Blowback escalates against one of Putin’s few remaining allies
The other day I wrote how some of the leadership in the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) such as Patriarch Kirill have decided to ally themselves with Vlad the Invader is doing in Ukraine and are complicit in the invasion. I noted how Kirill was blaming groups that don’t toe his religious line for the invasion of Ukraine. Now Kirill is facing a bit of blowback for his behavior.
While Pope Francis has so far played his cards close to the cassock regarding the ROC, other Catholic leaders are not as circumspect in their criticism of Kirill or the ROC, along with trying to reach out to Kirill directly to try to talk sense into him. Many in the larger Orthodox world have criticized Kirill’s behavior in recent days. Even those who had traditionally allied with Kirill and the ROC are making moves. The Russian Orthodox Church in Amsterdam has decided to break away from Moscow over Kirill’s words and deeds. A dozen Russian Orthodox dioceses in the Ukraine removed Kirill’s names from the prayers in the divine liturgy upon direction from their bishops.
Even inside the ROC clergy have risked their church careers and for those in Russia even their personal safety standing up to Kirill and the Russian government by signing a letter calling for a ceasefire. As an Orthodox priest in Madrid who signed the letter noted, the letter uses the word war four times, something Russian media is forbidden from doing. Those clergy in Russia are very vulnerable now, along with their families.
I’m glad to see that people are taking a stand against the naked aggression of Vlad the Invader and his lackey Kirill. Lord knows the people of Ukraine need our support and help, but Russians standing up to Vlad and Kirill also need our help and support in these difficult times.
