Moscow explains why the Russian Orthodox Church is afraid of the arrival of the Ecumenical Patriarch
Protodeacon of the Russian Orthodox Church Andrey Kuraev said this in an interview with Glavkom.
"If you don't want to meet a person, then don't meet them. But why interfere or threaten others? Like, some musical group is coming to your country that you don't like. They came to your country, but not to you. And what, you can't do without setting fire to the concert hall?", notes Kuraev.
The protodeacon stressed that it is the highest measure of obscenity when pastors refer to the fact that their flock will be outraged. "It is despicable to hide behind people whom you have raised yourself and whose pastors you consider yourself. If you think that in such a serious issue it can even come to shedding blood – your students can prove themselves so badly, then this is a verdict on the teaching talent of even Uniates, even the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate," Kuraev summed up.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew confirmed his intention to visit Ukraine in response to the invitation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The visit is expected to take place in August and will be timed to coincide with the Independence Day of Ukraine. Patriarch Bartholomew has already visited Ukraine in 1997 and 2008.
