FORGOTTEN HISTORY: 2 - Caught on Camera

Ukraine searches monastic complex, prompts anger in Moscow

Ukraine’s counter-intelligence service, police and the National Guard have searched of one of the most famous Orthodox Christian sites in the capital, Kyiv

The Independent UK · Nov 22, 2022

Russian Orthodox Church calls Ukraine monastery raid 'act of intimidation'

The Russian Orthodox Church said on Tuesday that searches conducted by Ukrainian security services at an Orthodox monastery in the capital Kyiv were an "act of intimidation".

Reuters · Nov 22, 2022

Homophobia as a wartime marketing tool: Some Russians fear the West will make them gay

The Russian Book Union recently sent a letter to the Russian Duma, one of the chambers of the country’s parliament, expressing concern that a proposed bill expanding the scope of forbidden LGBTQ+ “propaganda” could lead to the banning of works of classic literature, including books by Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky,…

The Conversation · Oct 25, 2022

Orthodox Church leader says Russian soldiers dying in Ukraine will be cleansed of sin

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has said that Russian soldiers who die in the war against Ukraine will be cleansed of all their sins, days after President Vladimir Putin ordered the country's first mobilisation since World War Two.

Reuters · Sep 26, 2022

Why Pope Francis chose to highlight religious freedom during his visit to Kazakhstan

Pope Francis spent three days in Kazakhstan, starting Sept. 13, 2022, to attend the Seventh Congress of World and Traditional Religions. The pope met with religious leaders, called for increased religious freedom and condemned religious justifications for war and violence.

The Conversation · Sep 20, 2022

God does not back war, pope says in apparent criticism of Russian patriarch

Pope Francis said on Wednesday that God does not guide religions towards war, an implicit criticism of Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who backs the invasion of Ukraine and has boycotted a conference of faith leaders.

Reuters · Sep 14, 2022

Pope heads to Kazakh interfaith congress, without patriarch

Pope Francis is traveling to Kazakhstan this week to participate in a conference of world religious leaders, with Russia's war in Ukraine clouding the visit

The Independent UK · Sep 12, 2022

Russian patriarch scrubs meeting where he was to meet pope

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church has reportedly canceled his planned attendance at an interfaith meeting in Kazakhstan next month where he was expected to meet with Pope Francis

The Independent UK · Aug 25, 2022

Pope meets Russian Orthodox number two ahead of meeting with Patriarch

Pope Francis met Bishop Anthony, the second most powerful leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, on Friday ahead of an expected summit next month with its Patriarch Kirill, who supports the war in Ukraine.

Reuters · Aug 5, 2022

Vatican says pope to go to Kazakhstan; expected to meet Russian Orthodox patriarch

The Vatican said on Monday that Pope Francis will travel to Kazakhstan in September for a meeting of religious leaders, a gathering where the pope has said previously he hoped to meet with the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Reuters · Aug 1, 2022