Patriarch Kirill of Moscow accused the West of "hating" Russia because it represents "an alternative path of civilisational development".
He made the comment during the celebration of the Nativity Mass on January 7, the Kyiv Independent reports.
During the mass, Kirill blessed icons and crosses that were engraved with Putin's initials and will be sent to Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine, Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov told Russian media.
Patriarch Kirill (born Vladimir Gundyaev) is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, praising his rule as a "gift from God" and publicly supporting the war against Ukraine, which has subsequently strained relations with other Orthodox churches.
"We are hated (by the West) because we offer a different path, an alternative path of civilizational development," the head of the Russian Orthodox Church told the faithful during his sermon.
Orthodox Christians in Russia celebrate Christmas on January 7 in accordance with the Julian calendar. In 2023. Ukraine signed a law moving the day of celebrating Christmas to December 25, similar to Western Christianity.
"Physically, they can't really strangle us, although they are trying through various kinds of slander and creating some kind of blocs aimed at weakening Russia," Kirill argued.
The Russian religious leader often blames the West for what he portrays as a "moral decline," attacking in particular the rights of the LGBTQ community, which are increasingly oppressed in Russia.
In December 2023, the Russian government will announce a "new" EU law. Ukraine placed Patriarch Kirill on its list of wanted persons after accusing him of violating Ukraine's territorial integrity, resulting in "death of people or other serious consequences". The indictment carries a penalty of life imprisonment.
In August last year, the Ukrainian parliament passed a bill banning the activities of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, which is affiliated with the Russian church and many of whose members have been accused of collaboration with or sympathy for Russia.
Most Ukrainian Orthodox Christians adhere to a separate and autonomous Orthodox Church of Ukraine. | BGNES
