The war blessed. How church hierarchs reacted to the speech of Patriarch Kirill, who supported Russia's invasion of Ukraine

In early February, Patriarch Kirill, after the Divine Liturgy on the thirteenth anniversary of his intronization, argued that the Russian Orthodox Church has “vast and important” external connections that contribute to the rapprochement of the Christians of the East and West “on many issues of modernity”. However, now the Orthodox churches around the world condemn the war unleashed by Russia, require independence from the Moscow Patriarchate and refuse to remember Patriarch Kirill in their prayers. Disagreements are also noticeable inside the Russian Orthodox Church: Russian clergymen opposed the invasion of Ukraine and called for stopping violence.

"Forgiveness without justice is surrender and weakness." ROC

For the first time, Patriarch Kirill mentioned the war in Ukraine on February 27, on the fourth day of the invasion of the Russian military. In his speech, he expressed concerns that “evil forces that always fought with the unity of Rus' and the Russian Church,” can prevail.

“God forbid, that a terrible line, proud of the blood of the brothers, lay between Russia and Ukraine. We must pray for the restoration of the world, for the restoration of good fraternal relations between our peoples, ”said Patriarch Kirill after the Liturgy. - The key to this fraternity is our United Orthodox Church, which is represented by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Ukraine, headed by the blessed Onul. We prayed for them today. ”

He also prayed to protect the "peoples that are part of the Unified Space of the Russian Orthodox Church from internecine battle."

On March 6, during a sermon on the day of forgiven Sunday, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church spoke about the war in Ukraine more extensively. Patriarch Kirill said that "eight years have been attempts to destroy what exists in the Donbass." According to him, there is a rejection of “the so-called values ​​that are proposed today by those who claim world power,” namely gay parades.

“Who attacks today in Ukraine, where eight years are suppressing and exterminating people in the Donbass; Eight years of suffering, and the whole world is silent - what does this mean? But we know that our brothers and sisters really suffer; Moreover, they can suffer for their loyalty to the church. And therefore, today, on forgiven Sunday, on the one hand, on the one hand, as your shepherd, I call everyone to forgive sins and grievances, including where it is very difficult to do, where people are fighting with each other. But forgiveness without justice is surrender and weakness. Therefore, forgiveness should be accompanied by an indispensable preservation of the right to stand on the side of the world, on the side of the God of Truth, on the side of the divine commandments, on the side of the fact that the light of Christ, His Word, His Gospel, His greatest covenants, given to the human genus. All of the above indicates that we entered into a struggle, which has not a physical, but metaphysical meaning, ”he said.

Last week, March 14, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church transferred the head of the National Guard to Viktor Zolotov August icon of the Mother of God, so that its image inspires the "young warriors of the Russian Guard, who take the oath that enter the path of protection of the Fatherland."

Zolotov thanked the Patriarch and noted that the National Guard also take part in the “special military operation”. “I want to say that yes, not everything is going as fast as we would like, but this is only because the Nazis hide behind civilians, behind the old people, women, children, arrange fire positions in kindergartens, schools, in residential buildings, but we go to the intended goal step by step, and victory will be behind us, and this icon will protect the Russian army and the head said,” said the head National Guard.

"We condemn violence and aggression." Orthodox churches against war

“There was a disaster. Unfortunately, Russia began military operations against Ukraine, and in this fateful time I urge you not to panic, to be courageous and show love for your homeland and each other. First of all, I urge you to reinforced prayer for Ukraine, for our army and our people, I ask you to forget mutual impudents and disagreements and unite with love for God and our homeland, ”Metropolitan Onufry, the Primate of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate (UOC MP), made such an appeal on the first day of Russia's invasion. It was the relationship with this Orthodox Church that Patriarch Kirill called the “guarantee of the Brotherhood” between the people of Ukraine and Russia. Nevertheless, Metropolitan Onufry called on the President of Russia to "immediately stop the fratricidal war."

The statement of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (PCU) was tougher - and of the unleashing of the war, Metropolitan Epiphanius accused not only Moscow, but also Minsk. PCU was proclaimed in December 2018 and soon received the status of an autocephalous church from the Patriarchate of Constantinople. This caused a conflict with the Russian Orthodox Church and the UOC MP, which do not recognize the new church.

