Kirill went on, claiming God was on Russias side and expanding his critique of Western liberalism: Today there is a test for the loyalty to this new world order, a kind of pass to that happy world, the world of excess consumption, the world of false freedom, he said. Historians say that is flat-out wrong., How Putin is weaponizing traditional values to defend Russian aggression in Ukraine. Some Russian priests have adopted similar or even harsher language in their sermons, while bishops have pressured clergy not to openly oppose the war, according to religious scholar Sergei Chapnin, a former editor of the Moscow Patriarchate publishing house and now a senior fellow at the Orthodox Christian Studies Center at Fordham University. He has been covering the Vatican since 1985. What it hasn't done is fill those churches. "[From Putin's point of view], this whole split is also about who has the right to expect compliance or deference of other Orthodox Christians in the world," she said. As Russia embarks on a new large-scale offensive in the east of the country, Kirill has articulated little concern about the millions of Ukrainian lives hanging in the balance. The church has done its utmost to downplay the leader's image as a member of the Russian elite. Those at the top set about rebuilding the congregation and their places of worship, after decades of persecution and the destruction of thousands of churches. Ukraine and its Western masters, Kirill said, were attempting "to destroy what exists in the Donbas" because the pro-Russian separatist republics embodied "a fundamental rejection of the so-called values that are offered today by those who claim world power." Are you on Telegram? Boxes decorated with Orthodox crosses requested donations for refugees from two regions of eastern Ukraine where Moscow has baselessly claimed that people are fleeing Ukrainian state oppression. Abbot Andrey Sokolov, based in Damascus, Syria, said while a few hundred signed the letter, others shared similar views but would not identify themselves out of fear. "I witnessed a deepening crisis," he said in a documentary devoted to his 70th birthday, which aired on Russian state television in November 2016. Vladimir Putin insists he lives on a government salary. Cardinal Zuppi recently expressed appreciation for the positive remarks regarding the popes initiative made by Mr. Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8, Continue reading your article witha WSJ subscription, Already a subscriber? Russias post-Soviet constitution restored religious freedom, sparking an upsurge in believers, with the share of adults identifying as Orthodox Christian rising from 31 percent to 72 percent between 1991 and 2008, according to the Pew Research Center. Pope Francis said he told Kirill not to "transform himself into Putin's altar boy" during a Zoom call in March, while Bartholomew said in an interview that Kirill was wrong to "claim to be the brother of another people and bless the war that your state is waging. Patriarch Kirill: Putin ally faces backlash after blessing war Where Ukraine fits into Vladimir Putin's 'culture war', Previously secret Treasury documents expose HomeBuilder concerns, Sydney man accused of selling secrets in China received warning from suspected US spy, Pistol found by police at Bondi Junction crime scene where drug kingpin was found dead, PwC's failure to disclose interest in private education provider 'completely unacceptable', Wagner chief enters Belarus as Lukashenko ponders his military value, A convicted murderer fought for Wagner in Ukraine. Another near the city of Kostroma was fined by authorities for his public dissent. Why dont we skip this uncivilised part altogether? Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, has long been a key ideological ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and at least tacit supporter of his military The Russian Church needs a leader of courage who will call out Putin, argues Audrey Wells. Why todays students should read James Baldwin in school, The Grimace Shake Moment of 2023 gave me hope for humanity (and brands), Bishop Stika of Knoxville resigns early amid Vatican investigation into abuse cover-up and financial mismanagement. With a fondness for stocks, car racing, downhill skiing, and breeding exclusive kinds of dogs, he did notfall into the typical depictions of a man of faith. The Moscow Times reported in 2019 that only 6 percent of Russians attend services regularly, and that figure continues to decline. The war in Ukraine, now in its 16th month, has led to an estimated 354,000 Ukrainian and Russian military casualties. In the photo, the $US30,000 ($43,375) Rveil du Tsar model watch disappeared under an extended black sleeve. And counterparts elsewhere have made Kirill aware of their disquiet, too. For years, rumours swirled around this flashy piece of jewellery after it was first spotted on the patriarch during a tour of Ukraine in 2009. "Today, when our brothers are fighting and dying on the frontlines