Event: on Saturday, October 13, priest Alexander Shramko published in his Facebook a clearly provocative post in which he expressed the opinion that Patriarch Kirill showed “demonstrative contempt” for the Orthodox Belarus, he hasn’t communicated with them at the Cathedral of the Descent of the Holy Spirit in Minsk. “Why don’t give them minimal live contact? Why do you need to drive a car to the very gates of the cathedral and, coming out of it, don’t even turn around? Is it really so difficult to go at least 100 or 50 meters and walk a few dozen steps, welcoming and blessing the people? Does he say a few warm words, shake hands with someone? ”Asked Shramko. Post he accompanied provocative photos from the temple. According to him, people in cassocks with headphones are also the FSO (the Federal Protective Service) officers. In his opinion, there were no believers in the temple at all, only the protection of the Patriarch.

The reaction of the ROC was predictable. The priest received an oral ban on holding the ministry: “We were expecting the Patriarch in the morning, they called me and said that I could not already serve, that there was a ban. Details, they say, will be on Tuesday. So I wait. And there may be the most different: the topics are different, and the conditions. ”

Subsequently, he published on his Facebook page an official paper about his removal from the service. This is what the organizers of the provocation sought. This news was massively picked up and replicated by all pro-Western media media, bloggers, social networks. The time for the provocation was chosen perfectly: the height of the Orthodox scandal with Constantinople is the time when any religious provocation is hype.

Objective: To organize an information provocation about the actions of the Russian Orthodox Church in Belarus to advance the Overton window technology on the autocephaly of the Belarusian church. To accuse the Patriarch of disrespect for ordinary believers, to discredit the work of the church in Belarus. To provoke a retaliatory action by the entourage of the Patriarch and church officials on a provocative statement.

Direction: religion

Tools: priest of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Method: provocation, statement in the social networking sites.

Media coverage:

https://www.bbc.com/russian/news-45876364

https://gazetaby.com/cont/art.php?sn_nid=143395

https://lenta.ru/news/2018/10/15/sl/

The reaction of society: this news was massively picked up and replicated by all pro-Western media, bloggers, social networks, not only in Belarus, but also outside its borders. Mostly mass approval was expressed by pro-European citizens of the Republic of Belarus and neighboring countries. In continuation, the Overton window technology is being promoted, the question has shifted from the third window (acceptable) – an interview with Viktor Yushchenko on the state television channel Belarus 1 in which he stated that it is good to have an independent church. The release of this interview on the main Belarusian media on the day of Alexander Shramko’s post isn’t accidental. This confirms the “hidden” unity of the whole campaign.

For more than two weeks in the community discussed this news, and subsequently published hundreds of articles criticizing the ROC, in the “independent” media.

The very next day after the removal of this priest in defense of this priest, they registered a petition and began a massive collection of signatures, which once again confirms the planning of the company.

International resonance: Western media published news referring to “comments” in social networking sites, allegedly the public supported the priest and spoke negatively towards the Russian Orthodox Church. For this petition in support of the priest massively voted on various platforms.

What they have achieved: the discrediting of the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church and Russia in the Belarusian society. They created a reason and a reason for putting into mass discussion the idea of their own “independent church.” They make a “sacrifice” of the Russian world and a fighter for the “Belarusian independent church” from the image of an aloof priest. The partial transition of the Overton window system to the next step, “Reasonably”, began. This thought will be gradually inculcated in the Belarusian society with the help of the media, bloggers, experts, and social networking sites.

If you drive into the search engines: “Alexander Shramko,” then the first 5! Results pages are critical articles about the Russian Orthodox Church. Thus, this provocation has reached its goal.

Company plan:

1. provocative post – promotion in the media
2. interview with Viktor Yushchenko – promotion in the media
3. verbal interdiction – to catch a hype for the first time
4. written interdiction (paper) – TOP news
5. petition in defense – maintaining of the topic
6. articles in defense suppressed the topic – the result.

With the next provocation, Shramko’s sacrifice will already be taken as a fact.

The correct reaction:

1) it wasn’t the ROC that should have responded to his post, but the right-wing passionary society — activists and simple believers. The arguments are as follows: headphones have long been used by priests during services to synchronize actions, so about security – slander; car provided by the President of the Republic of Belarus as a sign of respect; about the fact that the Patriarch got out of the car at the church and did not greet the believers – slander.

For example, show the Patriarch of Rome

2) in no case don’t officially remove Shramko – simply don’t allow him to attend the following events with the participation of the Patriarch under the guise of any order given to him elsewhere.

3) After a certain time, transfer him to serve the periphery, forget about it. If he has a parish, work out the option of public condemnation by his parishioners of his parish.

4) To release a series of condemning the actions of the priest in such a difficult moment.

5) To issue a series of comments and articles critical to other hierarchs.

Such a reaction would allow to shift the emphasis from criticism of the Patriarch to comparison with other hierarchs, as well as discredit the attempt of this provocation.