PATRIARCH KIRILL CALLS ATTEMPTS TO DIVIDE PEOPLES OF UKRAINE AND RUSSIA ROTTEN AND VILE
Interfax-Religiia, 9 March 2022
Patriarch of Moscow and all-Rus Kirill subjected outside forces to decisive condemnation for attempts to divide the Russian and Ukrainian peoples.
"Today the topic associated with Russian-Ukrainian relations has become a part of the big, or as is said, geopolitical issue, and one of the goals of this geopolitics is the weakening of Russia, which has become a strong and really mighty country. But it is so rotten and vile to use, in the implementation of these geopolitical goals, a fraternal people, and so horrible to stir up this people against their brothers, and so horrible to arm it to join a struggle with brothers of the same blood and the same religious faith," the patriarch said on Wednesday after the liturgy in the church of Christ the Savior.
In his opinion, Russians and Ukrainians are "essentially one people," and very strong, at that, and "frightened by this strength the neighbors began doing everything they could to divide this people." The patriarch thinks that all those who are doing this are enemies of both Russia and Ukraine, "and that means they oppose God's will, which is always intended for peace, brotherhood, and love."
Patriarch Kirill noted that "the enemy of humankind, through specific people and through specific associations of people, injects falsehood into relations between our peoples," and on the basis of this falsehood a conflict develops.
"Wherever the devil is, there always is falsehood," he continued. "And today such an enormous amount of falsehood is being spread and a new word has even appeared, 'fake,' as a synonym for falsehood." Meanwhile, in the patriarch's opinion, "these are not fakes, these are not tricks, but they are the usual devilish falsehood," and it is necessary to be very vigilant about everything being said nowadays.
Patriarch Kirill recalled that in olden times, when Russian principalities fought internecine battles among themselves, the church, including Sergius of Radonezh, prayed for the unity of Holy Rus, and it has also called today for taking the path of Saint Sergius, praying that "no forces will be able to divide our people." (tr. by PDS, posted 9 March 2022)
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