The head of the Russian orthodox church on Thursday called upon all parties involved in the Ukraine war to observe a truce for two days to celebrate Christmas. However, Ukraine dismissed the move calling it a trap.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, called on Russia and Ukraine to observe Christmas truce. "I, Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, appeal to all the parties involved in the internecine conflict to cease fire and establish a Christmas truce from noon on January 6 until midnight on January 7 so that Orthodox people can attend services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day," Reuters reported quoting Kirill.
The Russian Orthodox Church has about 100 million followers within Russia and more outside. But the February 24 invasion of Ukraine has divided the two biggest Slav congregations and added to a growing dispute within Slav Orthodox Christianity that goes back more than a
thousand years to the very roots of Russia and Ukraine, the publication reported.
The Russian Orthodox Church in Russia backs Russia's aggression on Ukraine and Moscow's stand that the war is a “Special military operation” over Ukraine.
Ukraine has dismissed the proposal calling it a trap. Reuters quoted Mykhailo Podolyak, A senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying, “The statement of the Russian Orthodox Church about the 'Christmas Truce' is a cynical trap and an element of propaganda." He called the Russian orthodox church 'war propagandist' that had incited mass murder of Ukrainians.