any attempt to sow discord within the country is the greatest possible crime that has no justification," Patriarch Kirill said in a statement, adding that: "I support the efforts of the head of the Russian state, aimed at not allowing turmoil in our country.". Disappointed, Moscow then cut its ties with the Istanbul-based Eastern Orthodox Church, which backed the independence of the Ukrainian clergy. Patriarch Kirill described their cause as "surprisingly noble and honest", Putin's proxies establish his power across Africa, Patriarch Kirill has been a vocal supporter of the war in Ukraine. Here's everything you need to know: Kirill was born Vladimir Mikhailovich Gundyayev in Leningrad now St. Petersburg on Nov. 20, 1946. Kirill disagreed, arguing that Bartholomew had made an illegitimate incursion into Moscow's canonical territory. But that didn't matter to Vladimir Putin. Cardinal Zuppi brought a letter from Pope Francis to President Zelensky during his visit in early June, and it is likely that he will also take a letter from the pope to President Putin. The communists who came to power after the Russian Civil War in the early 1920s tried to stamp out religion by burning down churches and shooting priests, only to revive it to rally the faithful during World War II. Bartholomew's flock is comparatively small, and his power constrained by an unfriendly, majority-Muslim government. In a sense, the Russian Orthodox Church was successful, because the Kremlin at some point adopted the political language of the church, which became known as the ideology of the Russian world. A mini-revival of religion was allowed during World War II to inspire a patriotic impulse in society, explained Andrey Kordochkin, a Russian Orthodox priest in Madrid. Now, he faces sanctions from the European Union. Putin describes himself as an Orthodox Christian, is frequently photographed at religious rites, and even claims that Kirill's father secretly baptized him as a baby. Ukraine and its Western masters, Kirill said, were attempting "to destroy what exists in the Donbas" because the pro-Russian separatist republics embodied "a fundamental rejection of the so-called values that are offered today by those who claim world power." Moscow has held ecclesiastical authority over Ukraine since the 17th century, but after the fall of the Soviet Union, a group of believers formed the Orthodox Church of Ukraine and began petitioning for autocephaly. Expensive watches, he said, were not part of his official attire. Putin should dissolve Wagner PMC and, together with Patriarch Kirill , reform the remnants into an Orthodox Monastic Order of Knights to wage holy war against Germanic Pagan Neonazis . He will be accompanied by an official of the Secretariat of State whose name the Vatican has not yet disclosed. He also publicly backed Putin's re-election bids in 2012 and 2018 and supported patriarch told his followers their sacrifice on the battlefield would "wash away all your sins", reported Russian forces continued firing in several areas, wrote Alexander Baunov, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, he declared as Metropolitan of Smolensk in 2005. The Week is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. You can either click on the link in your confirmation email or simply re-enter your email address below to confirm it. But some of the ways they used their new-found privileges stoked controversy. His grandfather spent time in a Soviet gulag for his opposition to the pro-communist Living Church movement. The leader of Russia's Orthodox Patriarch Kirill on Saturday called for "unity" in the country and voiced support for President Vladimir Putin as Wagner mercenaries staged a rebellion. Distribution and use of this material are governed by When feminist punk band Pussy Riot staged an unsanctioned musical protest in the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in 2012, asking for the Virgin Mary to "chase Putin out", Kirill dismissed calls for leniency and backed jail time. For Kirill, this mismatch presents an opportunity. Police say she wrongly thought she was being kidnapped. Within Russia he had earned a reputationas a "zapadnik" a pro-Westernerbut likely maintained deep links to Russia's state apparatus, principally the KGB. Today we cannot speak like this., Essential reporting from around the world, The Christian nationalism behind Putins war. For Kirill, this mismatch presents an opportunity. By 2017, more than 70 percent self-identified as Orthodox. But sprawling palaces anda gold-plated toilet suggest a far more luxurious lifestyle. You may be wondering what LGBT rights have to do with the bloody war in Ukraine. The 67-year-old Italian cardinal is expected to meet with Patriarch Kirill, the Orthodox patriarch of Moscow and of all Russia, during his visit. In 2012, the patriarch was photographed wearing a $30,000 wristwatch. It has gone to great lengths to explain the patriarch's use of luxury yachts, private jets, exclusive mansions and other gifts donated