Russia/Ukraine: ROC states that war against Ukraine is ‘Holy War’

As reported by HRWF on 30 March 2024, on 27 March 2024 Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) leaders approved a document declaring the invasion of Ukraine to be a "Holy War." The declaration was made during a congress of the World Russian People's Council in which religious, political and cultural figures met in Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior and states: "From a spiritual and moral point of view, the special military operation is a Holy War, in which Russia and its people, are defending the single spiritual space of Holy Russia." The declaration went on to claim that the war had the goal of "protecting the world from the onslaught of globalism and the victory of the West, which has fallen into Satanism."

World Watch Research analyst Rolf Zeegers comments: “Even though it is well known that the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, is a supporter of President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, this declaration still marks a significant change. When Russia invaded on 24 February 2022, no one was allowed to use the word ‘war.’ It was simply to be understood as ‘a special military operation’. Using the word ‘war’ at that time could result in immediate arrest. Christians in Russia therefore had to be very careful. However, as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported on 22 March 2024, due to the high level of Western military support for Ukraine’s armed forces, the Kremlin has decided to officially speak of war. Now Patriarch Kirill and the ROC have taken this a step further by calling it a ‘Holy War’.”

Rolf Zeegers continues: “The war between Russia and Ukraine is dividing Christians in the region. You are either with Russia, or with Ukraine - there is no alternative. And no matter how the war will end, the effect of such nationalist influence upon the Christian community will be long-lasting; mutual forgiveness will be an uphill struggle.”