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A prominent liberal priest faces expulsion from the Russian Orthodox church for refusing to read out a prayer asking God to guide Russia to victory over Ukraine. In a verdict published on Saturday, a church court said Aleksiy Uminsky should be “expelled from holy orders” for violating his priestly oath. The decision was forwarded for approval to Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian church who strongly backs President Vladimir Putin. The case shows how the church is clamping down on internal dissent as it throws its support behind Putin and his “special military operation” in Ukraine, which is now...

Ukraine’s leader believes seizing the historic Kiev Pechersk Lavra will strengthen “spiritual independence” Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky has endorsed the order to expel monks of the canonical Orthodox church from the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, insinuating they were agents of Russia. Moscow has called on all Christian churches, as well as the UN and other international organizations, to respond to the “outrageous” decision.

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill celebrated the feast of Theophany in the Epiphany Cathedral in Moscow on Thursday, where he offered a rather stark warning in his homily: “Any desire to destroy Russia will mean the end of the world.” Beginning his homily for the feast, the Russian primate emphasized that the meaning of the feast is that the grace of God appeared not just for the Jews, not just for the Apostles, but for all men, as St. Paul says (cf. Tit. 2:11),” reports Patriarchia.ru.The words of God are immortal, he continued, as evidenced by the fact that the Orthodox...

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, an ally of Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin, warned NATO on Thursday that the defeat of Russia in Ukraine could trigger a nuclear war. Striking a similar tone at what he described as an anxious time for the country, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church said trying to destroy Russia would mean the end of the world. -snip- Asked if Medvedev's remarks signified that Russia was escalating the crisis to a new level, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "No, it absolutely does not mean that." -snip- Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church,...

The Constitutional Court of Ukraine ruled today that the bill calling for the forced renaming of churches or religious organizations associated with organizations in Russia is in line with state constitution. Although it has been legally registered as the “Ukrainian Orthodox Church” for 30 years, there have been attempts at least since 2018 under President Poroshenko to forcibly rename the UOC as the “Russian Orthodox Church in Ukraine,” although these attempts have been repeatedly blocked by Ukrainian courts. It is well known that renaming the Church is simply laying the foundation to seize churches and outright ban the Ukrainian Church,...

On Sunday, October 23, Patriarch Kirill consecrated the Annunciation Cathedral of the Diveevo Convent and called upon the faithful to pray for the secession of hostilities to St. Seraphim of Sarov, whose name is inseparably linked to the history of the Convent. "Today our Fatherland is going through a test caused by Russophobia, by the evil views, evil thoughts and evil will aimed at Russia. There is an idea right now is the high time to do away with Russia altogether. And why so? Because our view of the world, of God, of mankind is contrary to their, because it...

Russian Orthodox Church: Pope Francis’ Comments About Talks With Patriarch Kirill ‘Regrettable’The Russian Orthodox Church on Wednesday described Pope Francis’ recent comments about his discussion of the Ukraine war with Patriarch Kirill as ‘regrettable.’The Russian Orthodox Church on Wednesday described Pope Francis’ recent comments about his discussion of the Ukraine war with Patriarch Kirill as “regrettable.”The Moscow Patriarchate’s external relations department said in a May 4 statement that the Pope’s words were “unlikely to contribute to the establishment of a constructive dialogue” between the Catholic Church and Russian Orthodox Church. The Pope and the patriarch of Moscow and all...

ROME – In new comments to Italian media, the Vatican’s Secretary of State has said recent remarks by Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill will only make tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war worse, and said a second meeting with the pope is unlikely. Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin also spoke of his recent phone call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, saying the conversation proved to be unhelpful. Speaking to Italian media at the close of an event called Sui Tetti, or “On the Rooftops,” March 9, Parolin said “Kirill’s words do not favor and do not promote an understanding.” “On the contrary,...

The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church said his country’s invasion of Ukraine was a divine mission in opposition to gay rights. According to a Monday report in the Moscow Times, Patriarch Kirill backed Russia’s “military operation” in Ukraine and called it a conflict over “which side of God humanity will be on.” He drew attention to Ukraine‘s gay-pride parades and pro-LGBT laws, and called them a “loyalty test” and an example of Ukraine’s attempting to refashion itself in the cultural image of NATO nations. “Pride parades are designed to demonstrate that sin is one variation of human behavior. That’s...

