultural, spiritual, and ethical traditions in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Drawing from its historic ecclesiastical identity and international presence, the Church offers proposals that support authentically inclusive and sustainable solutions rooted in human dignity, moral responsibility, and the preservation of traditional societies.

Statement

As the United Nations marks 80 years of multilateral progress, the United Roman‑Ruthenian Church affirms its support for authentic sustainable development grounded in dignity, tradition, and ethical responsibility. We believe that achieving the 2030 Agenda requires not only innovation and science but a reaffirmation of enduring spiritual and cultural values.

As a transnational Orthodox ecclesiastical body with deep historical roots in Eastern and Western Christian traditions, the URRC represents a unique ethno‑religious community that spans continents. We are guardians of faith and liturgy and active participants in human development, peacebuilding, and ethical governance.

Key Contributions and Proposals:

Faith‑based communities are often among the most stable and trusted institutions at the grassroots level. The URRC encourages the international community to better integrate such communities into SDG implementation, particularly in education, healthcare, and moral formation.

We advocate for educational systems that nurture intellectual growth and also emphasise ethical responsibility, compassion, and service to others.

The SDGs cannot succeed without preserving intangible cultural heritage. Language, liturgy, traditional music, and spiritual practices must be safeguarded as heritage and living resources for community resilience and development.

A society that forgets its elders or disregards its youth undermines itself. The URRC promotes initiatives that bring generations together in dialogue, mentorship, and community building. This strengthens identity and ensures that no one is left behind.

The URRC embraces the doctrinal principle of stewardship of creation. We support partnerships that incorporate faith‑based environmental ethics into sustainable development.

In a time of great uncertainty and social fragmentation, traditional communities can be powerful catalysts for renewal. The United Roman‑Ruthenian Church calls upon global partners to recognise the indispensable role of cultural and spiritual heritage in achieving a just, sustainable, and authentically inclusive world. As we approach the milestone of 2030, may our shared commitment to truth, compassion, and justice guide us toward a future where no one is left behind.

A Humble Worker in the Vineyard of Our Lord – in the Church and in the World

Prince-Bishop Radislav (Rutherford) I of
Rome-Ruthenia addresses the campus at
the University of Minnesota Crookston.

M. Derosiers

ROME-RUTHENIA 10 May 2025 (NRom)

In a modest lecture hall at the University of Minnesota Crookston, students convened for lessons in business and behavioral science. Yet, unbeknownst to many, a man with soft eyes and crisp delivery, their professor held a distinguished role beyond academia: Supreme Pontiff of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church.

H.A.H. Prince-Bishop Radislav I of Rome-Ruthenia, Roman-Ruthenian Pope, also known in academia as Prof. Rutherford Johnson, taught courses in economics, finance, statistics, and sustainability at the University of Minnesota Crookston for almost a decade. Affectionately known by many students and colleagues as "Dr. Rutherford," he was well-respected for his dedication to students and helpful nature. Indeed, he always saw teaching as part of his mission of service to others. And now he continues his educational mission in online classrooms around the world where he can reach countless people who would not otherwise be able to study and improve their lives. It is a life-changing mission that he carries out in addition to the responsibilities of running a world-wide Orthodox and Old Catholic church of ancient origins.

The Roman-Ruthenian Pope, (Dr. Rutherford, as he was affectionately known),
engages with students at the University of Minnesota Crookston
on questions of economics, culture, and ethics. 

At Minnesota, and now online, he often appeared not in his white habit, but in suit and tie — part of his Church’s own tradition — blending academic rigor with moral insight. Students describe his classes as “rigorous,” “introspective,” and “life-changing.” Yet the syllabus is standard, as you might find at any secular institution: economic principles, market structures, behavioral models, risk assessment, sustainable business practices. It is only when the professor speaks of the 'why' beneath the 'what' that glimpses of the pontiff begin to surface.

His teaching seamlessly integrated discussions on profit with profound inquiries into justice, human dignity, and the purpose of work, prompting students to reflect deeply on the ethical dimensions of economics. It’s never preachy, and indeed students have commented on his remarkable tolerance for others to express their beliefs in class without fear. Yet, his lectures make students think about what they're actually building with their lives.

