ST. PETERSBURG (Aftenposten): Putin is using God in the war against Ukraine, but the Russian church has a big problem.
Published: 04/05/2024 07:05
The short version
- Patriarch Kirill of Russia has declared that the war against Ukraine is holy.
The summary is created with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) and quality assured by Aftenposten’s journalists.
Short version is for subscribers only
At midnight on Saturday, the bells will call for church services across Russia. In the Cathedral of Our Savior in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill will preside over Mass as Russians celebrate Easter. He is the head of the Russian Orthodox Church. First, President Vladimir Putin will stand and cross himself.
Now the patriarch has declared that the fight against Ukraine is a holy war. Putin must be very pleased with the decision. He claims that Russia is a deeply religious society with traditional, conservative values, and that the Russians now defend this when they fight against Ukraine and the West.
Something is not right. Developments in Russia are not going as Putin hopes.
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