The Orthodox Church believes that to change the text of Pushkin’s tale about priest don’t need
MOSCOW, 15 Nov — RIA Novosti. In Pushkin’s “the Tale of the priest and of his workman Balda” should not be censorship of corrections, said Tuesday the Chairman of the Publishing Council of the Russian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Kliment of Kaluga and Borovsk, at a press conference in MIA “Russia today”.
Written in 1831, the tale was not published during Pushkin’s life. It was first printed by Vasily Zhukovsky in 1840 with revisions that allowed to pass the censorship: for example, pop was replaced by the merchant Kuzma Mutt. For the first time the author’s version came out only after 40 years, but in the future often the text was published with the edit of Zhukovsky. In particular in November, the media reported the publication of “the tale of the merchant Kuzma Escalope” in the Kuban.
“It’s a classic, how to change it. Edit Pushkin I do not take” — he said, commenting to RIA Novosti the initiative of some priests for the publication of the modified text of Pushkin’s fairy tales.
Such initiatives Metropolitan, however, reacted with understanding.
“People care about the image of the Church, and someone is really tempted,” said the head of the Publishing Council. Noting that the poet was probably the reason to write such a story, the Metropolitan stressed that Pushkin “it is UN-Christian”, especially since the tale is “not a historical work.”
“Pushkin should definitely read, because it’s the standard Russian language. He was a religious man, he knew the Holy Scriptures”, — said the Metropolitan of Rome.
“In some years he led the life of a typical young man, but he from faith in God never deny, this is very important,” — said the head of the Publishing Council of the ROC.
It is advised to check the correspondence of Pushkin and Metropolitan Philaret, which can explain some aspects of the biography of the poet. Also, in his opinion, should read the gospel, because it is “not only the Foundation of Christianity, but the basis of Russian culture”.