 The Roman-Ruthenian Pope at University of Minnesota Crookston
commencement, with Douglas A. Huebsch (University Board of Regents),
Dr. Mary Holz-Clause (Chancellor), and Dr. John Hoffman
(Vice Chancellor of UMC, later President of Bemidji State University).

And how did this happen? Always serving with the humility of his office, he applied like any other scholar. He holds a PhD in Applied (Agricultural) Economics (with a behavioral science focus) from the University of Kentucky, an M.S. in Economics and a B.S. with Honors in Applied Physics from Georgia Institute of Technology, and an A.L.M. in Sustainability from Harvard University Extension School. He even had graduate medical studies that formed part of the foundation for his later behavioral science track in economics. And through his time in academia, he was made a Fellow of the famed Royal Geographical Society in London, a Fellow of the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment, and received the ACBSP's Teaching Excellence Award. All, however, not for his own glory, but that of God.

Prince-Bishop Radislav in the habit of his
office of service to others, continuing a mission
of spiritual leadership rooted in Apostolic tradition..

For the Prince-Bishop himself, the move to teach as a clergyman was driven by necessity and conviction. “It is the duty of the shepherd,” he said, “to be among the sheep — not only in their moments of prayer, but in their studies, struggles, and questions about the world.”

While some may view the combination of ecclesiastical leadership and academic instruction as unconventional in modern secular universities, others see it as a revival of the historical tradition where clergy were integral to scholarly pursuits. One could even say it is a return to apostolic simplicity. Of course, clergy in the halls of academia is not strange, for the Church established the university system as we know it, and clerics on campus once was a common sight. Even Harvard started as a training ground for protestant clergy.

Prince-Bishop Radislav with Hon. Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture
of the United States at a special event on campus at the
University of Minnesota Crookston highlighting the pontiff's
continued service in global policy, education, and sustainability.

And in the United Roman-Ruthenian Church, they follow the ancient model of the apostles. Rather than necessarily living in a specified location, bishops go where they are called by mission. This applies to the Prince-Bishop as well. And, the presence of the Roman-Ruthenian Pope in academia evokes the image of St. Paul engaging with scholars in Athens, bridging faith and reason to illuminate eternal truths in contemporary settings.

Though he never hides his office, he rarely mentions it during class. Yet, students are aware. Some have followed him outside of class into deeper reflection; others are simply impressed by his intellectual clarity and moral steadiness. As the pontiff himself says, “Even in red shoes, the Gospel compels us to kneel beside the brokenhearted.” For his students, he remains a mentor. For the faithful he shepherds around the world, a pontiff. And for all, a living reminder that faith and reason are never truly separate.

Further Reading: 

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church

The Unique Roman-Ruthenian Papal Title & Ecclesiastical Succession

Church History Timeline

Church History

Canonical Status of the URRC

What does a Christian Economy look like? New Encyclical points the way.

The following encyclical on the timeless principles of a Christian economy in the world was promulgated by H.A.H. Prince-Bishop Rutherford (Radislav) I of Rome-Ruthenia

 

RADISLAV PP. I

Encyclical: Toward a Christian Economy

4 May 2025

“And they had all things in common... and no one said that any of the things he possessed was his own.” — Acts 4:32

“Give me neither poverty nor riches… lest I be full and deny Thee.” — Proverbs 30:8-9

1. Toward a Christian Economy: The Orthodox Principle of Just Stewardship

The United Roman-Ruthenian Church affirms that the economy is not merely a mechanism of production and consumption, but a field of moral action and spiritual consequence. Economic structures, like all social arrangements, must be judged by whether they uphold the dignity of the human person, serve the common good, and reflect the justice and mercy of God.

The Church rejects both the materialist individualism of unrestrained consumer capitalism and the dehumanizing collectivism of state technocracies, socialism, and communism. These two categories of systems, though in ideological opposition, share a common root in secularism and a disordered view of the human person — either as a mere producer and consumer, or as a cog in an impersonal bureaucratic machine.

