The ideology preached by Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church is very close to classical fascism.
This was stated by Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, theologian and publicist Kirill Govorun in an interview with the Freedom television channel.
According to Govorun, most fascist systems needed a great deal of time before their postulates were formulated and regulated. Kirill is now articulating these ideas more or less systematically and giving them a defined form.
The archimandrite stressed that the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church has created an ideological framework that encourages people to go to war to kill and die.
“Kirill is undoubtedly one of the main, if not the main, ideologue of the so-called ‘Russian world’. He provided the ideological framework for the war. Because weapons alone are not enough for war, and soldiers alone are not enough for war. War also requires ideas, ideological frameworks that encourage people to go to war to kill and die.
And these frameworks, unfortunately, were created by the Church. They were created personally by Kirill. This is his brainchild, his creation. And the latest book is simply another stone in this wall supporting the war,” the theologian said.
According to him, this could help, for example, in proceedings against war criminals and Putin’s accomplices in this war.
“This book could become part of the case against Kirill personally during such a trial or tribunal. By publishing this book, Kirill has greatly eased the task, for example, for the prosecution in a future tribunal against those who aided the war,” Govorun stressed.
Earlier, it was reported that the Moscow Patriarchate had published a new book by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Kirill (Gundyaev), titled War. Beyond Visible Causes and Consequences. In it, the Moscow Patriarch speaks of the “historical duty of Russians to be victors” and, in particular, justifies the aggression against Ukraine.
As is known, Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church stated that the creation of the atomic bomb in Russia came about through the prayers of St. Serafim of Sarov and called it “the grace and mercy of God”. In a sermon, the patriarch noted that scientists working in Sarov had created the Russian atomic bomb, “which stopped the enemy’s plans to destroy and enslave the Fatherland”.
According to LF, in November 2025 Patriarch Kirill Gundyaev stated that the military feat is “inseparable” from the spiritual one, and that participation in the war can be regarded as a form of Christian service. This attempt to justify the war through spiritual rhetoric provoked an immediate and strong reaction within church circles.
According to Regina Elsner, a researcher of Eastern Christianity and ecumenism and a Doctor of Theology at the University of Münster, the Russian Orthodox Church has become one of the key institutions for mobilization and propaganda.
Earlier, we reported that Pope Leo XIV and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I condemned attempts to use religion to justify violence.