by various Russian benefactors including the infamous gold watch. After the war, the Russian Orthodox Church will probably lose a large share of its faithful in Ukraine, as they feel betrayed by the Patriarch, he added. It is impossible for us to remain in any form of canonical submission to the Patriarch of Moscow." The Eastern Orthodox Church comprises 17 self-governing churches that recognise each others' autonomy in various parts of the world. Now pilloried as a puppet of Putin's regime, Kirill has become isolated, even within his own church. He's also directed state funds to the church, banned "gay propaganda," and enforced anti-blasphemy laws. Putins Minister Kirill made so few friends in ecumenism. He became a bishop in 1976, an archbishop a year later, and a metropolitan in 1991. I dont follow politics, but now I only see one thing people are dying, said Alexander Vostrodymov, a priest from a village near Moscow, who was among those who signed. if you are trying to comment, you must log in or set up a new account. What is happening is a disaster for Russia and Ukraine, said Olga, a 42-year-old therapist attending the service, who was too fearful to give her full name. One diplomat told Reuters that the sanctions would probably "entail an asset freeze and a travel ban. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill on Unity Day, Nov. 4, 2016, in Moscow. The cardinal visited Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, June 5-6, on the first leg of the mission. Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. Rather, it is an effort to seek to create an atmosphere within which it would be possible to lessen the tensions and engage in humanitarian initiatives that could be acceptable to both sides, including prisoner exchanges and the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia. The Russian Orthodox Church is by far the largest, comprising around half of the 220 million Orthodox Christians worldwide. He turned to the Russkiy mir doctrine, as did Putin five years later when he annexed Ukraines Crimean Peninsula. with Kirill once describing Putin's ascension to power as "a miracle of God", once suggested it was Kirill's own father who secretly baptised him in 1952, including three apartments under his name in Moscow and St Petersburg, presidential property office awarded a $43.4-million contract. (OSV News photo/Yara Nardi, Reuters), Were sorry registration isn't working smoothly for you. We have entered into a struggle that has not a physical, but a metaphysical significance, the patriarch said. Like the tsars of old, Putin derives much of his legitimacy from the Russian Orthodox Church and from the Russian nationalism with which it is closely intertwined. Patriarch Kirill, the powerful leader of the Russian Orthodox Church and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, declared the operation a responsible decision to use military forces to protect the Syrian people from the woes brought on by the tyranny of terrorists.. His attire was typical of a man of the cloth. Twitter has done its best to make me cynical. Patriarch Kirill has angered many priests by echoing the language Vladimir Putin uses to justify the Ukraine invasion By Jeanne Whalen April 18, 2022 at 2:00 a.m. EDT Patriarch And for her, her Vanya or Magomed it doesnt matter he is the best. The Vaticans communique today closely resembles the one the Vatican issued on the eve of Cardinal Zuppis visit to Kyiv, which said that the main purpose of this initiative is to listen in depth to the Ukrainian authorities about possible ways to achieve a just peace and to support gestures of humanity that will help ease tensions.. Instead, the Orthodox Church is made up of between 14 and 16 autocephalous or "self-headed" churches. The OCU comprises a majority of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians, while around a quarter still belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Moscow Patriarchate (UOCMP). We can't do it without youAmerica Media relies on generous support from our readers. Around half of the 12,000 UOCMP parishes have reportedly voiced their intention to cut ties with Russia, and some 200 priests from the UOCMP have signed a letter calling for Kirill to be deposed. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, just over 30 percent of Russians claimed affiliation with the national church. Since the end of Soviet atheist rule, religion has made a comeback and more than 70 percent of Russians now identify as Orthodox, though considerably fewer are regular churchgoers. This dispute led the two patriarchs to break full communion. ", Religious leaders have also condemned Kirill for supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Here's how it's laid the foundations for war. Youre reading an excerpt from the Todays WorldView newsletter. