«Peace unto All» — Undesirable?

Mir Vsem
Oct 27
10 min read

In September, the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation declared the organization «Mir Vsem (Peace unto All)» undesirable. This project, created by a group of Orthodox priests and laypeople, helps those who spoke out against the war and were forced to leave the country.

Father Valerian Dunin-Barkovsky is one of the co-founders of Peace unto All. In this interview, he talks about how the initiative began, why the state finds help to priests «undesirable,» and what each person can do in these difficult times.

— Work is in full swing on all fronts, Father Valerian Dunin-Barkovsky says with a smile.

He is a priest and one of the founders of Peace unto All. A month ago, the Russian Ministry of Justice declared the organization undesirable.

— I think this is an intermediate stage between systemic sanctions against organizations and future personal sanctions, he says. — They will probably come as well.

— How did Peace unto All begin?

— I will try to tell it in a way that does not repeat what has already been written.

To be honest, the initiator of Peace unto All was Father Nikolai Platonov. He has now settled in France and is doing well. But it was he who inspired us all to take action. Father Nikolai left Russia because of his anti-war position. At first he left on his own, then, when he ran out of money, he returned. After receiving threats, he had to leave again — with the help of humanitarian organizations. At some point, it became clear that activists, journalists, and human rights defenders were being helped, but priests were not. No one was assisting them.

At that time, two things coincided for me. I was still working in a human-rights organization in Russia, helping with humanitarian visas, and at the same time I had become a priest. A woman who was helping refugees contacted me and asked:

— Who helps priests?

I answered:

— No one.

And then I simply started helping them myself — from my own resources.

Later I met Pasha Fakhrtdinov, who had independently come to the same conclusions. When the open letter of anti-war priests appeared, persecution began: Father Ioann Kurmoyarov were arrested. It was clear that this was becoming a mass phenomenon. At the same time, Father Andrei Kordochkin was already monitoring the situation and had long been involved in the topic of priestly resistance. Pasha and I quickly joined him — and that is how everything began.

Priests Valerian Dunin-Barkovsky and Andrey Kordochkin

— Were there people who told you that you «should not get involved»?

— No. Rather, there was a sense of vacuum that we quickly filled. There was no negativity at that time — on the contrary, there was support. I had the blessing of our metropolitan, Bishop Ioann (Reneto). I went to him and proposed that assistance be funded through the archdiocesan fund. He replied that it was a designated fund, currently fully directed toward Ukraine, and advised me to create our own. Establishing a foundation would have required millions, so we registered a non-profit organization instead.

The first support came from donors within the archdiocese: one-time but significant contributions that helped us begin our work and support the first priests. The response was incredible. Within one or two months, we reached the operational scale we have now — about three thousand euros directly and the same amount again in a shared fund, which we later distribute. That is the minimum we need to survive.

— You mentioned that at some point negativity appeared. From whom did it come first?

— Apart from random comments and bots — which, by the way, were few — we long remained almost unnoticed. We were doing important work and managing to raise good funds. Our crowdfunding was entirely grassroots, without intermediaries or outside support. The negativity came later, about a year and a half after we began. Then publications started appearing in pro-Kremlin media, including outlets close to the circle of Aleksandr Shchipkov.

— How much time passed between the first negative publications and the decision to declare the organization undesirable?

— About six months. The first attacks appeared in January; in the spring, Deputy Lantratova submitted a request to the Prosecutor’s Office, and in August the decision was made and officially announced in September.

— What does the term «undesirable organization» mean to you?

— There were wonderful headlines: «Peace unto All» is undesirable.» Even staunchly pro-government outlets like Gazeta.ru wrote about us in those words — an organization that helps anti-war priests is now deemed undesirable.

Our name is indeed special: on the one hand, it reflects the essence of the project; on the other, it is a liturgical phrase that cannot be hidden or replaced. Whatever kind of person you are, if you serve the liturgy, you say: «Peace unto All.»

