The Patriarch: not a Politician, but a Peacemaker

Milena Faustova
15/11/2011

From November 12 to 15, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch Kirill visited Syria and Lebanon.

At present, these two countries are populated mainly by Moslems. There are, however, quite a few Orthodox Christians there who still remember their centuries-old traditions.

The Orthodox Christians of Syria and Lebanon belong to the Church of Antioch, one of the world’s oldest Christian communities.

During his visit, His Holiness Patriarch Kirill visited old Christian churches and met local clergymen and ethnic Russians who live in Syria and Lebanon. However, he also had talks with several political leaders.

At present, both Syria and Lebanon are living through a very unstable period. Since March, Syria has been gripped with mass riots. About 4 thousand people have already been killed in clashes with the police. The West has introduced a number of different sanctions against Libya, including a ban on importing fuel oil. On November 12, the League of Arab States temporarily excluded Syria from its membership, to penalize the Syrian regime for suppressing public protests.

Anti-government riots are currently gripping Lebanon as well. In fact, both countries are on the brink of civil war.

The Russian Orthodox Church is against violent revolutions, be it in Syria, Lebanon, or anywhere else. In any country, any disputes between the government and the opposition must be solved only by talks, the Russian Church believes – otherwise, there is a risk of the sorry scenario of the Russian Bolshevik revolution of 1917 being repeated.

When Patriarch Kirill came to Syria, he addressed the local believers with the following words:

“Let God save your country from a bloody revolution and a civil war. We, the Russians, know too well what a civil war can entail. In the early 20th century, Russia experienced a fratricidal war between the supporters and the opponents of the Bolshevik regime. The consequences were disastrous. Let us pray for a revolution not to happen in Syria, but let us also pray for the life here to become more democratic. This is the only way to make people happy.”

“At the same time,” the Patriarch continued, “please don’t think that I have come here as a politician or a diplomat. I am nothing of the kind. I came here as a pastor.”

However, Russian analysts believe that even though His Holiness’s visit to Syria and Lebanon may not be political in nature, it may be of much help for a peaceful solution in both countries. In particular, this visit may weaken anti-Christian sentiment in the region, which, unfortunately, has been growing stronger in recent years.

Alexey Yudin, a lecturer at the Russian Humanitarian University, says:

“More and more Christians are currently fleeing Middle Eastern countries. The reasons are various – they may be political, economic or cultural. I hope that the Russian Patriarch’s mission will make Syrians and the Lebanese more tolerant.”

A peaceful dialogue between Moslems and Christians can do much to help build stability in the Middle East, and the Russian Orthodox Church can be the initiator of such a dialogue, analysts believe. After all, Russia is a country of many nationalities and many religious denominations – but there has never been a war on religious grounds here.

Patriarch Kirill’s visit to these two countries whose Orthodox Christians belong to the Antioch Patriarchy, is the third visit of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church to a brotherly patriarchy. In 2009, Patriarch Kirill visited the Constantinople Patriarchy, and in 2010 – the Alexandria Patriarchy.

Source: