Putins altar boy: Why Ukraine war has caused a schism between churches

Pope Francis, the
head of the Catholic church, slammed the head of the Russian Orthodox Church recently
saying that Patriarch Kirill should not become “Putin’s altar boy,” an Italian
newspaper reported. The comment has triggered massive outrage from the Russian
Orthodox Church which cautioned the Vatican that such statements hurt dialogue
between churches.

The Russian
Orthodox Church further said it was regrettable that the Pope had adopted such
a tone a month and half after Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill had spoken
directly. The Moscow Patriarchy, in a statement, said, “Pope Francis chose an
incorrect tone to convey the content of this conversation.”

“Such statements
are unlikely to contribute to the establishment of a constructive dialogue
between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches, which is especially
necessary at the present time.”

Patriarch Kirill
and the Moscow Patriarchy has expressed its support to the Russian invasion of
Ukraine. The 75-year-old patriarch sees the Ukraine war as a bulwark against a
West he considers decadent, particularly over the acceptance of homosexuality, according
to a Reuters report.

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The Russian
Orthodox Church split from Western Christianity during the Great Schism of 1054.
Now it is the biggest church in the Eastern Orthodox communion and has around
100 million followers with Russia and more outside.

In Ukraine, there
are nearly 30 million Orthodox believers. They are divided between the
Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Moscow Patriarchate and two other Orthodox
Churches.

Patriarch Kirill’s
view on the Ukraine conflict is that it had begun in 2014 when protests led to
the ouster of a pro-Russian president. He cites the persecution of Russian
speakers in Odesa as one of the causes of the conflict. “Of course, the
situation is associated with great pain for me. My flock is on both sides of
the confrontation,” the Patriarchy quoted him as saying.

“How can we foster
the pacification of those fighting with the single goal of achieving the consolidation
of peace and justice,” Kirill said.