Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-09
Moscow Says Priest
Was 0usted Because
U. 5. Barred PreIate
by tho Asseeia,sd Press

y6oucIudJ IL cAPcilcQ LIlc EScts
George Bissonnette, r om an
Catholic priest, because the |
United States refused to permit |
q Russian Orthodox priest. |
Archbishop Boris. to remain In |
the United States.
At the State Department it |
was learned the United States
would have allowed Archbishop
Boris to make frequent visits to |
the American branch of the
Russian church. but officials de-
clined to allow him to remain |
Indefinitely. He was here on a
60-day visa
One reason was that they con- |
sidered the Russian church to
be serving political aims of the
Soviet government.
The Soviet foreign Office |
handed blunt note to the
American Embassy in Moscow
yesterday. 1t was the first time
the Russians had stated their
reasons for ousting Father Bis
sonnette from Moscow last week.
On Moscow, all the We'd
nesday morning papers pub
lished Soviet statement and
the text of the Soviet note to
the United States on the ex-
pulsion of Father disconnected
Held Not Sufficient.
State Department officials said
the reason of retaliation given
by the Russians was not legally
a sufficient reason to forbid the
American Catholic priest to re-
main in Moscow to serve Amer
leans in the United States En-
bassy there. Several years ago
the church in which Father
Bissonnette's predecessor held
services, which Russians could
attend, was denied to him.
Thereafter all such services were
held in private apartment with
Americans only in attendance.
After Father Bissonnette was
ouSted, Catholic church leaders
said they would ask a Soviet visa
for a successor. Father Dion.
Authorities consider it question
able whether he will be allowed
to go to Moscow in view of the
position taken by the Soviets.
State Department officials said
Archbishop Boris position in the
United States was different from
that of the American priest in
the Soviet capital The arch
bishop was here to work with
American citizens who are men,
bers of about 80 Russian ortho-
dox parishes. They look to
Moscow for spiritual leadership.
The Soviet Statement.
The text of the Soviet's ex-
PLANTATION as published in Mos
COW papers follows:
ION February "a the State
Department informed the Soviet
Embassy in the United States
it was deemed impossible to pro-
long the stay in the United
States of the Exarch of the Rus
sian Orthodox Church in Amer
lea, Archbishop Boris, and his
secretary, Shiskin, and this de-
cision was final.
1.-The State Department gave
no reason for such a decision.
"On February % Archbishop
Boris and Shiskin left by plane
for the USSR.
I'm connection with this de-
cision of the State Department,
the USSR Ministry of Foreign
Affairs on February 26 informed
the United States Embassy in
Moscow that the further stay in
the Soviet Union of the American
priest Bissonnette was deemed
impossible and he must leave
the Soviet Union as soon as pos
sible.
On March the American
Embassy sent a note on this
question to the USSR Ministry
Of Foreign Affairs.
"On March 8 the USSR For
eign Ministry sent to the United
States Embassy an answering
note Of following content:
1.-The Ministry of the Foreign
Affairs of the USSR expresses
its respect to the Embassy of
the United States and in con-
nection with its note of Embassy
No. 636 of March 2 has the hon.
or to state as follows:
"On February "a the United
States State Department by
telephone informed the USSR
Embassy in Washington of the
fact that it was deemed impos-
sible to prolong the stay in the
United States of Exarch of the
Russian Orthodox Church in
America, Archbishop Boris, and
his secretary Shiskin.
In this statement the State
Department did not point out
any reason for such decision.
This act of the State De-
partment represents a direct
violation of the agreement of
Roosevelt-Litvinov of Novem-
Der 16, 1888.
According to this agreement
the United States and the Soviet
Union pledged reciprocally to
grant on the territory of their
countries to citizens of the other
side the right to satisfaction of
their spiritual requirements by
priests, pastors, rabbis or other
religious ministers who are
citizens of the other side.
Refusal of the State De-
partment to prolong the visa of
Archbishop Boris and his secre-
tary also represents a violation
of the existing practice when,
during a period Of over $50 years.
the Russian Orthodox Church in
America was headed by persons
appointed by the Moscow
patriarchy.
Therefore, in connection
with the action of the State
nano IT ,,,ant rnpo rJ;nu A,ol,