RUSSIA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLIV, Issue XLIV, 4 June 1924, Page 5

RUSSIA.

PROSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS

DEVOTION TO TIKHON

BY CABLE—PEESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT

LONDON. June 3. The Riga correspondent of the Daily "Telegraph narrates a dramatic step by the Russian Church in order to make the Bolshevik persecutions of Christians known throughout the world. Archbishop Nikolia arrived at .Riga en route to America to take the chair of Si^a- Francisco episcopacy. No sooner was he outside Red territory than he threw off the mask and renounced the Bolshevik synod. H© attested to the devotion to the patriarch Tikhon.

Archbishop Nikolai in a stattejnont ■said no clergy were allowed to leave Russia ■uncammis'sionea by the synod. If Tikhon attempted to send delegates abroad they would immediately be- flung into prison. The majority of tl» con.gregations and the arch.bisb.oips and ■clergy are followers of Tikhon, whose position is most sad. He is -allowed only las existence. Free gpeech in Russia regarding" tbe cnureh is choked ty the stone vaults of prison.