Patriotism, Ukrainian Style: Praying In Different Manner, But For The Same Thing

An International Conference on Christian-Muslim Dialogue and the 50-th Anniversary of Nostra Aetate (Latin: “In our Age”, Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council), facilitated by the Center For Interconfessional And Interreligious Dialogue “Libertas”, was held in Lviv on April 9. Muslims were represented by Mufti of RAMU “Umma” Mr.Said Ismagilov, Director of Crimean Centre For Islamic Studies Mr. Aider Bulatov (both of them presented their reports), as well as the Head of the AUASO “Alraid” PR-Department Mr. Oleh Guzik and Head of the Social Organisation “En-Nebras Cultural Centre” Mr. Alan Dakkuri. There both Lviv inhabitants and Crimean Tatars (who found shelter here in the Heart of Galicia after their homeland Crimea had been occupied by Russian troops) were among the audience.

Shaikh said noted that the compatriots finally realised Muslims as an integral part of the Ukrainian Nation — united by the common national idea rather than common ancestors. People who had a stereotyped image of Islam and its followers, started asking questions about the real principles of this religion.

Muslims were active participants of the Maidan and all the interconfessional prayer marathons. Self-organized Library of Maidan had a constant demand for copies of Qur’an, and representatives of the Muslim communities were always got red carpet treatment at public discussions. The second, much more massive, wave of interest to Islam rose during the Crimean Crisis, when the Crimean Tatars appeared to be perhaps the greatest Ukrainian patriots on the peninsula.

Mr. Bulatov analysed interconfessional relations on the peninsula between Muslims and Christians of different denominations (mostly Orthodox).

Dr.Marcel Portheis, Faculty of Theology Professor at Tilburg University (Netherlands) introduced the principles of Nostra Aetate (Latin: In our Age) — Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions of the Second Vatican Council of 1962-1965. Mr. Roman Nazarenko, doctoral student of the same University and our compatriot, hold himself out as a specialist in “Marylogy”: he studies the Virgin Mary’s personality within Islamic tradition. A few Christians know that Mary is mentioned in the Holy Qur’an as the best of the women who ever lived and will live until the Day of Judgement.