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| Patriarch Kirill | Credit: Reuters |
Patriarch Kirill, leader of Russian Orthodox Church says the war Russia is waging against Ukraine is that of brothers fighting against each other and soldiers from the Russian military killed in the war will be cleansed of the sin they commit.
Kirill's message is aimed at rallying support for a plan by the Russian President Vladimir Putin to mobilize hundreds of thousands of reservists, mainly young men to participate in the war after protests broke out in some regions over the decision.
Reuters reports that in a speech on Sunday, Patriarch Kirill prayed for quick resolution of the dispute but declared that those who engaged in the war are partaking in a duty they need to fulfil.
"The Church prays that this battle will end as soon as possible, so that as few brothers as possible will kill each other in this fratricidal war," Kirill declared.
The leader of the Church is a strong supporter of Putin and has defended the invasion against Ukraine alongside criticizing those who are against the war, despite opposition from other wings of Orthodoxy around the world, as head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has continually declared that God does not support war in any form.
Speaking further, Kirill said, "But at the same time, the Church realises that if somebody, driven by a sense of duty and the need to fulfil their oath ... goes to do what their duty calls of them, and if a person dies in the performance of this duty, then they have undoubtedly committed an act equivalent to sacrifice.
"They will have sacrificed themselves for others. And therefore, we believe that this sacrifice washes away all the sins that a person has committed."
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