Beasts in Cassocks: The Crimes of the Heads of the Russian Greek Catholic Orthodox Church in America/Chapter 35
CHAPTER XXXV.
I Bring Suit
I brought the passport to the Consistory, where I was received by Boris Bakhmetyev, General Semionov, Metropolitan Platon, and Archbishop Alexander. Alexander looked at the document, burst out laughing like a maniac, and suggested that I go to Canada. Didn't you send me for a passport so that I could join Wrangel's Forces? Here, I have secured a passport."—"Oh, I see… and I had forgotten all about it. That’s fine. Let me see it." I showed it to him. "Very well, call on Sunday, that is, to-morrow. I will see you after services and on my way from the altar you will fall on your knees and ask my forgiveness."—"Forgiveness? For what?" I asked. "Well, that's what's required. If you wish to set everything right, do as I tell you."
On Sunday, after liturgy, I came to the Consistory and saw Alexander Nemolovsky returning from church. In the room where I met him and where he expected that I would fall on my knees before him, there were gathered a few priests, friends of Metropolitan Platon and Alexander. All were on the look-out for what was about to take place. This whole thing struck me as rather queer. I approached him, and having asked for his blessing, I told Archbishop Alexander that the genuflexion affair impressed me as a sort of conspiracy. I stated that I had no intentions of making a fool of myself in the presence of his friends. "All right," said the Bishop, "let's go up to the Metropolitan." In the Metropolitan's apartment we found General Semionov and Metropolitan Platon. Ambassador Bakhmetyev was not there.
"Metropolitan," Alexander turned to Platon, "Dudikoff has received a passport from the Consulate and is awaiting the decision of General Semionov and yourself regarding his trip to Jugoslavia."—"I'll tell you what, Dudikoff," replied Metropolitan Platon turning to me, "If you want to get a good position you'd better leave at once. We will give you traveling expenses for your wife and yourself. We insist that she go with you."—"But, please, your Eminence, how
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Author's passport from Jugoslavia.
about my money?" I asked. To this Metropolitan replied: "We can do no more!" I railed at all of them, including General Semionov and left, although they tried to recall me. I then went to a lawyer and told him the whole story.
When I read through this "confession" I was completely at sea. Father Richlov noticing my hesitation remarked: "If you don't sign this before a notary, not only will you lose your money, but we will arrest you and deport you to Russia, and leave your wife here as a hostage, or else. . ." Here Richlov took a card from his pocket, and showing it under my very nose, added threateningly: "If you don't want to meet these, do as you are told." On the card I saw the following symbols: A skull, a revolver and, between them, a bomb. I stared at Father Richloy. After all I had gone through, his threats held no terror for me, and I decided to shew the paper, before I signed it, to those who could become witnesses of the clergy's misdeeds. Father Richlov, seeing that his threats did not sway me and that I still hesitated, changed his tactics. Now, almost in tears, he blamed his outburst on his shattered nerves, and apologized to me. He next fell on his knees before the image of the Saviour, thrice made the sign of the cross, and swore that he would not give the confession to anybody and particularly to "these robbers", as he called the Bishops, until he was handed the money. He also vowed that he would guard me from harm, and if Metropolitan Platon and Alexander and their whole clique refused to return my money, he, Richlov, would testify in Court in my favor and not only would he demand that the money I deposited in the Mission Bank—$7,800 plus interest be refunded, but that the culprits be put in jail.