Earlier this month, Russian police raided a prominent Baptist minister’s home for criticizing the military. But before they could arrest him, he slipped out of the country. We spoke with him as he recalled his ministry and courageous defiance.
When the war started, most priests remained silent, fearing pressure from the church and state authorities; only a small fraction have spoken out. Of more than 40,000 clergymen in the Russian Orthodox Church, only 300 priests signed a public letter calling for peace in Ukraine.
Keeping channels for dialogue open with the Kremlin, Pope Francis has bucked the Western world's refusal to take a mediated approach to ending the Ukraine war.
The explanatory note attached to the law said its goal is to “abandon the Russian heritage,” including that of “imposing the celebration of Christmas” on Jan. 7.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed Biden would meet with Zuppi on Tuesday to “discuss the widespread suffering caused by Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine."
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine has further cemented its split from the Russian counterpart it used to be a part of by adopting a new liturgical calendar.
Ukraine's top security agency said Metropolitan Pavel, the abbott of a famed Orthodox monastery, was suspected of justifying Russian aggression, a criminal offense. It was the latest move in a bitter dispute over .