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29 April 2022, 16:44Russian Orthodox Church indicates interest in achievement of lasting peace in Ukraine
Moscow, April 29, Interfax - The Russian Orthodox Church stands for a peace which would resolve issues at the root of the conflict in Ukraine, head of the Synodal Department for Church, Society and Media Relations Vladimir Legoyda said.
"The Church forms its stance not on the basis of political approaches and views. Its stance cannot diverge from the Gospels. If it diverges, it will stop being the church's stance. But it does not mean that the Church completely disregards geopolitical factors. They are ultimately a result of human actions and the Church gives a moral evaluation of such actions in one way or another," Legoyda said in an interview published by Rossiyskaya Gazeta on Friday.
The crisis in Ukraine did not emerge yesterday, he said. "Following the Gospel, it [the Church] is bound to take a peacekeeping stance," he said. "But, I believe, everyone wishes it would be a peace that resolves all issues lying at the root of this tragic conflict instead of just providing an opportunity to take a break for a while. We need peace during which brothers would refuse to look at each other through a gunsight, [...] there are forces and people really committed to not letting that happen. By the way, those people also talk about peace a lot, but constantly delay it with their actions," Legoyda said.
According to Legoyda, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia explained it during his recent conversations with Pope Francis and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, as well as Patriarch Porfirije of the Serbian Orthodox Church. |
