Patriarch Kirill mocks priest opposing patriotism in the church

Patriarch Kirill mocked Father Alexei Shlyapin, who stated at a meeting of the Moscow Metropolis that the church should guide people towards the Kingdom of God rather than engage in patriotism, reports NewsBox.

A video surfaced online from the Moscow Metropolis assembly, where Patriarch Kirill sharply reacted to the words of Father Alexei Shlyapin. The recording was published by Archdeacon Andrey Kuraev and journalist Kseniya Luchenko.

According to Kuraev, the meeting took place in December 2024, while Luchenko claims the recording was made recently. During the meeting, Shlyapin expressed his disagreement with the active promotion of patriotism in church life, stating that clergy should lead people towards the Kingdom of God instead of involving themselves in politics.

In response, Patriarch Kirill sarcastically questioned whether the priest was from Western Ukraine.

"Go sit down and seriously reflect on everything you've just blurted out," ordered the head of the Russian Orthodox Church.