Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church, who celebrated Christmas alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin, stated today that the Western world harbors hatred toward Russia and the “alternative path of civilized development” it has chosen.
Russian Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7, following the Julian calendar.
Patriarch Kirill, a vocal supporter of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, blessed religious icons and crosses that will bear President Putin’s initials, intended for soldiers fighting in Ukraine for the past 34 months, according to Russian news agencies citing Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov.
“Russia is a provocation for powerful countries, not because of its nuclear capabilities or its strength,” Kirill said, according to news agencies.
“They hate us because we offer a different, alternative path of civilized development,” Kirill remarked in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which was rebuilt in the 1990s on the site of a swimming pool, following its destruction by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in the 1930s.
“The West is in moral meltdown,” he said, adding that Russia has shown the world how to combine science and culture with literacy and faith.
“They cannot defeat us, no matter how hard they try through defamation or by forming coalitions aimed at weakening Russia. None of this will succeed because God is with us,” he concluded.
Putin has sought support from the Church for the war in Ukraine and has condemned what he describes as Western decadence, including the promotion of gay and transgender rights.
In his Christmas message, the Russian President praised the Church for its role in “strengthening the institution of the family, raising young people, and affirming moral ideals.”
