Patriarch Kirill to Pope: “Don’t be Putin’s church servant”
On May 4, the Russian Orthodox Church (RPC) expressed dissatisfaction with the tone of Pope Francis’ address to Patriarch Cyril.
Francis called Cyril not to be a “Kremlin church servant.”
According to Reuters according to The statement said that, such situations can damage dialogue between churches.
The pope told the Italian newspaper Corriere Della Sera that, Ukraine Kirill, who blessed the war, should not become “Putin’s church servant.”
RPK reports that, directly between the two church leaders and It is disappointing that the pope spoke in such a tone after an open conversation.
A statement from the Moscow Patriarchate said that, “Pope Francis did not choose the right tone when talking about this conversation.”
The statement from the patriarchate did not mention the term “church servant”.
“Such statements are Roman Catholic and A constructive dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Churches is difficult, especially now that, to serve ”.
“The lost West”
Kirill, a 75-year-old Putin ally, called the war a “misguided West” in terms of accepting homosexuality. snowthinks it’s a struggle.
The Russian Orthodox Church is the largest group in the Eastern Orthodox Church community, which was separated from Western Christianity in 1051 by the Great Controversy. Currently in Russia, the Russian Orthodox Church and abroad 10It has up to 0 million followers.
The number of Orthodox believers in Ukraine is 30 million. Orthodox Ukrainians are independent with a church under the Moscow Patriarchate Ukraine They are divided among the Orthodox Church (UPK).
Francis Moscow president Although he said he wanted to meet with Putin, the Kremlin said there was no such agreement.
Moscow to Ukraine snowcalls the war a “special operation.” and reports that, The goal is to save Ukraine from the Nazis.
Kyiv and Western supporters of Ukraine say that, Russia this is without reason and wants to end Ukraine’s sovereignty with an unfounded war.
Kirill said this during a conversation with Francis that, Western media distorts the situation in Ukraine.
Not geopolitics, but the language of Jesus Christ
Kirill also claimed this that, The conflict in Ukraine began in 2014 after the overthrow of the pro-Moscow president of this country.
The patriarch also said that Russian-speakers were persecuted in Ukraine.
Reuters writes that, Kirill also expressed his sorrow over the military operations in Ukraine and he said that, on both sides of the front there are subjects of his church.
However, in an interview with the Coriera della Sera newspaper, Pope Francis described Kirill’s talks as a justification for the war.
According to the pope according tohe told the patriarch that, understands nothing of geopolitics and church leaders must speak the language of Jesus Christ.
Some priests of Patriarch Kirill and Russia to Ukraine by believers snowto his position on the issue of war according to is criticized.
Patriarch strategist and speaks like an officer
Although the head of the RPK did not speak in favor of the war, he repeatedly reiterated the Kremlin’s theses about what happened in Ukraine.
For this reason Ukraine the clergy and Some believers are demanding secession from the Russian Orthodox Church.
Meanwhile, AFP reported that, Patriarch Kirill Europe The union may be included in the sanctions list.
The head of the RPK told the pope in March NATO missiles Moscow and He spoke about the possible flight time to St. Petersburg.
He said that, Russia it cannot accept a reduction in flight time to a few minutes.
It is clear from the interview that, In return, Francis criticized Kirill for speaking as an official.
Kirill said this during the conversation that, at the end of the Soviet era NATO He promised Russia that it would not expand eastward.
USA and NATO They deny allegations that such a promise was made to Russia.