Ukraine Is Now 'Holy War,' Russian Church Declares

[Nick1000]

Ukraine Is Now 'Holy War,' Russian Church Declares​

The Russian Orthodox Church has approved a document that deems President Vladimir Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine a "Holy War."

The declaration came during a congress of the World Russian People's Council in which religious, political and cultural figures in the country met at the site of Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior, a focal point for the Orthodox faith in Russia.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, also heads the council and is an ally of Putin. He has been criticized for providing a religious justification for the war and failing to unequivocally condemn the killing of people in Ukraine.

In February 2022, Patriarch Kirill said that Ukraine and Belarus were part of "Russian lands" and called the Ukrainians who were defending themselves against Russian aggression as "forces of evil," pitching the war as a battle for the future of Christianity.

Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) presents flowers to Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill in Moscow on February 1. The Russian Orthodox Church he heads has declared the invasion of Ukraine a "holy war."ALEXANDER KAZAKOV/GETTY IMAGES
"From a spiritual and moral point of view, the special military operation is a Holy War, in which Russia and its people, are defending the single spiritual space of Holy Russia," the document released on Wednesday said under the heading "special military operation," which is the official Kremlin term for the invasion.

Ukraine is now "holy war," Russian church declares

The Russian Orthodox Church said that the war in Ukraine is "defending the single spiritual space of Holy Russia."

www.newsweek.com

 

[Lukaris]

I had long felt that the world would become increasingly absurd for however long I may live. One thing I was terribly naive about is that I failed to realize was how brutal it could manifest itself. I wasn’t naive about the possibility of greater tragedy in the world but how brutality & absurdity could be so closely linked.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on us.

 

[JSRG]

The article only gives excerpts. Is there anywhere online where someone can see the full document?

 

[Lukaris]

I believe it can linked to the Patriarch of Moscow here ( it will translate):

Наказ XXV Всемирного русского народного собора «Настоящее и будущее Русского мира» / Официальные документы / Патриархия.ru

В ходе соборного съезда, который состоялся 27 марта под председательством главы ВРНС Святейшего Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла, был утвержден Наказ XXV Всемирного русского народного собора «Настоящее и будущее Русского мира» (Москва, 27-28 ноября 2023 года).

www.patriarchia.ru

I have been following the blog of Fr Ioann ( Burdin) who has supported peace since the beginning of the war on Ukraine. He has observations on the provisions of the document ( March 28th in his blog, should translate to English within CF).

МАРАН АФА Блог Иоанна Бурдина

Блог Иоанна Бурдина

t.me

.

 

[JSRG]

I believe it can linked to the Patriarch of Moscow here ( it will translate):

Наказ XXV Всемирного русского народного собора «Настоящее и будущее Русского мира» / Официальные документы / Патриархия.ru

В ходе соборного съезда, который состоялся 27 марта под председательством главы ВРНС Святейшего Патриарха Московского и всея Руси Кирилла, был утвержден Наказ XXV Всемирного русского народного собора «Настоящее и будущее Русского мира» (Москва, 27-28 ноября 2023 года).

www.patriarchia.ru

I have been following the blog of Fr Ioann ( Burdin) who has supported peace since the beginning of the war on Ukraine. He has observations on the provisions of the document ( March 28th in his blog, should translate to English within CF).

МАРАН АФА Блог Иоанна Бурдина

Блог Иоанна Бурдина

t.me

.

Thanks! For the convenience of future readers, though, here are his March 28 posts directly linked (the last one isn't really about the document but it was on March 28 so I'll include it):

МАРАН АФА Блог Иоанна Бурдина

"РУССКИЙ МИР" ВМЕСТО ХРИСТА? На сайте Московской патриархии опубликован "Наказ XXV Всемирного русского народного собора "Настоящее и будущее Русского мира". Собор проходил в Зале церковных соборов Храма Христа Спасителя. Председательствовал на нем патриарх Кирилл. Присутствовали делегации от...

t.me

МАРАН АФА Блог Иоанна Бурдина

(Начало выше) Здесь же вводится "доктрина триединства" ("русский народ состоит из великороссов, малороссов и белорусов", русские - это "потомки всех Восточных славян"). Но она, по сути, вторична, если русский - это человек любой национальности, принявший учение о "русском мире". 4. Семейная и...

