Patriarch calls on West to dialogue with him: “Prove your case”

Moscow, November 17, 2022

Photo: mospat.ru Photo: mospat.ru     

The political leaders of the West should be willing to have a dialogue with His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, rather than simply sanctioning him, the Russian primate said on Tuesday.

His statements came during a meeting with Catholicos-Patriarch Mar Ava III of the Assyrian Church of the East at the Patriarchal Residence at Danilov Monastery in Moscow, reports the Synodal Department for External Church Relations.

The Patriarch spoke about the history of relations between the two churches, noting that two Assyrian students are currently studying in Russian theological schools. He also stressed that the friendly relations between the churches have become particularly important in this difficult time for the whole world.

According to the Patriarch, radical anti-Russian political forces in the West are purposefully trying to hinder the activities of the Moscow Patriarchate on the international level.

“If the West is trying to limit the contacts of our Church with Western partners, then there is the question of why?” the Patriarch said. He continued:

During the Cold War, there was even less agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union, but contacts weren’t limited, including through Christian ties: Our delegations came to the United States, Americans came to us, we discussed both theological and political topics. And now considerable efforts are being made to limit our Church’s ability to be in dialogue with Western churches. Today the picture is completely different.

The president of Germany recently tried to get the World Council of Churches to exclude the Russian Orthodox Church, although this proposal was rejected, Pat. Kirill recalled.

However, “now an unprecedented decision has been made: not to let the Patriarch into the territory of the European Union,” His Holiness continued. “This didn’t happen even during the Cold War. The question arises: Why?”

The Patriarch didn’t specify when this decision was made.

Instead of bans, there should be an openness to dialogue, the Russian primate asserted:

If they’re right and I’m wrong, invite me on TV, enter into a dialogue with me, prove your case. They’re afraid of this, because the truth is on our side, not on theirs. They have a very weak position—in general, the position of isolationism is always weak. We’re open to communication with those who love us and with those who don’t love us.

In turn, the Assyrian Patriarch thanked Pat. Kirill for the Russian Church’s assistance to the suffering Christians of Iraq and throughout the Middle East.

