Putin blamed the Nazis. The patriarch’s explanation also provoked strong reactions.

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The bells ring for worship at midnight. We are in the Ascension Church in Moscow. Priests with long beards come out of the church by train. They carry on large crosses while swinging on cups of incense. Behind follows a Slavic church choir. They trudge around the church, while people follow with lit candles.

This weekend, the Russians celebrated Orthodox Easter while the bombs rained down on Ukrainian cities. In Our Savior’s Cathedral, Patriarch Kirill led the Mass while President Vladimir Putin stood at the forefront and crossed himself.

The Church in Russia has wholeheartedly supported Putin’s war. The patriarch has come up with a very surprising reason why Russia had to invade Ukraine.