ROC priest: Church can’t save the interests of state

Christ did not serve the interests of any state, which means that the Church cannot act in the interests of politicians, said Archpriest Andrei Kordochkin of the Russian Orthodox Church in Madrid, Spain, in an interview with “Novaya Gazeta”.

"His (Christ's) ministry took place in a difficult era, in a difficult geopolitical situation, but it is as if He did not see the interests of countries, and states, He always saw the needs of the particular person who was before Him," Father Andrei said.

According to the archpriest of the Russian Orthodox Church, the Church must serve those who are near – its neighbours, that is its main task.

The priest also noted that the Church is alien to the principle of division "into friends and foes", and the Holy Gospel also speaks of this.

"Christ communicates with both Jews and Gentiles, and with the Samaritan woman – He does not divide the world into poles, and so the vision when a particular country is perceived as a 'city on a hill' is not close to me," said the Russian archpriest.

As earlier reported, Steinmeier rebuked the Russian Orthodox Church for supporting the war in Ukraine.

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