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11/17/2022

See also
Lithuania bans Patriarch Kirill Lithuania bans Patriarch Kirill Lithuania bans Patriarch Kirill Lithuania bans Patriarch Kirill
Lithuania is the third country to impose personal sanctions upon His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, after England and Canada. Church spokesman: Attempts to scare the Primate of the Russian Church or force him to renounce his views are senseless, absurd, and futile Church spokesman: Attempts to scare the Primate of the Russian Church or force him to renounce his views are senseless, absurd, and futile Church spokesman: Attempts to scare the Primate of the Russian Church or force him to renounce his views are senseless, absurd, and futile Church spokesman: Attempts to scare the Primate of the Russian Church or force him to renounce his views are senseless, absurd, and futile
Although the European union has stopped short of such an act, the British government has placed His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia on its list of sanctioned persons. Patriarch Kirill can’t be intimidated by sanctions, says Russian Church rep Patriarch Kirill can’t be intimidated by sanctions, says Russian Church rep Patriarch Kirill can’t be intimidated by sanctions, says Russian Church rep Patriarch Kirill can’t be intimidated by sanctions, says Russian Church rep
Patriarch Kirill comes from a family and Church that is well acquainted with suffering for its faith, and so he can’t be intimidated by the threat of sanctions, says Russian Church representative Vladimir Legoida.
Comments
Panagiotis11/19/2022 4:38 am
This is a Noble gesture on the part of Patriarch Kirill. But to have meaningful discussions, you have to have honest noble people on both sides of the table. If history is any judge, then the other side of the table are NOT Noble. Take a look at what happened during World War II. France and the UK stated that they declared war on Germany because of Germany's invasion of Poland, I.E. they were protecting the Polish Nation. Why then did they not declare war on the Communist Soviet Union which also invaded Poland? Oh yes my friends, questions they don't like you to ask. The Soviet Communists rounded up Polish Officers and the leaders of Polish Society, and murdered thousands upon thousands in the Katyn Forest Massacre and other still unknown sights. Laventry Beria of NKVD gave the order. He was of mixed ethnic Georgian and ethnic Jewish descent. Joseph Stalin, the Georgian, approved of it. Western Powers were well aware that it was the Soviet communist monsters that did this, but they suppressed the truth, and let the Germans be blamed! Oh yes, anything to advance their agenda. Lies and deception. At the conclusion of World War II, Western powers let ALL OF POLAND be taken over by the Soviet communists, I.E. they NEVER cared about Poland!!! And they NEVER cared about the Polish People!!! This is what is happening now in the Ukraine. There are powerful internationalist forces that want to destroy conservative Russia and the conservative Russian Orthodox Church, and they do not want to hear anything. The internationalists don't care about the Ukrainian Orthodox People. I hope the editors print this comment of mine, even though it may not be politically correct. I am strong Orthodox, and I've always been, and I have no agenda except to state the truth. The no good liberal internationalists do not want the truth to be stated, and we see this in the West now and elsewhere, where they try to suppress the truth. This is what they are doing in the Ukraine, trying to suppress the truth. They planned the coup in the Ukraine, and they planned this war in the Ukraine. The liberal internationalists are unbelievably wealthy and powerful and cohesive. They have been winning victories for many years now, including when they murdered Holy Tzar Martyr Nicholas II and his family, and when they took over Holy Russia. The same forces are at work in Ukraine my friends. Same sinister and devious forces. May God help the Orthodox People. Just my humble opinion.
Editor11/18/2022 2:22 pm
Afanassy: Although the total sanctioning of Patriarch Kirill by the EU was voted down back in June, the UK nevertheless officially put sanctions against him in place (as you probably know). Other countries have taken actions against him individually, such as Lithuania (see https://cne.news/artikel/1500-patriarch-kirill-banned-from-entering-lithuania). Since Russians need visas to travel to the EU, if a country does not want to provide a visa, it simply won't. They can also turn people away even if they have a visa already. It doesn't have to be an official ban approved by the EU. Just as websites also have the right to ban comments at their own discretion. Keep that in mind.
Jesse Dominick11/18/2022 12:46 pm
Afanassy, in fact there is no "wrong information" in this article. Our article is based on a Russian article of what the Patriarch said, and we accurately reported //what he said//. What specifically would he want to dialogue about? That's a question for the Patriarch. As for being banned from entering the EU, we're also not aware of when this happened, and that's why the article says, "The Patriarch didn’t specify when this decision was made." Nevertheless, this is indeed what the Patriarch said, so our article is accurate.
Matthew11/18/2022 11:49 am
Raphael, the video is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUSXVI8aGMk
Afanassy11/18/2022 7:05 am
This article is filled with ambiguities; lack of specifics; and wrong information. Dialogue? (About what?) Sanctioning him? (Only the UK, Canada, and Latvia had done so, not "political leaders of the West" in general) Limiting Contacts? (Did not happen before the war in Ukraine: he could go anywhere). "Not to let the Patriarch into the territory of the European Union" (Not the case except for UK and Lithuania; and in fact, others refused to do that particular sanction: https://www.rferl.org/a/patriarch-kirill-sanctions-eu-ukraine-hungary/31880523.html; https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-patriarch-kirill-european-union-hungary-cea330ee156bfcd724383359459504f3; etc.) Prove Your Case (What "case" does he think needs to be proved?). =====================
Matthew11/18/2022 5:04 am
Being excluded from the World Council of Churches would actually be a good thing.
Max11/18/2022 12:00 am
The West is too insecure about their hegemony ending to have a dialogue. To the West, all outsiders must be crushed to ensure hegemony can continue. They are too prideful to admit any wrong doing. They are too diluted to realize they are wrong in general. Finally, they are also too cowardly to do so.
Raphael11/17/2022 3:22 pm
Where can we find a copy to this dialogue or video?
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