t.me

МАРАН АФА Блог Иоанна Бурдина

Между тем запретили в служении отца Александра Востродымова. За "высказывания в интернете". Пока до Пасхи. Напомню, что отец Александр - один из священников подписавших в марте 2022 г. обращение с призывом к примирению и прекращению СВО. 11 января 2024 его вызывал на беседу правящий архиерей...

t.me

 

[rusmeister]

Thanks! For the convenience of future readers, though, here are his March 28 posts directly linked (the last one isn't really about the document but it was on March 28 so I'll include it):

МАРАН АФА Блог Иоанна Бурдина

"РУССКИЙ МИР" ВМЕСТО ХРИСТА? На сайте Московской патриархии опубликован "Наказ XXV Всемирного русского народного собора "Настоящее и будущее Русского мира". Собор проходил в Зале церковных соборов Храма Христа Спасителя. Председательствовал на нем патриарх Кирилл. Присутствовали делегации от...

t.me

МАРАН АФА Блог Иоанна Бурдина

(Начало выше) Здесь же вводится "доктрина триединства" ("русский народ состоит из великороссов, малороссов и белорусов", русские - это "потомки всех Восточных славян"). Но она, по сути, вторична, если русский - это человек любой национальности, принявший учение о "русском мире". 4. Семейная и...

t.me

МАРАН АФА Блог Иоанна Бурдина

Между тем запретили в служении отца Александра Востродымова. За "высказывания в интернете". Пока до Пасхи. Напомню, что отец Александр - один из священников подписавших в марте 2022 г. обращение с призывом к примирению и прекращению СВО. 11 января 2024 его вызывал на беседу правящий архиерей...

t.me

What this guy says is largely spot-on, but the this part seems to confuse Western civilization of 100+ years ago with today’s. Today’s Western civilization is in no wise a special champion of Christianity:

”
Отметим, что "христианский мир" близко связан с понятием "западный мир" и "западная цивилизация", которая, как традиционно считается, стоит на христианских ценностях.

Христианство принято называть связующим звеном, создавшим единую европейскую идентичность.

Документ, принятый собором, прямо противопоставляет "русский мир" западной цивилизации и "европейскую идентичность" - "русской".”

 

[Lukaris]

I actually believe if this was primarily a secular document was issued by the government & the Church maintained a more silent, but loyal, stance, the propaganda would be more beneficial for Russia. If it had empathy for Ukraine that would be a greater addition and might even make the possibility of peace less than a miracle. There is probably an aspect of actual legitimacy to Russian national survival to it since the west is hardly to be trusted. Ukraine can no longer be a pawn in this wretched power struggle and the Moscow Patriarchy does not seem to express sympathy or wisdom.

Just a raw observation on my part; I am not claiming any expertise.

 

[abacabb3]

War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.

 

[rusmeister]

War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.

It sure ruined my life and I didn’t even need to experience it close-up.

 

[ArmyMatt]

It sure ruined my life and I didn’t even need to experience it close-up.

Lord have mercy

 

[E.C.]

Well, yet another reason that I have zero respect for those who continue to affiliate with "Patriarch" Gundyayev who has clearly drank the Lubyanka kool-aid. Maybe in six months ROCOR will react just like how it took them four months to say that the war in Ukraine is bad

 

[Platina]

Sloppy reporting. The Russian CHURCH didn't declare anything. The World Russian People's Council is a public forum that includes all kinds of public figures and representatives of other religions as well.

It is chaired by the Patriarch, however, and of course has many other bishops as its members, but it's simply inaccurate to say the Church has said something here.

That being said, this document is delusional nonsense.

 

[cradleGO]

Does Christ care whether or not Moscow leads the Belarus and Ukrainian Orthodox? That is what the hierarchy of Moscow Patriarchate must consider. Isn't that what a church leadership should ask? IOW is asserting control over the Ukrainian Orthodox worth - in Christ's eyes - the death and dismemberment of 400,000 + Russian men and perhaps 150,000 + Ukrainian men?

Has Christ selected the Moscow Patriarchate to lead the Christian world? That is the ultimate meaning of the "Russkie Mir" - Russian World - fantasy. Don't think that is Scriptural, yet with their secular support, the protestants are happy to jettison its Sola Scriptura for Moscow's benefit.

The Holy War nonsense is worse than the Moscow church's patty-fingers with Stalin. This will linger over that church for many centuries. Satan has had the Moscow church by the throat for several centuries, too.

 

[rusmeister]

Sloppy reporting. The Russian CHURCH didn't declare anything. The World Russian People's Council is a public forum that includes all kinds of public figures and representatives of other religions as well.

