Head of Russian Orthodox Church declares Ukraine invasion 'holy war'
The World Russian People's Council, led by Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill, has labeled President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine a “holy” effort, apparently aimed at bringing the region under Russian rule.
The declaration frames the war as a key moment in Russia's fight against the “criminal Kiev regime” and Western “satanism”, calling it a “special military operation”.
The WRPC, while officially separate from the Russian Orthodox Church, consists of many church leaders and civil figures.
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The decreepublished by the Moscow Patriarchate, emerged from a synodal congress on March 27 in the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior, with Patriarch Kirill presiding.
Addressed to the legislative and executive bodies of Russia, the document presents the war in Ukraine, which began in 2022, as a spiritual campaign to preserve the unity of “Holy Russia”, presenting Russia as a defender against Western intervention.
The decree elaborates on the concept of “Russian world”, emphasizing its spiritual and cultural importance beyond the current borders of Russia. It suggests incorporating Belarusians and Ukrainians as Russian sub-ethnic groups. It seems to compare the Trinity with the territories of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
Antoine Nivière, a professor of Russian civilization at the University of Lorraine in northeastern France, said The Croix International that the document is more than just a statement; it “outlines a kind of political program”.
“Its content is in total contradiction with the social doctrine that the Russian church adopted in 2000, which in particular rejected the notion of holy war and stipulated that religious leaders should oppose the government if it issued orders that contradicted the ethical and theological principles of Christianity,” Nivière stated. “With Kirill, none of this is respected.”
The document further advocates for asylum in Russia for those who uphold traditional values and calls for educational and humanitarian reforms to reflect Russian civilizational values.
Patriarch Kirill, initially hesitant about Russia's invasion, gradually condemned Ukraine and the West, attributing a spiritual meaning to the conflict. He commanded churches recite a prayer for St. Russianwith non-compliant clergy facing sanctions.
The WRPC document is closely aligned with Putin's political stance, mixing spiritual and temporal power. It advocates for Russia as a global protector against Western globalism.
The document promotes nationalist education reform by purging Western ideologies and aligning with Putin's education policy.
Sarah Riccardi-Swartz, an assistant professor of religion and anthropology at Northeastern University, said that Kirill frames the war as a metaphysical struggle against Western modernity, positioning Ukraine as the battlefield for that conflict.
The professor told the university publication Northeast Global News that Kirill's rhetoric includes blessing Russian military efforts and promising spiritual rewards for those who die in the conflict, which deviates from traditional Russian Orthodox doctrine.
Riccardi-Swartz believes that the historical narrative within Russian Orthodoxy views Russia as a spiritual defender against the Antichrist, a belief linked to the canonization of Tsar Nicholas II, who is seen as interceding for Russia in Heaven. This story supports the idea of Moscow as the third Rome, the ultimate stronghold of Christendom, she noted.
Konstantin Malofeev, a prominent businessman and pro-Russian separatist supporter, plays a key role in the WRPC as Patriarch Kirill's deputy, according to to EU Today. His views, reflecting doctrines of the late 19th and early 20th century, recommend an absolute monarchy and a state church, aligning with the “Moscow – Third Rome” ideology.
Riccardi-Swartz said the declaration of a holy war justifies and moralizes Russia's imperialist ambitions.
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