Department for External Church Relations
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Patriarch Irinej of Serbia expresses his concern over cases of hostility shown towards the Russian Orthodox Church
His Holiness the Archbishop of Peć, Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci, Serbian Patriarch Irinej sent a letter to His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, in which he expressed his concern over cases of hostility shown towards the Russian Orthodox Church and condemned the blasphemous actions committed in Russian churches. The Primate of the Serbian Orthodox Church emphasized that no political or other reasons could justify this behaviour.
The text of the letter is given below.
Your Holiness, beloved Brother in the Lord:
I wholeheartedly greet Your Holiness and wish you and the whole Russian Church peace and God’s abundant grace!
Our Holy Church was upset and outraged about the blasphemous action committed in the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Saviour and about the support that some madmen in Russia and Ukraine provided to the blasphemers by desecrating God’s churches and profaning the image of the Holy and Life-giving Cross.
We resolutely condemn these vile and impious actions which cannot be justified by political or other reasons. They vividly remind us of the terrible crimes committed by impious people in the 20th century. The attempts of certain mass media to justify these actions hurt the feelings of the Serbian faithful.
But we know that “God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Gal 6:7) and that “like the crackling of thorns under the pot, so is the laughter of the fools” (Eccl 7:6).
It must be clear to all the faithful in the world and to anyone who respects other people’s beliefs that such actions are inadmissible. The Serbian Church is concerned about this situation and prays to God and His Most Blessed Mother to grant peace to the Russian society and enlighten our brotherly Russian people.
May the All-Merciful Lord give Your Holiness, archpastors, all-honourable clergymen, monks and nuns, and all the faithful of Your Holy Church His almighty help and wisdom in these hard times.
Brother and Concelebrant of Your Holiness at God’s Altar,
+Irinej
Archbishop of Peć
Metropolitan of Belgrade and Karlovci
Serbian Patriarch
Patriarch
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