RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS



Monks have their own way of viewing conditions of war

PRAYER FOR KIRILL CONTINUES IN SVIATOGORSK LAVRA, SHELLED BY RASHISTS

RISU, 8 June 2022

 

Monks from the Sviatogorsk monastery of the Moscow patriarchate, which Russian troops have repeatedly shelled, are maintaining fidelity to the RPTs (Russian Orthodox Church) and they are praying for Patriarch Kirill's health, despite his blessing of the war against Ukraine and the widespread murder of Ukrainian civilians. This is reported by Apostrof.

 

During the shelling of the Sviatogorsk lavra, alongside the Severskii Donets river, Russian invaders have killed two monks and a nun, and several other persons were wounded. However this has not had an effect upon surviving monks. After all they continue to pray for Patriarch Kirill and for the "realization" of the Russian invaders, who in the opinion of the priests "probably do not understand what they are doing and are simply following orders."

 

At the same time, several monks totally refuse to believe that Russians are shelling them. "We cannot be sure whose side is striking. They are far away and not visible to us." That's what one of the monks maintains, who commented on another strike by occupying forces on the church of the Blessed Virgin.

 

Besides, the monks think that their troubles are not coming from the aggressor country of Russia, but they believe that "this is the Almighty's plan and not the decision of the Russian army."

 

In all, in the caves and basements of the lavra complex, now more than 300 persons are sheltering from the blows of Russian rockets. It is almost impossible to evacuate the monastery since following the continuous hostile shelling, all roads to the lavra have been bombed, like the complex itself. (tr. by PDS, posted 8 June 2022)

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