Patriarch Kirill, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, offered a Sunday sermon just days ago, supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s mobilization of 300,000 reservists to fight in Ukraine. In his sermon, Kirill promised that “sacrifice in the course of carrying out your military duty cleanses away all sins.”
The sermon echoes Pope Urban II’s infamous sermon 1,000 years ago summoning the Franks to crusade against the “infidels” in the Holy Land, promising: “Set out on this journey and you will obtain the remission of your sins and be sure of the incorruptible glory of the kingdom of heaven.”
(Read here.)
Comment by Seraphim on October 4, 2022 at 11:44 am
Thank you for this, particularly for mentioning “the Russian Orthodox Patriarch” rather than saying the Russian Orthodox Church. I am Orthodox, and it’s good for Protestants to realize that there is much dissent in the ranks in the Russian Church and that often when patriarchs make bad decisions they are doing so on their own, and they aren’t taking their church with them. The Orthodox are not papists. They are not required to follow their patriarch in theological deviation or schism, and a patriarch’s word does not change the Orthodox Way. Our life goes on. We pray, and we move on. The Church has had many bad patriarchs and schisms in the past, but the Way continues on til Kingdom comes. May God have mercy on us all! Thank you for your work.
Comment by George on October 4, 2022 at 6:59 pm
Once you mentioned Patriarch Kirill supporting Vladimir Putin in his war effort, I understood completely. For seventy years, the Patriarchs managed to hold on to their positions by never criticizing the communist leaders. Evidently, it’s a hard habit to break.
Comment by Star Tripper on October 12, 2022 at 10:51 pm
Not sure if they will get remission of their sins but participating in a war liberating Russian people from the tyranny of a Cabal/Soros installed government is not a bad thing.