The Primate of the Russian Church declared that despite the suffering experienced by believers in Ukraine, the canonical Church is not becoming weaker.

On May 16, 2021, the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, said that church division in Ukraine brings suffering to people, reports the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church.

During a meeting with the episcopate of the Orthodox Church of Moldova, held at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow, Patriarch Kirill expressed his vision of the church situation in Ukraine.

The Primate said that he receives a weekly report of the offences that are taking place in Ukraine in relation to the believers of the UOC. According to him, people experience suffering because of the church division, and the matter often comes “to violence, to beatings, to the struggle for churches”.

However, the Patriarch said, “the church people are sensitively aware of the destructive temptations and do not accept them”, and the canonical Church in Ukraine “does not diminish in any way, does not become weaker – new parishes and monasteries are opening, the number of the clergy is increasing”.

“Nevertheless, of course, separation brings real suffering to people,” resumed the Primate of the Russian Church.

As reported earlier, Patriarch Kirill believes the schism in Ukraine is a deliberately provoked conflict.