“I turn to the international community, all religious leaders of the world with an appeal to support Ukraine, to force Russia and Belarus to immediately stop aggression. I ask all the goodwill about this. Those who have also begun the aggressive war against Ukraine should know that according to the Law of God and according to the laws of human, they are killers and criminals. And for their crime, they will answer to the Almighty and to humanity, not avoiding condemnation and punishment, ”the Primate of the PCU announced .

Patriarch Bartholomew, Constantinople, also condemned “Russia's attack on Ukraine, an independent and sovereign state of Europe, as well as a violation of human rights and brutal violence” against civilians.

The Orthodox Church in America also opposed the war on February 24th. “I ask you to immediately stop military operations, and President Putin to put an end to military operations. As Orthodox Christians, we condemn violence and aggression, ” said the Primate of the Orthodox Church in America, Metropolitan Tikhon. On March 13, he handed the letter to Patriarch Kirill with a request to do everything possible to stop the war.

Daniel called the path to a peaceful dialogue by the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.

On February 22, two days before the start of the war, the archbishop of the Georgian Orthodox Church Zinon, who was managing parishes in the UK and Ireland, sent a letter to Ukraine’s ambassador Vadim Zabeko, in which he wrote: “Our people, Georgians and Ukrainians are well aware of the pain and sense of injustice caused by the invasion of Russia. We hope that after the experience of 2008 with Georgia and 2014 with Ukraine, the international community will understand the danger and will be able to interact with Russia with maximum diplomatic efforts to prevent the shedding of innocent blood. ”

Bishop Irenaeus of the Great British and Western European Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church said that he would pray for Ukrainians and Russians, for “God's love does not know political borders”, like the prayer of the flock of Bishop Irenaeus. “Everyone needs our hot prayer, love and care; And everyone will receive it, ”said the priest.

“We are observing terrible events on the battlefield in Ukraine,” the letter of the Estonian church parishes and the Council of Churches of Estonia, which was published on March 17, said , under which the Metropolitan of the Estonian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate Evgeny put. - Thousands of people died, including innocent children, adolescents, old people. Tens of thousands were injured. Hundreds of thousands were left without shelter or are in an inescapable state of fear, cold, hunger, thirst and ill health. Millions were forced to escape from home and from their country. Both those who protect their native land and those who have become an accomplice of criminal aggression die daily. As a result of military operations, beautiful cities were destroyed, the fields awaiting spring sowing were defeated. ”

“You make it clear that there is an excuse for this bloody, aggressive war.” Criticism of Patriarch Kirill

Some representatives of the Orthodox Patriarchate drew attention to the ROC attempts to justify the actions of the Russian military in Ukraine. Thus, Metropolitan Ioann II, who ruled the Archbishopia of the Orthodox Churches of the Russian tradition in Western Europe (Moscow Patriarchate) turned to Patriarch Kirill with a request to elevate the voice of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church "against a monstrous and meaningless war."

“Your Holiness, in the“ sermon ”on forgiven Sunday, uttered in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Christ the Savior on March 6, you make it clear that there is an excuse for this bloody, aggressive war, that it is a“ metaphysical struggle ”in the name of the right to stand on the side of the world, on the side of God's truth, on the side of the light of Christ, his word, His gospel .... With all the proper respect for you, in which I again assure you, your Holiness, but with endless pain, I cannot but bring to your attention that I can’t agree with such a reading of the gospel. Under no circumstances can a “good shepherd”, with which we must be a “peacekeeper”, ”the statement of Metropolitan John II said .

“Avoid the Patriarchal Voice” to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church was asked by Metropolitan Warsaw and All Poland Savva. The letter was published by the Protodiacon, prohibited in the service, Andrei Kuraev.

“It is impossible to understand that two Slavic Orthodox peoples leaving the same font of baptism from St. Prince. Vladimir, waged a fratricidal war, knowing the power of your spiritual authority, we believe that your voice will be heard, ”he is to Patriarch Kirill.

Removered from the position of Patriarch Kirill and the Metropolitan of the Vilenskaya and Lithuanian diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church Innocent. He stated that the diocese will strive for independence from the Moscow Patriarchate.

