Finnish Orthodox Archbishop Elia has openly criticized Russian Patriarch Kirill for endorsing nuclear weapons with religious language. He called the justification 'shocking' and claimed it violates core Orthodox beliefs.
Holy words for state violence
Kirill, who is closely aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has portrayed the war in Ukraine as a 'holy war,' according to the Institute for the Study of War. On Saturday, he spoke of Russian nuclear weapons as an example of 'God's grace' during a religious service.
He added that the Soviet atomic bomb was created 'by God's grace and mercy.' He linked its development to the prayers of Saint Serafim of Sarov, a well-respected Orthodox figure in both Russia and Finland.
Divine weapons, mortal wrong
Elia dismissed the theology as completely false. He explained that Orthodox prayer always seeks global peace, not military success, and insisted there is no 'Orthodox nuclear weapon,' clearly defining the church's position.
He stressed that religious institutions should never celebrate weapons of mass destruction. 'The task of the church is not to bless weapons of mass destruction,' he wrote on the Finnish Orthodox Church's website.
A saint of peace used to justify war
Elia was most upset by the use of Saint Serafim of Sarov's name in this context. He described the saint as a man of 'love, forgiveness, and humility.' He said he 'embodied everything opposite to the current patriarch.' The Finnish leader called the connection a 'profound distortion.'
Serafim of Sarov is still one of the most honored saints in Russian and Finnish Orthodox communities. Now, his name is caught in a conflict that mixes politics and faith.