The Russian Orthodox Church's war stance has prompted some Ukrainian priests and parishioners to cut ties.
The Russian Orthodox Church has echoed the rhetoric of the Kremlin in justifying the war in Ukraine. It is a stance that appears to be driving large numbers of Ukrainian priests and parishioners to turn their backs on Moscow.
Like most clergy in the region of north-eastern Ukraine where he is from, Father Pluzhnik belonged to the branch of the Russian Orthodox Church which takes its direction from its religious leadership in Moscow.finally granted independence from the Russian Orthodox Church in 2019He says many fellow priests who followed Patriarch Kirill in Moscow are doing the same because of the Church leader's stance on the war.
"Patriarch Kirill blessed the Russian army and gave his blessing to the war. It was not just him but the majority of priests of the Moscow Patriarchate [Russian Orthodox Church] including some that even have Ukrainian roots. I was in shock." There are religious undertones in much of the Kremlin's narrative justifying its invasion of Ukraine. It is a fight for the conservative ideals of the Russian Orthodox Church based in Moscow, against an immoral outside world. President Putin has said Ukraine is not only an "inalienable part" of Russia's history and culture - but also its "spiritual space".
He was part of an extraordinary high-level, multi-faith delegation - including Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist leaders. They met refugees who had fled the horrors in the eastern part of the country. "And it has now expressed itself in this very uncritical support of Russian national ambitions, a very aggressive attitude towards many other Orthodox churches. The writing has been on the wall for some time," he said.Patriarch Kirill has echoed President Putin's claim that Russian speakers and followers of Moscow's Russian Orthodox Church living in eastern Ukraine need liberating after years of oppression.
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