Covert Semen
In the heart of Europe, the occupied territories of Ukraine have become a battleground not just for geopolitical power, but also for religious freedom. Over the past few years, numerous sources have reported brutal and ruthless persecution of Christians, with church leaders facing torture, rape, imprisonment, abduction, murder, and disappearance.
This religious suppression can be traced back to the Battle of White Mountain in 1620, which resulted in the Catholic House of Hapsburg repulsing a revolt by Protestant nobles, making Bohemia and Moravia (present-day Czech Republic) firmly under Catholic control. A young teacher named Comenius, a member of the Unitas Fratrum, was affected by the war, losing his wife, child, and written manuscripts.
Comenius, who would later be recognised as the 'father of modern education', found refuge in Poland and eventually in Amsterdam, where he died in 1670. Before his death, he prayed for a 'hidden seed' to preserve in his homeland that would one day bring forth fruit. Fifty years after his death, this 'hidden seed' was answered as refugees from Moravia and Bohemia found their way to Saxony, Germany, and grew into the missionary community of Herrnhut.
Fast forward to the modern era, the missionary community of Herrnhut, established in 1732, sent out missionaries at the start of the modern Protestant missionary movement. Today, the main organizations and individuals supporting oppressed Christian communities in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine include the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO), which represents about 95% of Ukraine's religious communities, numerous Christian churches worldwide (orthodox, catholic, protestant, free churches), and initiatives led by religious leaders such as Jesuit Father Norbert Frejek who runs the "Space of Hope" center in southwest Ukraine.
These groups organize prayers, spiritual support, and humanitarian aid, with backing from figures like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and international ecumenical groups. However, the situation remains dire, with more than 600 religious buildings reported damaged or destroyed since the Russian invasion.
In a concerning development, some western politicians, including Greene and Orban, have openly supported Putin's professed crusade to 'save Christianity'. Putin himself has made propaganda claims that he is protecting Christianity against Satanism and neo-Nazism. In February 2022, he made these claims to justify his 'special operation' against Ukraine.
The United Nations Special Rapporteurs have expressed serious concern about enforced disappearances and torture of clergy in the occupied territories. The prayer for the 'hidden seed' in these territories is a poignant reference to the current situation of religious suppression and persecution.
Meanwhile, an Australian agronomist has shown that even in the face of adversity, there is hope. By pruning, protecting, and caring for hidden roots and seeds, he has successfully reforested 50,000 square kilometres of forest in Africa without planting a single tree. This serves as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, the 'hidden seed' of hope and resilience can still take root and grow.
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