Putin's Top Priest Urges Ceasefire to Russia-Ukraine War

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has called for a ceasefire in Ukraine on Orthodox Christmas, which is celebrated on January 7.

Kirill, 76, who has justified Putin's decision to invade Ukraine in February 2022 on spiritual and ideological grounds, issued an appeal on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church on Thursday.

"I, Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and of all Rus, appeal to all parties involved in the internecine conflict with a call to cease fire and establish a Christmas truce from 12:00 on January 6 to 00:00 on January 7, so that Orthodox people can attend services on Christmas Eve and on the day of the Nativity of Christ," he said.

Russia's state-run news agency RIA Novosti reported that the Russian Foreign Ministry said Ukraine has not said anything about a ceasefire.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also said that no proposals for a truce had been received from Ukrainian authorities.

The patriarch has, since the beginning of the war, justified the conflict by giving speeches about Russia as a "peace-loving power" that does not engage in "military adventures."

In June 2022, he said Russia was being "attacked" all over the world because of feelings of jealousy, envy and indignation. Kirill said he believed this was happening because Russia is "different."

The leader of the Russian Orthodox Church has issued multiple statements in favor of the war. In September, after Putin announced a partial mobilization in Russia, Kirill urged Russian citizens not to be afraid of death, as thousands began to flee the country to neighboring nations in order to avoid being conscripted.

"Go bravely to fulfill your military duty. And remember that if you lay down your life for your country, you will be with God in his kingdom, glory and eternal life," he told a sermon at the Zachatyevsky Monastery in Moscow.

He made the remarks shortly after Russian officials said up to 300,000 reservists would be called up to fight, declaring during his sermon that a person of "true faith" is not subject to the fear of death.

According to him, a person becomes "invincible" when there is a "strong dimension associated with eternity" in him, and he ceases to be afraid of death.

"Faith makes a person very strong, because it transfers his consciousness from everyday life, from material worries, to caring for the soul, for eternity," he said.

"Namely, the fear of death drives a warrior from the battlefield, pushes the weak to betrayal and even to rebel against their brothers. But true faith destroys the fear of death," he added.

The patriarch has also previously invoked the idea that Ukrainians and Russians are one people.

Since Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the Russian Orthodox Church's influence in the country has fallen, with some in Ukraine reportedly choosing to celebrate Christmas on December 25, according to the Gregorian calendar, as opposed to the Julian calendar.

Newsweek reached out to the foreign ministries of Ukraine and Russia for comment.

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