Patriarch Bartholomew Condemned the Russian Orthodox Church’s Position on the Conflict in Ukraine

During a recent service at the Church of Saint Paraskevi in the Hasköy district of Istanbul, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople criticized the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church. In his sermon, the head of the Church of Constantinople condemned the concept of a “holy war” used to justify military operations on Ukrainian territory.

According to Fos Fanariou, Patriarch Bartholomew expressed outrage that church leaders in Russia are blessing weapons and promising eternal life to soldiers going to war against their “brothers in faith.” According to the Patriarch, a war against a neighbor, waged under religious slogans, contradicts the very spirit of Christianity and constitutes a distortion of the Gospel truth.

“Unfortunately, war is often waged in the name of the Prince of this World, as is the case with long-suffering Ukraine, where the Russian Federation has turned against its fellow Christian neighbor,” the Patriarch emphasized in his address. He also noted that today, just as in ancient times, the Christian faith is being put to the test, and the truth often faces pressure and persecution throughout the world.

As a reminder, Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople previously stated that he does not intend to convene a Pan-Orthodox Council on the issue of Ukrainian autocephaly.