On 24 August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a new law that aims to deny Russia one of its major avenues of influence. The law explicitly bans the Russian Orthodox Church, which has long been entangled with the Russian security state, in Ukraine. However, in a more contentious move, the law also banned religious entities Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Russian Orthodox Church’
Ukraine advances ban on Moscow-linked Orthodox Church
Monday, July 22nd, 2024
Ukraine is progressing towards banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC), a move that Moscow sees as an attack on religious freedom. On Thursday, the Ukrainian parliament’s Committee for Humanitarian Affairs and Information Policy approved a draft law. This aims to protect national security and religious freedom. The legislative initiative was first adopted last October. It Read more
Putin draws Jesus parallel in advocating ‘traditional values’
Thursday, April 11th, 2024
Russian President Vladimir Putin has likened himself to Jesus Christ as he explained his mission to uphold ‘traditional values’ to children. In a video call to mark the opening of children’s centres near Moscow, he was heard speaking in overtly religious terms about the need to shape the worldview of young Russians. Putin emphasised the Read more
Ukraine officially moves Christmas observance to Dec 25
Thursday, August 3rd, 2023Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has signed into law a bill moving the official observance of Christmas Day to Dec 25 from Jan 7, when Moscow and the Russian Orthodox Church mark the holiday. Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, approved the measure — which also adjusts the dates of the Day of Ukrainian Statehood and the Read more
Patriarch Kirill agrees war cannot be holy
Thursday, October 27th, 2022His Holiness Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, met with World Council of Churches acting general secretary Dr Ioan Sauca, in Moscow on 17 October 2022. In addition to a public conversation, Patriarch Kirill and Dr Sauca had their own private audience to discuss Orthodox matters. Patriarch Kirill welcomed the guests, saying: “I Read more
Top Russian prelate says relations with Vatican are ‘practically frozen’
Thursday, October 6th, 2022Less than a month after meeting briefly with Pope Francis in Kazakhstan, one of the Russian Orthodox Church’s most senior prelates has said that relations between the two churches are more or less at a standstill. In an interview with the “Church and Peace” programme on Russian television station Russia 24, Metropolitan Anthony Sevryuk of Read more
Patriarch Kirill cancels Kazakhstan trip and chance to meet with Pope Francis
Monday, August 29th, 2022A meeting between Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, appears to be scrapped after the cleric, who has been widely criticised for his justifications for the invasion of Ukraine, pulled out of a meeting of religious leaders in Kazakhstan next month. According to Reuters, a senior Russian Orthodox official Read more
Pope meets Russian Orthodox number two before meeting with Patriarch
Monday, August 8th, 2022Pope Francis met Bishop Anthony, the second most influential leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, on Friday ahead of an expected summit next month with its Patriarch Kirill, who supports the war in Ukraine. It was their first meeting since Anthony’s predecessor, Hilarion, was ousted in June in an abrupt decision indicating discord at the Read more
The pope’s “Hail Mary” pass
Monday, March 21st, 2022
Russia’s brutal military attack on Ukraine continues. And with each passing day Pope Francis appears more and more frustrated that he and his Vatican aides can do nothing to stop it. No doubt, they are even more irritated that their continuous offers to mediate or facilitate discussions between the two countries, which the Cardinal Secretary Read more
It is not a holy war
Monday, March 21st, 2022
Archbishop of Wellington Cardinal John Dew says Pope Francis is deeply concerned about the invasion being justified as a holy war. In recent weeks, the Russia’s Patriarch Kirill has used religious language to justify his support for Russia’s military aggression. Even Kirill’s own supporters are looking elsewhere, says Dew. “The invasion has created new ecumenical Read more