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact His family suffered for their faith under the repressive Communist regime, spending years inside gulags on trumped-up charges. Only about 7 percent regularly attended church as of 2008, however. He holds this position because of his seat in the former capital of the Byzantine Empire, which fell to the Turks in 1453. The patriarch has publicly supported the war in Ukraine that was launched by President Vladimir Putin on Feb. 24, 2022, much to the dismay of the other Christian churches. Patriarch Kirill refused to recognise the decision and severed ties with Constantinople completely, setting in motion one of the greatest schisms in the church's modern history. This is a catastrophe and a crime of enormous proportions. Those "so-called values," he said, are "excess consumption" and homosexuality. He briefed him on the results of his visit to Kyiv and the goals of his visit to Moscow. Still, some priests have spoken out, including one in the Russian city of Ryazan who was fired for his antiwar posts on social media. David L. Stern in Ukraine and Mary Ilyushina in Latvia contributed to this report. The patriarch has described Putin's rule as a "miracle from God" that put Russia back on track. Kirill, the controversial Orthodox patriarch who calls Putin Kirill enjoys a close and symbiotic relationship with Putin. The Moscow Times reported in 2019 that only 6 percent of Russians attend services regularly, and that figure continues to decline. Instead, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church has sounded the same sort of ominous and profoundly ideological rhetoric as Putin. In 2004, he drew on the centuries-old theory of Moscow as the Third Rome, claiming that the Russian Orthodox Church "holds de facto first place among all of the other Orthodox churches" and that the Russians "are the rightful heirs of Byzantium.". More than 320 signed a letter last week accusing Kirill of heresy for his warmongering and demanding he be brought before an ecclesiastical tribunal to be deposed. In 2004, he drew on the centuries-old theory of Moscow as the Third Rome, claiming that the Russian Orthodox Church "holds de facto first place among all of the other Orthodox churches" and that the Russians "are the rightful heirs of Byzantium.". Cardinal Zuppi is expected to have a face-to-face conversation with Patriarch Kirill and to meet with a close adviser to President Putin, according to various informed sources. In return for his support of the church, Putin can count on Kirill's near-unwavering support. To some ears this dogma might sound peaceful and inclusive, but critics say Russia is using it to reassert dominance over territory it controlled during the Russian Empire and Soviet Union. With his luxury watch and murky Soviet past, Patriarch Kirill is Putin's spiritual leader and power broker. Two U.S. bishops were recently subject to Vatican visitations. Any war has to have guns and ideas, Cyril Hovorun, professor of ecclesiology, international relations and ecumenism at University College Stockholm, told my colleagues. Wondering why we ask for your email, or having trouble registering. Now, he faces sanctions from the European Union. Since youre a frequent reader of our website, we want to be able to share even more great, As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important, visited Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, June 5-6, Benedict XVIs secretary has been sent away from the Vatican, but his future is unclear, Podcast: Preaching tips from a Catholic priest, husband and father of five. Putins altar boy, as the Pope famously called him, is likely to be As Stroop explains, they were only able to regain their positions of influence by cooperating with the state, so it is in their self-interest to continue operating this way. Head of Russia's Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill (pictured) declares supporting Putin's efforts to prevent unrest in the country. What just happened in Russia? I considered it my pastoral duty to sign this appeal. The priest said signatories of the letter have come under pressure from ecclesiastical authorities and state bodies. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. In 2019, Bartholomew declared the OCU fully independent, claiming that the ecumenical patriarch has the power to unilaterally grant autocephaly. While patriarchs are ultimately responsible for affairs within their own domains, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople (Istanbul) is seen by many as the spiritual centre. In 2018, the presidential property office awarded a $43.4-million contract for renovations to allow Patriarch Kirill to work and reside on the palatial grounds. But the state kept tight control. Fearing that Russian President Vladimir Putin's incursions into Ukraine would drive members of his flock into the arms of the OCU, Kirill initially opposed the annexation of Crimea. Putin has also leaned on Christian symbolism and ideology to cement his popularity with the Russian public, and once suggested it was Kirill's own father who secretly baptised him in 1952.
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