Metropolitan Alexy: We waited for the Patriarch's support but it never came

Metropolitan Alexy (Shpakov) of Voznesensk and Pervomaisk said that after the start of the war, when the Voznesensk diocese was close to the front line, the believers of the UOC expected “a clear reaction from the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill”, but did not receive the anticipated support, writes politica.com.ua.

“With bated breath, our believers waited for what the Patriarch would say, waited with great hope,” said Metropolitan Alexy, because Patriarch Kirill is the Primate of the largest Orthodox Church in the world, whose churches are located not only in Russia, but also in dozens of countries worldwide. “According to the liturgical prescriptions, we called the Patriarch not only the ‘great master’, but also ‘father’, and therefore we expected a paternal word from him. Believers were hoping for words of support, waiting for the Patriarch to condemn the war and try to stop Putin. However, this did not happen,” the bishop stated.

Metropolitan Alexy explained that the Church has always acted and acts as an intercessor for the suffering in the face of the authorities or the aggressor. Protecting the suffering is a sacred duty of the Church, therefore, according to the hierarch of the UOC, thousands of believers “waited for the Patriarch to say his weighty word in defense of ordinary people, who had been sitting for months in basements without water and food under continuous shelling, who died amid terrible bombardments."

“The reaction of the believers of the UOC to the silence of the Patriarch can be put in one word – pain,” said Metropolitan Alexy. He noted that due to the silence of the Patriarch, virtually all parishes of the diocese turned to him with a request to stop commemorating his name during divine services.

“I want to emphasize that this was the desire of ordinary believers and priests, so to speak, a ‘movement from below’, initiated by people exclusively from the church environment. If I had been pressured from outside, I would never have succumbed to such pressure,” Metropolitan Alexy stressed.

As the UOJ wrote, the Cabinet approved sanctions against Patriarch Kirill and the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church.

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