PRESS RELEASE: International Orthodox Christian Charities 12 August 1998 SECOND IOCC AID WORKER RELEASED FROM CHECHNYA (Baltimore) Nearly eleven months after his abduction by armed bandits International Orthodox Christian Charities' (IOCC) member DIMITRI PETROV has been released by Chechen captors. Elated and exhausted, the 34-year-old Petrov was reunited with his wife in the city of Vladikavkaz (in the south of the Russian Federation) on 11 August. Petrov who is eager to return to his home in Moscow, is receiving immediate medical attention in Vladikavkaz. The horrific conditions under which he was held have clearly taken their toll. In a telephone interview Petrov indicated that he felt he had suffered a heart attack sometime in June. There is also concern that he is suffering from tuberculosis. DMITRI PENKOWSKY and his family joined Petrov's wife, YELENA, in her joy. Penkowsky was also taken hostage in the ambush of the vehicle in which he and Petrov had been delivering aid supplies to the village of Aki-Yurt in Ingushetia on 20 September 1997. Penkowsky, who was released on 4 March 1998, had foregone treatment of various ailments out of solidarity with Petrov. 'We are joyful and relieved at the release of Dimitri Petrov,' remarked FR LEONID KISHKOVSKY, an IOCC Board Member and the head of its Crisis Management Team. 'We will continue to pray for Dimitri Petrov, Dmitri Penkowsky and their families as they begin to heal from their agonizing ordeal.' 'The hostages and their families are dealing with trauma, with serious medical problems, and with a host of survival questions and financial burdens as a direct result of their ordeal of nearly eleven months,' Fr Kishkovsky added. 'We will continue strong efforts to assist them in the months ahead. We will depend in this on the generosity and help of Orthodox parishes and Orthodox Christians in the U.S. and Canada.' Throughout their long captivity, IOCC adhered to the principle of non-payment of ransom. Petrov's release came following intense efforts made by his wife with the assistance of Dmitri Penkowsky. Petrov and Penkowsky were delivering emergency relief supplies to refugees of the conflict in Chechnya on behalf of Action by Churches Together (ACT) when they were abducted. With the freeing on 25 July of two Hungarians who had been working for IOCC sister agency Hungarian Interchurch Aid, Petrov's release marks the return of all personnel who had been implementing the emergency programme coordinated by ACT. (END) ANTI-CHINESE DEMONSTRATION IN LHASA PRISON: 7 SHOT DEAD AND 60 INJURED According to a 30 June news report from the Tibetan exile government in India, a peaceful demonstration for Tibetan independence in a Lhasa prison in May ended in the death of six prisoners (five nuns and one monk) with 60 severely injured. After the incident the prison authorities threatened the 520 prisoners with death penalties if they revealed this to outsiders. An unverified report states that another demonstration followed after the death and injury of these prisoners during which 15 people suffered severe injuries. The May demonstration was triggered by a guard shooting a prisoner called DHAWA who had hurled a booklet with the slogan 'Love Live Tibet' during the ceremony of hoisting the Chinese red flag. (END) CHINA GOVERNMENT CLAIMS CHINESE CITIZENS ENJOY FULL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM On 27 June 1997 'The People's Daily', the Chinese Communist Party newspaper, reported that: YE XIAOWEN, director of the Religious Affairs Bureau under the State Council, had spoken about religious freedom in China at a press conference for both Chinese and foreign journalists. Ye claimed that Chinese citizens enjoyed full and complete religious freedom. He illustrated this by giving the following statistics: the total number of believers of the five state-recognised religions (Buddhism, Daoism, Islam, Protestantism and Catholicism) was 100 million people. The number of venues for religious activities was 85,000, with a religious personnel of 300,000. There were 3,000 religious bodies and 74 colleges for training religious personnel. In China religious believers, he continued, were allowed to carry out their normal religious activities in temples, mosques, churches, and homes according to their respective religious doctrines and practices. The Chinese government wanted to rule the country by law and make China a legal socialist country, he said. However, the Chinese judicial organs would resolutely punish according to the law all unlawful criminal activities carried out in the name of religion so as to protect Chinese citizens' freedom of religion and safeguard the dignity of the law. (END) Wednesday 16 September ORTHODOX AUTOCEPHALOUS CHURCH OF ALBANIA SLOWLY REBUILDS The following report on Albania is in three sections: a press release from the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania (OACA) about the explosion in their cathedral in Shkodra; a report from the Albanian Telegraphic Agency elaborating on the events in Shkodra; and lastly a report on the OACA's activities since 1992. Keston Institute received the following press release on 20 August 1998. OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania The Press Office of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania Wednesday 19 August In Shkodra, at approximately 3.00 am in the morning on Wednesday 19 August, unknown persons placed an explosive device in the Orthodox Cathedral of the city. The explosion completely destroyed the altar and the eastern part of the Orthodox Church. The Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania is shocked and greatly concerned about this unprecedented, unbelievable and sacrilegious attack on a place of worship where peace and reconciliation are preached. Nevertheless, the Orthodox faithful are determined to continue walking in the way of social understanding and sincere love. ******************************************** The following day Albanian Telegraphic Agency (ATA) reported from Shkodra that the religious communities in Shkodra were that day releasing a joint statement condemning the explosion; they considered this act 'deliberate, which aims to damage the harmony and peaceful cohabitation among religious'. FR ALEKSANDER PETANI, the Orthodox priest in Shkodra, reiterated to ATA his church's statement: 'Despite aims of those who placed the explosive, the Orthodox will follow the road of understanding and sincere will that has always characterised the relations among the three religions in our city'. Workers began repairing the damage on 20 August with a view to recommencing religious services within two or three days, and construction of a new church on the same site is expected to begin soon. ********************************************* This desecration follows soon after the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania (OACA) celebrated the sixth year anniversary of its\ restoration. We quote below extracts from reports from the past year which serve to give an overview of the OACA's work since 1992. The reports are from FR LUKE VERONIS, an Orthodox priest from the United States serving in Albania. Orthodox throughout Albania came to the Annunciation Cathedral in Tirana on 2 August to celebrate the sixth anniversary of the official restoration of the Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania. Six years ago HIS BEATITUDE, ARCHBISHOP ANASTASIOS, was officially enthroned in the Cathedral of Tirana as Archbishop of Tirana, Durres and All Albania. On 2 August another historical event occurred - the first Divine Liturgy concelebrated by all the members of the Holy Synod of Albania. Concelebrating together with His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios were HIS EMINENCE IGNATIOS OF BERAT, HIS EMINENCE JOHN OF KORCA, and HIS GRACE KOSMA OF APOLLONIA. (Only after several years of negotiations among representatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Church of Albania and the Albanian authorities was the Holy Synod formed on 18 July 1998.) The sixth anniversary presented an opportunity to consider again the progress of the Church in the different areas of worship, catechism, education, publishing, construction and social outreach. Despite various crises which engulfed the country, and the chaos and struggles which ensued, the church grew. The archbishop continued to ordain graduates from the Resurrection of Christ Theological School, raising the number of new priests and deacons to more than 100. As part of their training this summer, seminarian students visited 11 villages for one month daily offering catechism lessons, teaching songs and playing games with more than 450 children and young people. The goal was to offer an Orthodox witness in villages lacking a strong catechism programme and to prepare people for baptism. In August several of the groups planned to return to offer follow-up lessons and brotherly encouragement to the more than 190 children and young people who were baptised at the end of the initial month. Construction projects proceeded at an noteworthy rate these past six years: - The two million dollar theological school complex at St Vlash - construction or restoration of the ancient monasteries of St Vlash, Ardenica, St Kosma, and Svernec - 70 new churches from their foundations - 65 reconstructed or restored churches - more than 100 refurbished churches - 15 new chapels - new metropolitan centres in Tirana, Gjirokaster, Korca, and Berat - kindergartens in Tirana, Durres, Kavaja, Korca, Lushnje - three medical clinics, with the new Annunciation Diagnostic Medical Centre in Tirana to be opened later this year - a Church workshop in Tirana, housing a new candle factory, wood factory, printing house, icon and restoration studio - and many other projects This September the Holy Cross Ecclesiastical College (for high school boys) will open in Gjirokaster. This past year also saw the opening of the Church Radio station 'Ngjallja' (Resurrection).The news and religious programme from 14.30 - 17.30 daily includes general local, national and international news, as well as particular church related events, Bible readings, readings from the Lives of the Saints, sayings of the Church Fathers, reading of the Bible for children, dramas and fairy tales for children, a weekly sermon on the Sunday gospel and interviews with different personalities and workers of the Church. Future plans include broadcasting a programme twelve hours a day throughout Albania. Youth movements in numerous cities and villages continued to grow. A student conference held in Durres on 15-17 May attracted 113 university students. Conducted by the Orthodox Student Organisation 'Sons of Light', the theme of the conference was 'Our Relationships with God, the World, our Families, and our future Spouses'. The main presenters were theologians and speakers from Albania, Greece, Kenya and the United States. Most of the participating students are active members of the Orthodox fellowship in their university. Weekly fellowship activities include a Tuesday night spiritual discussion and an early morning Divine Liturgy on Thursdays. The first national youth music festival was a success, as well as a summer camping programme with more than 350 participants. Each camp included a programme of daily worship services, Bible study, spiritual discussion, sporting competition and Christian fellowship. Two of the camps included an outreach programme to an old age home and an orphanage. Church kindergartens continued to expand, and new plans are being contemplated for a Church orphanage. In general, many are coming forward for catechism and baptism, including people from non-Orthodox backgrounds or families. In the area of social welfare, the Church continued to reach out to needy people through its Diaconia Agape ministry. Over the past years, thousands of tons of emergency aid, food, clothing and medical supplies have been delivered through the Church to thousands of people irrespective of their religious persuasion. A mobile dental clinic began functioning, travelling to various villages and offering free dental care. Countless individuals and organisations, known and unknown, outside Albania have offered generous donations, for which the Church is grateful. Church medical clinics in Tirana, Korca, and Kavaja are functioning, with plans for others to open soon in Lushnje and Gjirokaster. Rural developmental programmes involving agriculture, water supply, and guidance in health and domestic management have been implemented. Groups of Orthodox women in various parishes are developing their own particular activities in the field of human welfare. The Orthodox women of Korca visit families in desperate need weekly, serve 100 needy people lunch every Monday and Thursday at the Orthodox Cathedral and continue to participate in all night prayer vigils as the core of them did in secret under communism. Step by step, by catechism, through youth movements and women groups, in icon studios, dental clinics and seminaries and in the churches themselves, the Orthodox Church is being rebuilt, church by church, believer by believer. (END)