Our very existence exposes the contradiction of those who try to justify war with «Christian» arguments. To arrive at such justification, one must build a whole ideological structure — and it is extremely artificial. Through Peace unto All, we struck at the core of that construction. And of course it is undesirable, because it reveals its corruption.

What could be «undesirable» about priests who want peace? What could be «undesirable» about peacemaking? In an anti-Christian system where war is presented as a virtue — everything is undesirable.

— Even deputies, it seems, struggled to find words to describe you.

— Yes. When Lantratova spoke in the State Duma, she still had to say: «an organization that helps anti-war priests.» There was simply no other way to describe us. Later she began talking about «recruitment» and «foreign influence,» but that was clearly a stretch.

Recruit whom? People who have been suspended from ministry, living in poverty, hiding and afraid to open their doors? It was absurd. The public reaction to her speech reflected that as shameful and embarrassing. It was almost comical to watch.

— When the state declared your work «undesirable,» what was the first thing you thought of?

— First of all — how to protect those who helped us. The risks for the priests themselves are not that great, but for people who supported the project or donated, they are real.

I will not go into details so as not to endanger anyone, but the first thought is how to keep them safe. We did everything possible for that. This is probably the most painful part of the entire story. People wanted to keep working and were upset when we asked them to step back temporarily. But we could not risk their safety.

— So the blow fell on those who helped you?

— Yes. When someone is labeled «undesirable,» the blow strikes the most vulnerable point. Those who supported the project come under threat, and that can indeed hinder the work.

Our main activities are in Germany and France, where most of the active migration is concentrated. For us, it is not catastrophic but morally difficult. It is painful to ask people not to help when they want to and do so sincerely.

We wanted to show that there are people in Russia who care, who are willing to help and to be in solidarity. Now it seems as if such people do not exist — though they do, they are simply in danger. That is deeply unjust and cruel.

— Why do you think the «undesirable organization» status exists at all?

— Initially it was conceived as a political instrument to limit foreign influence. But in the end, it hit humanitarian and human-rights activities instead.

It is, in a sense, a creeping form of the Soviet mentality: any independent or charitable activity is considered undesirable. Foreign means undesirable. Charity means undesirable. The formula is simple: «We can manage on our own.» Though, obviously, they could not and still cannot. It is the reincarnation of the Soviet system.

— What do you mean by «reincarnation of the Soviet system»?

— Total control. If they cannot control it, it becomes undesirable. That is maximum unfreedom. Our project is outside the control of the Moscow Patriarchate; it is independent — laypeople and priests helping each other. And that, for them, is intolerable.

By law, such organizations are seen as threats to the constitutional order. But what threat could a group of laypeople supporting a few dozen priests possibly pose? It is absurd. Yet for them, the main thing is that it is not under their supervision. They cannot pressure it or control it. And therefore — it is undesirable.

— Do you have an idea who was behind the decision?

— We believe the initiative came from Peredelkino, personally from Patriarch Kirill. Lantratova is not an independent figure; she simply carries out orders.

I know how such structures work, having once been involved in public organizations in Russia. The authorities use these intermediate bodies — like «A Just Russia» or public chambers — to promote decisions they do not want to push through official channels. It is a technical tool: to release an unpopular initiative, keep a distance, and legalize the personal wishes of those in power.

— You are a priest and a father of a large family. How do you explain what is happening to your children, especially the older ones?

— I think they understand everything. Since Alexei Navalny’s imprisonment, they have seen my public activity and know well what their father does. At first I helped activists, journalists, LGBT people, later priests. It was not a surprise to them.

Of course, they sometimes feel sad that after my main job I start my second one — Peace unto All. I sit at night, tired, with strained eyes. But they are understanding.

— Are you afraid?

— Everyone asks that, but honestly, no. Maybe that feeling has just been dulled in me. I have no fear for myself at all. For others — yes. When I hear that someone is in danger, I immediately try to help. That is probably the only fear left. It is a feature of my character. It switched off at some point — and perhaps that is why I can do what others find too risky.

— What helps you stay calm? What do you rely on?