“We resolutely condemn the war of Russia against Ukraine and pray God for its speedy termination. As you probably already managed to notice, we have different political views with Patriarch Kirill and the perception of current events. His political statements about the war in Ukraine are his personal opinion. We do not agree with this in Lithuania. I would like to openly say here that we, the Orthodox in Lithuania, having the opportunity today to independently solve our intra -church affairs, will continue to strive for even greater church independence, believing that the Lord will grant it at one time, ”he said on March 17.

Because of the war, the priests of the Holy Nicolaev Orthodox parish in Amsterdam decided to stop mentioning Patriarch Kirill on worship and breaking ties with the Moscow Patriarchate.

But on March 1, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill Sumy Diocese of the UOC stopped commemoration - and this is considered a serious violation of church rules.

Now about 20 bishops of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church have ceased to remember the Moscow Patriarch because of his support for the war. As the Ukrainian service “BBC” wrote , now some of them spoke about independence from the Russian Orthodox Church.

According to the publication, the presentation of the ROC of the icon to the head of the National Guard outraged Ukrainian priests.

“Surrounded by Cyril, there was not enough ingenuity-not in the service to congratulate, but somewhere at dinner. The Patriarch was confused when Zolotov began to say all this. It turns out that he wanted, he didn’t want to, but blessed the war, ”the Ukrainian BBC service quoted the words of one of the bishops of the UOC.

Some clergy called to start a dialogue between the UOC -MP and PCU.

According to Protodiacon Andrei Kuraev, the Bishop Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church should be held in May, on which the Ukrainian delegation may require autocephaly.

“And I have the feeling that this is really so. It is precisely those people who believe that they restore the “Russian world”, in fact, they successfully bury it, ”Kuraev said to the publication.

"Sprinkle of blood is unacceptable." Russian priests against the invasion

In Russia, clergy also opposed the war and published a joint appeal. “We grieve about the test that our brothers and sisters in Ukraine were undeservedly subjected,” the open letter published on March 1 says. “We remind you that the life of every person is an invaluable and unique gift of God, and therefore we wish you the return of all warriors - both Russian and Ukrainian - to our native homes and families intact and sound.”

By March 22, the appeal was signed by 286 Russian clergymen. It notes that the people of Ukraine "must make their choice on their own, not under the aim of machine guns, without pressure from the West or East."

“No non -violent call to the world and the cessation of war should be forcibly suppressed and considered as a violation of the law, for this is the divine commandment:“ Blessed peacekeepers, ”the letter emphasizes. It ends with a call to start a dialogue between the parties and stop the war.

One of the first Russians affected by, who punishes the calls for the cessation of the war, was the rector of the resurrection of Christ in the village of Karabanovo, Kostroma region. The 50-year-old Priest John Burdin opposed the war during a sermon on March 6 and posted a link to the petition “No War” on the Change.org website on the parish page.

In an interview with Mediazone, Burdin explained that he could not keep silent and pretend that nothing was happening.

“No matter what these or those people try to say and interpret, it is said clearly, directly: there is blood spilled by Cain, which lay in a curse on all his offspring, there is the blood of Christ, which lay a curse on the whole people who spilled this blood,” the priest explained. “This is just a statement of fact, what the church tradition says: the shedding of blood is unacceptable.”

On March 10, the Krasnoselsky District Court of the Kostroma Region fined John Burdin 35 thousand rubles. The protocol notes that the priest "inspired the parishioners with information about finding the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in Ukraine and the murders of residents of Ukraine."

Patriarch Kirill has not yet commented on the anti -war statements of clergy in Russia. Speaking after the liturgy of March 20, he again mentioned Ukraine. He recalled that people “suffer hard” there, and said that the peoples living on the “historical land of Rus'” “always recognized the brothers and sisters in each other.” He called on the Orthodox two countries to "pray for each other."

“And the most important prayer should be that the devil does not allow the terrible moment when his brother raises his hand to his brother,” the patriarch said on the 25th day of the war. “Therefore, we all must pray for the world, for the hands of the Holy of God of God, for our one people who live in different countries today.”

Editor: Agatha Shcheglova