Editorial of the “World”. The Orthodox Easter Festival, celebrated this Sunday, April 24, do not intervene at the most harmonious time for the churches of this confession. Inevitably, the Russian aggression against Ukraine, cradle of Slavic Christianity and important priesthood, also does damage in the relationship between clergy.
Kirill, Patriarch de Moscow and all the Russies, is a pillar of President Vladimir Putin – it’s a secret for anyone – and does abundantly echo his rhetoric on a Russia rampart of traditional Christian values devouted by The West. But the inflamed support that the patriarch brings to the Russian military offensive in Ukraine since February, including by statements of a surprising virulence for a man of church, has caused dissensions in the ranks of global orthodoxy. Kirill justifies the invasion of Ukraine by its “metaphysical” dimension; For him, it is an operation carried out against the “forces of evil” hostile to the unity of the people and the Russian Church.
If the patriarch was the only one to wear, on behalf of the Church, this speech of another age during the first five weeks of the offensive, he has recently given voice to the bishops, without doubt to galvanize the faithful who do not share all his enthusiasm for the “special military operation” of President Putin in Ukraine.
This mobilization of the Russian religious hierarchy hits Ukrainian orthodox. These are divided into two churches, one placed under the authority of the Patriarchate of Moscow, and the other, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, which refuses it; Following the annexation of Crimea and the occupation of the Donbass by Russia, it obtained in 2019 that the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomese, the Primus Inter Pares of the fourteen churches of canonical orthodox churches, grant him Autocephalus, that is, independence vis-à-vis Moscow. At the end of February, the synod of Ukraine bishops asked Kirill to intervene with the Russian power to stop the war, obviously without success.
Momentarily infrequently
In parallel, the Patriarchate of Moscow discreetly works with European Chancelleries so that sanctions against the Russian regime save the goods and representatives of the Russian Church abroad. Kirill wishes a lot to escape the diplomatic isolation that strikes Vladimir Putin; This is precisely this lever that those responsible for other religions should operate to put pressure on the Kremlin. If Mr. Putin and his entourage have become pairs, nothing justifies that the Kirill Patriarch who supports it so actively has the right to a favor.
Does the head of the Russian Orthodox Church have its place, for example, in the World Council of Churches? The question is legitimate. Just as legitimate are the questions about the opportunity of a meeting between Pope Francis and the Kirill Patriarch, scheduled in 2022 after their first interview, in Cuba, in 2016.
This project to which the Pope is very attached has not been abandoned despite the war in Ukraine: April 3, the head of the Catholic Church has yet indicated “working there”. But he has just suspended a meeting project with Kirill in June, in Jerusalem, because, he said on April 22, he could have “carried out a lot of confusion”. Although he avoids calling the war to Russia, the Pope sentences the day after day. The unconditional support of Kirill in Vladimir Putin rendered, at least momentarily, infrequently, even for François.