Beasts in Cassocks: The Crimes of the Heads of the Russian Greek Catholic Orthodox Church in America/Chapter 18

by John Feoktist Dudikoff

CHAPTER XVIII.

I Return to Russia.

Immediately after I was set free, I came to the Russian Consistory on East 97th Street, where I found Bishop Alexander Nemolovsky and the Secretary, Father Peter Kokhannik. To my question, "What did you do with me?" Bishop Alexander and Father Kokhannik replied: "Thank God, you are still living and don't worry about anything else—we have not forsaken you and shall not lose sight of your interests." Hartz also came and said apologetically that it was impossible to set me free sooner, and he added: "It was all for the best, because together with you the Mission, the Consulate,

To my question, as to how I could get along without money, and the Embassy would have been betrayed. Good sport—you knew how to keep your promise."

Metropolitan Ewdokim Meszersky, a Striver
for a Clean Russian Church.

When I told Bishop Alexander that I wished to see Archbishop Platon, he was rather frightened and asked, looking straight at me: "Don't you know that Archbishop Platon and Archpresbyter Slunin left for Russia?"

Bishop Alexander put a few dollars into my hand, adding that Archbishop Eudocimus, who was sent by the Holy Synod to take Platon's place was expected in a few days, and that I would get my money in full. I was puzzled and asked what Bishop Eudocimus had to do with my money. Alexander explained: "It makes no difference because your money is on deposit in the Mission Bank, and you have nothing to fear."

After waiting and suffering great privations for eight months, and still no trace of the new Bishop Eudocimus, I again applied to Bishop Alexander. I complained that it seemed an age before Bishop Eudocimus would appear. "Well, then," he retorted, "if you can't wait, go to Russia."

A Company of Robbers.

I was frantic because I was left penniless. I needed some money. I finally made up my mind to wait a short time and then go to Russia. I made known my resolve to Dobroff, who advised me to wait for the new Archbishop: "We are at war with Germany and Austria now. It is not money you must think about but the salvation of your Fatherland. Your money won't be lost. If you can't get it now, you will get twice the amount after the war is over." But in the meantime, how was I to live without money?

I have my first citizenship papers and was unwilling to have them become ineffective. I therefore sought advice from Yuri Bakhmetyev, the Russian Ambassador at Washington. He, in turn, consulted the American authorities. He informed me that my declaration of intention would remain valid if I returned within six months. My petition for an American passport, on the strength of my first papers, was not granted. I then took the certificate issued to me by the Russian Ambassador, and bought passage on the Lusitania, through Johnson's Steamship Agency. I fortunately missed the Lusitania. I say "fortunately" because, as is well known, the Lusitania was sunk on May 8, 1915. Eleven hundred and ninety-eight of her passengers went down. I sailed on th next boat, Frederick the Eighth, of the Scandinavian Line.

A Company of False Collectors.

 

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