Russian Church expresses solidarity with Muslims who protested in Grozny

Moscow, January 21, Interfax – The Russian Church believes the recent rally in protest against ‘insults towards people’s religious feelings’ held in Grozny is important, as is the fact that Orthodox Christians took part in it.

“Let’s not forget that the Russian Northern Caucasus has become a target of religious extremists and terrorists more often that the other regions in Russia and the world, and for this reason, it is important to hear the people who have taken to the streets of Grozny,” Vladimir Legoyda, the head of the Synodal Information Department, was quoted by his press service as saying.

According to earlier reports, over 1 million people took part in a rally protesting against the publications of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in Grozny on Monday. Among the rally participants was Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya. A similar protest was held in Ingushetia on Saturday. It had approximately 15,000 participants.

Legoyda said among those who took part in the rally were several Orthodox archbishops and priests, “who thus showed their deep respect for the dignity of Muslims, which is threatened by the freedom of expression raised to the absolute degree.”

Legoyda reiterated that believes have full rights to state their positions and Russia’s Muslims used this right “by openly saying that they do not share the popular idea of freedom as permissiveness, priority of such ‘freedom’ over morals and the values of religious traditions.”

“I am convinced that not only a believer, but a person raised in the traditional European culture will never laugh at things that are holy to his neighbor. What is called religious peace, both in Russia and outside it, has always been based on this foundation,” Legoyda said.

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