A Refuge for refugees

There is a cathedral in Moscow, Russia, by the name “Cathedral of Christ the Saviour”. It is the main focus in the book The Holy Place. Architecture, Ideology, and History in Russia, by Konstantin Akinsha and Grigorij Kozlov, with Sylvia Hochfield.

          

  The first planning phase and construction of this church illuminates the relationship to Europe, the role and function of Russia in this relationship, and the interpretation of history by the authors. I grew up in the cold war era, and for me Russia was an unknown entity. In effect it did not exist, unless on the large-scale international arena. Then it was the extensive and aggressive Soviet Union, which was always the enemy of all things good, since the politics were countered by the western alliances.

            Décor was not simply aesthetical elements to beautify a room or make a pleasant impression. There was more to it. The sculptures along one of the walls were showing important spiritual decisions: One was depicting the acceptance of the Christian Orthodox faith, another the defeat of the Muslim invasion, a third a victory over the Roman Catholic Poles, and the last a commemoration of the defeat of Napoleon and the ideas of the French revolution – which was clearly interpreted as anti-Christ.

The Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

            I am still reading to book, so I am not going further into the aspects of understanding the effect and essence of the church, but I need to say that the building was demolished during the communist era, but it has been rebuilt in the post-soviet era, in the same fashion as before, with the same architecture - and it has become a symbol of the Russian soul and its resilience and faith in God.

What caught my eye was the initial celebration, commemoration of victories over spiritual and ideological forces. There is one God, and Jesus is the Saviour for anyone in the whole world. There is no other. In all honesty, it was the fact that they fought against the Muslim influence that impressed me. We live in a day and age where we are gagged, and we are not allowed to utter criticism of any other religious spirit. The secularists have agreed that all religions have the same spiritual force as its source, and since they know better than anyone, and particularly better than anyone who lives in their faith, no one has the right to utter any other opinions than theirs.

            I read about Christians that are being persecuted in the Muslim world, about the huge stream of migration from the Arab world into Europe, for they flee the radical Islamists; they flee the mess their leaderships have created. The rescue operations set in motion by the UN are not places for the persecuted Christians, for they are overwhelmingly occupied by migrant Muslims, who dispel and threaten the Christian minority. http://www.wnd.com/2015/09/refugee-crisis-hits-prime-time-but-christians-left-out-in-cold/

Jesus says: love you neighbour as yourself; love your enemy. He urges us to pray for and do good towards people who will hurt us. How do I love my neighbour and my enemy? Perhaps it is by sharing all that is good, all that gives my life the joy and peace and hope for the future: the good news of Jesus Christ. The ignorant secularist may insist that Muslims are delighted in their own spiritual fatalism; but what do they know? I have listened to more and more former Muslims who can testify to the freedom and joy they find in Christ. The key to life is forgiveness, not retaliation. In Christ we are forgiven.

The cathedral Christ the Saviour, although from books, shines also for me; it reflects the power and greatness of God’s forgiveness. I know that Christ is stronger than all Muslim forces, and much stronger than the Allah of the Qur’an. At the same time I know that Christ died for each one of the ones who call themselves Muslim, like he did for me. He loves them and wishes for them also to receive the gift of life.

             No matter what background you come from Jesus is the Refuge for refugees.