Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill has called for normal political processes to resume in Ukraine.
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill has called for normal political processes to resume in Ukraine.
“Probably the most dangerous thing is that innocent blood is being
shed. The price of human life is becoming so meager and insignificant.
Any conflict can end in killing. Television shows us horrible pictures
of outbursts of uncontrollable armed forces which, among other things,
crudely dictates its will to the legally elected authorities,” the
patriarch said at the opening of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Supreme
Church Council on Wednesday.
“A man holding an automatic rifle and a dagger at a regional council
session in Rivne is the terrifying face of what is now going on in
Ukraine,” he said.
“So our prayers are first and foremost for the violence and threat of
force to end, so that a normal political process, the process of social
consolidation resumes. There is the Constitution, there are the laws,
certain democratic standards for common living and political process.
And it is very important for all this to be restored in Ukraine,” the
religious leader said.
The situation of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church is particularly alarming, he said.
“With God’s grace, so far there have not been kidnappings and we hope
there won’t be. We are praying for this and urging all those, who would
like to use the unstable political situation to resolve church issues,
not to do so, because the consequences will be the worst imaginable,”
Patriarch Kirill said.
The Synod of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church has decided to elect
Metropolitan Onufriy of Chernivtsi and Bukovyna as temporary
administrator of the Kyiv metropolitan department, and I approve of this
choice, he said.
“We believe that this is truly the manifestation of God’s will. I
would like to wish the Rev. Onufriy the strength in body and soul,
courage, patience, and support from the episcopate, the clergy and all
Orthodox believers. Likewise to the entire episcopate to the Ukrainian
Orthodox Church, the clergy and all Orthodox believers,” the patriarch
added.
