"From Western Ukraine?" Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church sparked a "patriotic" scandal involving a priest.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, sharply reacted to a priest's call to abandon patriotic rhetoric in addressing spiritual matters. In his address to the priest, he mentioned Ukraine.

A segment of the video was published by defrocked protodeacon Andrei Kuraev and journalist Ksenia Luchenko. According to Kuraev, the recording was made at the end of December 2024, while Luchenko claims it was recorded today.

Patriarch Kirill responded to the words of priest Alexei Shlyapin from Mozhaisk, who urged the church to focus on spiritual issues rather than patriotism, mocking him during a diocesan assembly of the Moscow Metropolitanate. Shlyapin stated that a priest's duty is to lead people to the Kingdom of Heaven, not to engage in patriotism.

"How wonderful. This is the first time I've heard such a thing. And you, Father, are you by any chance from Western Ukraine? Go and sit down, and seriously think about everything you've just blurted out," Kirill responded.

What is known about Patriarch Kirill

Patriarch Kirill (real name – Vladimir Gundyayev) has been the head of the Russian Orthodox Church since 2009. Despite his spiritual rank and the commandment against killing, he openly supports Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Kirill has:

• Blessed Russian soldiers for war against Ukraine;
• Justified the war crimes of the Russian Federation;
• Regularly consecrated military equipment heading to the front;
• Called for the killing of Ukrainians, referring to it as "defending the Russian world";
• Claimed that dying in war "washes away all sins".

For his support of the war against Ukraine, Patriarch Kirill has been sanctioned by several countries, including the United Kingdom and Canada. His position has led to condemnation from the global Christian community and resulted in the severing of relations between many local churches and the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Security Service and the Office of the Prosecutor General have gathered evidence against the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church Vladimir Gundyayev (known as Patriarch Kirill), who facilitates Russia's armed aggression and denies the war crimes of the occupiers. The SBU has informed him of suspicion.

Recently, "Telegraph" reported that Patriarch Kirill remarkably explained why Christians are not afraid of nuclear war.