— I think every person builds their relationship with God differently, but the important thing is to hear where He is calling you. Sometimes the path is not the one described in books or taken by others. It can be difficult, but if you at least try to live by the commandments — to help the persecuted, the imprisoned, the needy — that already gives hope that your life is not in vain.

I found myself at the intersection of two worlds — Orthodox priests and activists, the so-called «Navalny supporters». The line between them is very thin, but it is precisely there that I see my calling. Perhaps my becoming a priest was necessary so that Peace unto All could later exist.

I am not an outstanding priest — rather an average one, maybe even a poor one. But what I do within the project strengthens my priesthood and gives me strength to continue serving.

Priests Valerian Dunin-Barkovsky, musician Pavel Fakhrtdinov, priest Andrey Kordochkin

— You live in Germany. Does life there give you a sense of stability and safety?

— Yes. We left in 2018, when my family was already under threat because of my public activity. We had to leave a comfortable life and a good position. In Russia I managed a department of one hundred people in a large company; here I have only two employees. It was a many-level descent, but I am grateful to Germany.

It became our refuge. We could live peacefully, give our children education, and feel safe.

I have Polish, Jewish, and German roots. Perhaps that is why I feel like an Eastern European rather than a stranger here. Germany is not far from home — not another planet. I have even found more friends and cultural life here than I expected. Our neighbors constantly organize gatherings, concerts, evenings — we meet many different people, sometimes even famous ones.

— Do you believe all this will end in our lifetime?

— I do not like giving false hope. Frankly, it is unlikely to happen during my lifetime. My pragmatic forecast is fifty to seventy years. By then, I would be over ninety. A miracle can happen, but there is no point relying on it. I prefer not to waste energy on illusions: my professional intuition tells me that investing resources there now is unwise. It is very unlikely that everything will change suddenly; it will take decades.

— In Yerevan, at the parish of Father Andrei Mizyuk, there was once a discussion: what would have to happen for people to return to Russia? There were different answers — death of the ruler, end of the war. One young man said this: as long as the Church is not “the salt of the earth,” the conscience of the nation, as long as it remains in a close embrace with the state, there is no point in returning.

— That is an honest and harsh thought.

— In your view, how do humility and inner resistance to evil relate to each other?

— I must say, I am not a theologian and can speak only from the low ground of my ignorance. Humility and agreement with evil are not the same. One can be humble and still not accept evil; one can resist it humbly. The main thing is not to let evil penetrate oneself. The tragedy is that people, fighting an enemy, often become infected with the same evil.

Russia at some point became «infected» with fascist rhetoric of victory — this changed the spirit of the society. Humility, in my view, is constant self-control: not considering oneself invincible, watching that hatred and cruelty do not take root within.

Defending one’s homeland with arms is a separate matter; but priests, in my opinion, have no place on the battlefield. A priest should fight evil in the ways available to his position and accept his role with humility. All this is complex, but I think it can be untangled — the main thing is not to confuse humility with silent consent.

— What would you like to say to the readers of this interview?

— Find something that keeps you afloat and gives you hope. You can help us, another organization, or do something else entirely — but it is important to have a «lifeline». Without it, it is hard to survive and stay sane.

When people come to confession and ask, «Father, what should we do? How can we live when everything is collapsing?» — I always say: if you have no idea where to start, help Peace unto All. But that is not obligatory. You can help any other initiative doing good work. It is still the fulfillment of Christ’s commandment — to help the hungry, the imprisoned, the persecuted for faith. It does not matter whom exactly you help; what matters is that you remain human.

For many, the Church has long been such a refuge. But when the Church as an institution fails, one must believe not in an organization but in the fact that God always gives a person a way not to drown — and often that way is through other people. By helping others, we become His hands through which good is done.

Help one another — and thus we shall be saved. Amen.

— Amen.

Ways to support “Peace Unto All”:

Bank transfer:

Friede Allen e.V.

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Bank: GLS Gemeinschaftsbank eG

Bank address: Christstraße 9, 44789 Bochum, Germany

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