Filipe d'Avillez Profile picture
Sep 13 11 tweets 6 min read
1) Right... These excerpts are from Patriarch Kirill's sermon yesterday, so in the wake of massive setbacks for Russia in Kharkiv.
To be very honest, I just can't tell at the moment if he is being serious or cynical, and hoping we read between the lines...
2) "Today is such a time – a time of anxiety, even very disturbing. And we must pray that all dangers will pass our Motherland, that those who dream of crushing Russia as an independent, truly independent state will be left with nothing."
3) "Today, the time has come when we should especially pray for our Fatherland, for our President - what difference does it make what the head of state is called!* for our army."
*Referring not to name, but to title (Grand Duke, Czar, or President)
4) "Russia has a special historical path. (...) today this special mission is returning and placed on the shoulders of our people."
5) Recalling the Grand-Dukes of the past, who were both military and Church leaders, he says: "Probably, such a combination is a guarantee that a country with such leadership will never commit war crimes."

Yes, you read that right...
But he goes on...
6) "Because if at the head of the Fatherland, at the head of the army is a saint, or maybe not a saint, but a believer, Orthodox, baptized, aware of his responsibility before God, Church and country, the country is guaranteed against all kinds of military adventures,
7) the country can be sure that the sword at his hip will be drawn only when it is morally, morally and even spiritually justified."

What?!?! Is he cynically saying that Putin is no Christian, and that is why Russia is in this mess? Please, let that be what he is saying...
8) "We live in a very difficult time, and therefore our special prayer is for the head of our state, for Supreme Commander Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, who has a special responsibility, as well as for all military leaders and those who are in authorities.
9) So that the Lord would make wiser, strengthen, enlighten, protect from sins and mistakes and at the same time inspire actions that would bring protection to our Fatherland from all external, even perhaps the most dangerous and terrible threats."
10) Again, no idea what tone this is supposed to be read in. No idea. But it certainly is noteworthy...
Which is why you can read the whole thing on the blog, here: actualidadereligiosa.blogspot.com/2022/02/war-in…

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More from @Favillez

Sep 14
1) In today's edition of "Did he seriously just say that?", Patriarch Kirill continues to baffle us and make us wonder exactly which side he's on as, in a message to the Congress of Religious Leaders that he snubbed, he blames dictators for leading humanit to destruction.
2) "The path of dictatorship, rivalry and confrontation chosen by some rulers of this world is leading humanity to destruction. And under these conditions, it is faith that can sober people up, return them to the path of dialogue and cooperation"
3) Before that he blamed conflicts on attempts to build a world without values. "Added to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic are food, energy and economic problems caused by attempts to build a world without moral values.
Read 7 tweets
Sep 12
1) Just added excerpts from two sermons by Patriarch Kirill, of Moscow.
Although he does not refer directly to the war in Ukraine, there is a lot of talk about Russia's special mission in the world, and how Russia is the only state which still distinguishes right from wrong.
2) These could be read only as criticism of relativism, but with Patriarch Kirill's track record, I thought they were worth adding to the list, since they contribute to the overall rhetoric of a messianic Russia, destined to unite historic Rus'.
Some excerpts
3) "even today, as we know, not everything is calm in the world. And in a sense, a very special service, undoubtedly by the will of God, is now being given to this city and our country. Because the strength of modern Russia is capable of resisting many forces, including those
Read 14 tweets
Sep 12
1) Several statements by Major Arch.Shevchuk added, including an interesting one where he effectively accuses Russia of deicide.
Some excerpts follow
2) In a sermon regarding the parable of the vintners who kill the owner's son:
"How often we see today in the life of individual states and even at the level of international relations, that the power of law is replaced by the right of the strong. What does someone who thinks he
3) is strong do? He kills and destroys the weak, because he thinks that he can appropriate for himself what he should give to the needy and defenceless"
Then adding:
"This word of God about violence in man's attitude towards God, I think, resonates in a special way in the ears
Read 13 tweets
Sep 12
1) Some pretty ferocious words by Metropolitan Epiphanius, from the autocephalous Ukrainian Orthodox Church over the past 10 days.
I'd call attention specially to his sermon on the Feast of the Martyrdom of John the Baptist, with some sharp criticism of Kirill, of Moscow.
2) He compares the choice that John had with the one Ukraine was presented with by Russia.
"Both enemies and friends believed that Ukraine would be able to withstand this onslaught for only a few days, at best – a few weeks. Before us then, in February, at the beginning of March
3) we faced a choice similar to that of John the Baptist: personal safety or truth? Cease resistance in order to save your life at the cost of slavery to the evil empire, or fight, knowing which way is the price of freedom?
We, as a people, chose truth and freedom"
Read 15 tweets
Sep 12
1) Metropolitan Onufry, of the Ukrainian Orth. Church (Moscow Patriarchate) continues to speak about the war quite rarely, at least in the excerpts of his sermons which are published on the website.
However, he did so again a few days ago.
2) "May the prayers of Saint Theodosius and all the Pechersk fathers, whose memory we celebrate today, help us overcome all the trials in this earthly life, so that the Lord may send peace to our land, so that people will come to their senses and stop killing each other"
3) This and other statements on the blog
actualidadereligiosa.blogspot.com/2022/02/war-in…
Read 4 tweets
Sep 2
1) Added several pages of comments by the head of the UGCC, Major Arch. Sviatoslav Shevchuk, from over the past three weeks.
Here are some highlights.
2) From a daily video address: "During war, we can feel a certain devaluation of human life. Sometimes our conscience is dulled when we hear about dozens killed and hundreds wounded. But every person killed is a tragedy. This is the failure of humanity."
3) To the mothers of soldiers: "We are with you in this painful moment. We honor the high price your child paid for the freedom and independence of our Motherland. Thank you, Mother, for understanding the value of your son or daughter's sacrifice."
Read 25 tweets

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