Alexander Morozov: “It’s not clear”

"...Three or four months ago there were no problems. There were some shocking statements by Chaplin. But this was perceived as a private deviation. Otherwise, everything could not have been better: people go to the shrines (the belt of the Virgin Mary), everything is fine with Putin , young Orthodox Christians are engaged in social work more than ever, etc. And suddenly “out of nowhere,” i.e., to some kind of absurdity (the synod of the UOC MP just responded that there would be no political reactions, but only prayer), Kirill suddenly cancels the entire style of relationship with the state and society that developed under Alexei and suddenly goes to escalate the conflict, for some reason draws fire on himself, gets a Breget, an apartment, dust, gigantic audiences are drawn into all this, who previously were not interested in any patriarchy at all. And the further I watch how the whole church topic is spinning and what losses the Patriarchy is suffering, I cannot understand: why is he doing this? I mean the rational political logic. The possible bonuses from such a position are much lower. than losses. They may say: Kirill is demonstrating some kind of power (to whom? Putin?), in order to then exchange the 65 thousand presence of the KhHS for something else. For what?! At the moment there are no problems between the state and the Patriarchate. Everything had already been settled earlier, there was not a single conflict issue. Budget money? I have not heard that the Patriarchate was on the verge of bankruptcy and was going to ask from the budget for something in the amount of the “Sochi Olympics” or the “new Trans-Siberian Railway”. Ask for some bonuses for the “persecuted Church”? But this is completely frivolous. Putin will not accept this game. Because - “by whom are we persecuted”? Society? But this is ridiculous... that is, it is completely incomprehensible why Kirill, being an experienced person, got involved in this rather risky public game..."