Russian Orthodox No. 2 barred by Kiev

The Orthodox Church in Russia has protested to Kiev after one of its top leaders was denied entry to eastern Ukraine amid tension over last Sunday’s pro-Russian referendum ballots, write Jonathan Luxmoore and Christa Pongratz-Lippitt.

“We are perplexed and deeply regret this decision, taken in circumstances where people are being subjected to severe tests in Ukraine,” the Moscow patriarchate said on Tuesday. “The Russian Orthodox Church is doing everything possible to achieve peace and harmony in the country, and to promote dialogue.”

The patriarchate said Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, who heads its foreign relations department, was “arrested” by airport border guards at Dnepropetrovsk last Friday when he arrived to celebrate the birthday of the local Orthodox bishop, Ireneus. It added that the 47-year-old metropolitan was given “formal written notification” of his persona non grata status, and greeted Bishop Ireneus instead at the checkpoint before flying back to Moscow.

Meanwhile Cardinal Kurt Koch told the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine this week that the Christian Churches bore a special responsibility in the present situation in the Ukraine. “The more they jointly raise their voices, the more they will be able to contribute towards a peaceful solution,” the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity emphasised.