It is chaired by the Patriarch, however, and of course has many other bishops as its members, but it's simply inaccurate to say the Church has said something here.

That being said, this document is delusional nonsense.

It’s on the Patriarch’s site. That certainly makes it look like the Church is saying it. Sure, it’s not a Synodal or Ecumenical statement. But it is being promoted by the head of the Russian Church. That means that it is, for the moment, what the practical decisions of those running things in the Russian Church are going to be aiming for. I’m plugged in to the significant dissidence to the Church’s involvement with war and politics within the Church. And when you look at the priests punished for praying for peace, then that makes it de facto realpolitik, even though the Church as a whole has not assented to it.

 

[Platina]

I hear ya, Rus. No doubt the Patriarch and at least some other bishops back this statement, but we have to be accurate in how we speak about it. This isn't a document of the Holy Synod or Council of Bishops, so we can't say it's a statement of the Church .

I know people who are convinced this whole story is just hype precisely because of this: "All these outlets are saying the Patriarch or the Church said this, but it wasn't the Church! It's all just hype!"

We gotta be careful to not give people these little hooks to cling onto.

 

[Nick1000]

I hear ya, Rus. No doubt the Patriarch and at least some other bishops back this statement, but we have to be accurate in how we speak about it. This isn't a document of the Holy Synod or Council of Bishops, so we can't say it's a statement of the Church .

I know people who are convinced this whole story is just hype precisely because of this: "All these outlets are saying the Patriarch or the Church said this, but it wasn't the Church! It's all just hype!"

We gotta be careful to not give people these little hooks to cling onto.

Russian troops are told by the Patriarch that if they fight for Russia against Ukraine and are killed they will automatically go to heaven and be forgiven for all their sins.

Is that a doctrine (or "church-approved "if "doctrine" is not the right word) of the Russian Orthodox Church?

 

[E.C.]

I hear ya, Rus. No doubt the Patriarch and at least some other bishops back this statement, but we have to be accurate in how we speak about it. This isn't a document of the Holy Synod or Council of Bishops, so we can't say it's a statement of the Church .

I know people who are convinced this whole story is just hype precisely because of this: "All these outlets are saying the Patriarch or the Church said this, but it wasn't the Church! It's all just hype!"

We gotta be careful to not give people these little hooks to cling onto.

Considering that Kyril Gundyayev is acting more like a Borgia than a patriarch and that he is the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and speaks for her, this does indeed make it a de facto endorsement.

Mr Gundyayev's lack of refuting this position is also concerning as well and shows the absence of morality in the Russian Synod. In my personal view, the man has become an Orthodox Jihadist.

Russian troops are told by the Patriarch that if they fight for Russia against Ukraine and are killed they will automatically go to heaven and be forgiven for all their sins.

Is that a doctrine (or "church-approved "if "doctrine" is not the right word) of the Russian Orthodox Church?

It is actually inline with Salafist Jihadist thinking.

 

[rusmeister]

I hear ya, Rus. No doubt the Patriarch and at least some other bishops back this statement, but we have to be accurate in how we speak about it. This isn't a document of the Holy Synod or Council of Bishops, so we can't say it's a statement of the Church .

I know people who are convinced this whole story is just hype precisely because of this: "All these outlets are saying the Patriarch or the Church said this, but it wasn't the Church! It's all just hype!"

We gotta be careful to not give people these little hooks to cling onto.

I hear what you are saying as well, and get it. The meaning of “the Orthodox Church as a whole” is of course not the same as “the current practical policy of a given national Church”. I think if we make that distinction then we are in the clear. People will still attack those saying it, but they won’t have those “hooks”.

 

[rusmeister]

Russian troops are told by the Patriarch that if they fight for Russia against Ukraine and are killed they will automatically go to heaven and be forgiven for all their sins.

Is that a doctrine (or "church-approved "if "doctrine" is not the right word) of the Russian Orthodox Church?

I just responded to Platina and made the distinction I think we can agree on. It is not a formal doctrine, but it IS current practical policy. The Patriarch’s support and words do carry a lot of weight.

 

[Platina]

Russian troops are told by the Patriarch that if they fight for Russia against Ukraine and are killed they will automatically go to heaven and be forgiven for all their sins.

Is that a doctrine (or "church-approved "if "doctrine" is not the right word) of the Russian Orthodox Church?

no