2. The Orthodox of Distributism: A Path of Shared Stewardship

Following the wisdom of the Holy Fathers, Orthodox and Catholic practice, and the witness of the early Christian community, we advocate for an Orthodox Distributist Model — an economy in which the means of production (e.g., land, tools, crafts, small businesses) are widely and justly distributed, not concentrated in the hands of the few (whether oligarchs or state planners). This vision:

· Affirms private property as a natural good, when exercised with responsibility and service to others;

· Encourages family and local enterprise, agrarian and artisanal production, and cooperatives;

· Condemns exploitative debt, usury, and monopolistic control, which enslave persons and communities;

· Calls for subsidiarity, wherein decisions and resources remain at the most local and humane level possible;

· Exalts labor, not as a commodity, but as a sacred participation in God’s creative work;

· Demands just wages, not merely for survival, but for a life of dignity and spiritual flourishing;

· Upholds hospitality and almsgiving, not as charity alone, but as justice owed to the poor and stranger.

     This model does not idolize the market nor submit to central planning, but seeks an integrated economy of persons and communities, grounded in the ecclesial vision of communion and stewardship. It recognizes legitimate roles for markets and for governance — so long as both are accountable to moral truth and oriented toward human and spiritual good.

3. On Trade and the Bonds of Neighborly Exchange

Orthodox Old Catholic economic teaching, rooted in the commandment to love one’s neighbor, affirms that international trade is not merely economic but moral. It is a form of extended community between peoples, for we are all joined in Christ, even across ever-fluid political borders.

Healthy trade builds mutual respect, peace, and interdependence rightly ordered. While the Church recognizes that modest tariffs and trade policies may serve as tools of negotiation or protection in rare and specific circumstances, they must never become instruments of vengeance, isolation, nativism, or nationalistic pride. Blanket or erratic tariff regimes harm both producers and consumers, distort the natural bonds of mutual provision, and often punish the poor. Rather than economic warfare, we advocate for ethical and cooperative trade, fair pricing, and solidarity with nations striving to develop their own local economies in dignity and peace. As St. John Chrysostom teaches, “The rich exist for the sake of the poor, and the poor for the salvation of the rich.” So, therefore, must nations relate to one another with humility and justice.

4. Against the Polarization of Economic Discourse

Orthodox Old Catholic social witness calls us away from the false idols of political extremism, whether from the populist right or the technocratic left. The economic life of a nation must not become a battleground for ideological absolutism, but a field of discernment, stewardship, and charity. When political factions weaponize the economy, reducing complex human realities to slogans, tariffs, or central planning, they obscure the deeper truths of justice, community, and personal dignity. The Orthodox vision, grounded in the Incarnation and the life of the Church, calls for economic discourse rooted not in party allegiance, but in the Gospel’s demand for mercy, truth, and the well-being of all, especially the poor and the vulnerable.

5. A Moral Alternative for a Fractured World

In the face of increasing global inequality, ecological degradation, and spiritual alienation, we call upon the Christian faithful around the world, and upon parishes and institutions to:

· Support and invest in local economies, especially Orthodox farmers, tradespeople, and artisans;

· Develop credit unions and cooperative ventures grounded in Christian ethics;

· Advocate for policies that decentralize economic power and property, protect workers, and restore appropriate rest;

· Resist both the idolatry of wealth and the false salvation of state technocracy and socialism.

Our Lord taught us not to store up treasures on earth, but to seek first the Kingdom of God. Yet it is precisely in our daily economic choices — how we work, trade, save, and share — that this Kingdom begins to be made manifest.

Indeed, in Christian tradition, the Righteous Joseph the Betrothed is honored as the humble guardian of the Bogomater and the earthly protector of our Lord Jesus Christ. As a carpenter by trade, he exemplifies the sanctification of daily labor when offered in faith and obedience to God. His life reminds us that honest work, however simple or hidden, can become a means of grace and service when carried out in love, humility, and devotion. Through St. Joseph’s quiet diligence and unwavering care, he fulfilled his vocation with integrity, embodying the dignity of human labor in harmony with God’s providence. Thus Christians may rightly look to the Righteous Joseph as a patron and intercessor for all who work with their hands, provide for their families, and seek to live faithfully in the midst of their vocations.

May Saint Joseph the Righteous, the Holy Wonderworkers and Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian, and Saint Basil the Great intercede for us, that we may build an economy not of greed or control, but of mercy, order, and truth.

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