‘While the Patriarch of Moscow legitimises Putin’s war, some Russian Orthodox priests condemn it’

In 2020, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow consecrated the Main Cathedral of the Russian Armed Forces. A list of memorable battles and wars is flanked by angels. It concludes with “The Provocation of Peace in Georgia in 2008”, “The Return of Crimea in 2014” and “The Fight against International Terrorism in Syria”. There follows an empty space in which future victories can be inscribed. The effect is spine-chilling.

For President Putin, the new cathedral manifests a new vision of Russia. The church soars 95 metres into the air. It is metallic and khaki green. In the museum beside it, visiting families can see reconstructions of battles and Nazi trophies. The ceiling is decorated with red stars and the hammer and sickle. As well as the icons and angels on the walls, there are scenes from battles interspersed with biblical texts. The vision is clear: God is with Holy Rus in its battle against evil.
This is the same vision Patriarch Kirill agitates for when he insists that what is now happening in Ukraine is neither an act of invasion nor a conflict caused by Russian aggression. On the contrary, it is about the unity between Ukrainians and Russians, who emerged from the same baptism in the Dnieper river at Kyiv, who are jointly threatened by the West. The battle against the West is a battle against evil.