Patriarch on ROC’s stance on war: Many would prefer that we stay out of it

Meeting of the Moscow Metropolis. Photo: Moscow Patriarchate website

February 11, 2025 – During a meeting of the clergy of the Moscow Metropolis, Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church stated that the Church's role is to inspire the people and the state in military efforts. The Chrisma Telegram channel published a video of his speech.

Responding to a comment from priest Alexei Shliapin that the Church’s duty is not to promote patriotic narratives but to guide people to the Kingdom of God, the Patriarch advised him to sit down and reflect on what he had just "blurted out."

"During the times of bloody persecutions against the Church and then the Great Patriotic War, the Church did not dwell on its own difficult situation," the Patriarch said.

According to him, the Church did everything possible to inspire its people to fight, which led to "a radical change in the Church’s position in our country." However, the Primate of the ROC did not specify what changes or historical period he was referring to.

"The Church cannot be separate from its people; the Church cannot avoid responsibility for the fate of the country," Patriarch Kirill declared.

He assured that "many would prefer that we stay out of this." However, he argued that if the Church were to withdraw, it would mean rejecting the legacy of figures such as Alexander Nevsky, Dmitry Donskoy, St. Sergius of Radonezh, and "a whole host of our saints who were patriots and defenders of our homeland."

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Patriarch Kirill addressed whether a priest should lead people toward the Kingdom of Heaven.

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