The largest Orthodox church in the world will be built in the territory of the female monastery dedicated to the "Bread Dispenser" icon of the Mother of God. This cathedral should be capable of gathering nearly 40,000 faithful within its walls. The starets of the monastery, Igumen Sergiy (Romanov), announced the project. He is an almost legendary and rather mysterious character, with links to many Russian public figures: the Duma deputy Natalja Poklonskaja (ex-Crimean prosecutor), the hockey champion Pavel Datsjuk, the singer Aleksandr Novikov, and others, including several entrepreneurs and oligarchs, all ready to finance the grandiose project. Its construction...

The creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine in line with canonical principles is one way or another pushing people to get from under of Moscow's influence. It is not only spiritual support that Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) Kirill is losing as a result of the creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, it is also big money, says religious scholar Vita Titarenko. With each community leaving the ROC toward the Orthodox Church of Ukraine she believes Kirill is losing the income which had earlier been receiving from them. The creation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine...

Russian President Vladimir Putin during a visit to the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos on mount Athos sat in the chair, which previously could only occupy the Byzantine emperors. Putin said about the need to “strengthen the spiritual power of all the Orthodox” and declared the Greek mountain “a source of well-being and grace” for the Russian Orthodox world. Putin visited Athos, having participated in events in honor of the 1000th anniversary of the appearance of Russian monks on the Holy mountain. On the website of the Kremlin promptly a photo gallery, and Greek TV covered the...

In order to meet with the patriarch of Moscow, the pope has given support to Russia's policies in Ukraine and in the Middle East, disappointing the expectations of the Christians of those regions. As he did before in Cuba.

Western countries do not identify themselves with the Christian tradition and harass those who defend Christian values, said Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill on Wednesday at a meeting with US preacher Franklin Graham at the St. Daniel Monastery. "Russian Church during the Cold War was actively developing relations with Western Christians. We were living in difficult conditions of atheistic ideology and perceived Western civilization as Christian civilization. We appreciated the freedom in which they lived, Christians in the West, and considered them our brothers and allies" - said the Patriarch. He stressed with regret that in recent years...

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill said that he has “great expectations” of Pope Francis, because the Pontiff’s pastoral plan “coincides with our vision.” Patriarch Kirill made this comment as he met on December 18 with Cardinal Kurt Koch, the president of the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity, who is visiting Moscow this week. The Russian patriarch said that he was pleased to meet the Vatican official, remarking that he had “more and more opportunities to meet with Catholic prelates.” In November he had met with Cardinal Paul Poupard, Cardinal Angelo Scola, and Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, in a clear expansion of Vatican...

The rights of religious minorities, including Christians, are being infringed all over the planet and humanity must take measures to stop such instances, Vladimir Putin said at the meeting with Orthodox Christian leaders in Moscow. “In many of the World’s regions, especially in the Middle East and in North Africa inter-confessional tensions are mounting and the rights of religious minorities are infringed, including Christians and Orthodox Christians,” the Russian President noted, adding that such conflicts could lead to the most serious consequences. Putin called for immediate measures to prevent such situations. He added that Russia has tremendous experience in reaching...

ROME, MAY 14, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The Vatican Publishing House is publishing a book by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and of All Russia. This gesture follows a similar move of the Moscow Patriarchate, which last December published a book with texts from Benedict XVI regarding European culture. Now, the Italian-language book with addresses by the Russian Orthodox patriarch, titled "Liberta e Responsabilita alla Ricerca dell'Armonia" (Liberty and Responsibility in the Search of Harmony) will be officially presented on Monday at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan The work brings together the most important addresses on human rights given...

MOSCOW, May 18 (Itar-Tass) - Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, met Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday to discuss human rights. During the meeting, “Metropolitan Kirill gave Benedict XVI a greetings message from Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia that had been accepted with gratitude,” the press service of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate reported. Metropolitan Kirill told the pontiff about the Declaration of Human Rights and Dignity. He shared his impressions about the conference, “Give a Soul to Europe....

In what Rome could consider an early good omen following yesterday's death of Patriarch Alexei II, earlier today the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox church elected its point-man to the Vatican as the Moscow patriarchate's temporary administrator. Holder of the church's external-affairs portfolio, Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kalingrad will serve as locum tenens -- literally, "placeholder" -- for no more than six months, the point when the church's statutes dictate the election of a new patriarch must proceed. A former representative of the patriarchate to the World Council of Churches, the 62 year-old hierarch (right, with B16)...

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad has been elected the new head of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Council, which comprised clergymen, monks and laymen, announced on Tuesday the results of the voting for the post of Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia. Kirill has been temporarily in charge of the church since the death in December of Aleksy the Second. Kirill had previously been head of the external church relations department. He also hosted a TV programme popular among Russian believers and viewed on one of Russia’s main television channels. Kirill was an active supporter of the reunification between...