ROC reacts to Steinmeier's accusations against Russian Church

On August 31, 2022, Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, the chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate and the head of the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church at the XI Assembly of the World Council of Churches, commented on the criticism of the ROC by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany at the Assembly of the World Council of Churches in Karlsruhe (Germany).

Metropolitan Anthony said that the President of Germany, accusing the ROC of supporting the war in Ukraine, completely ignored the humanitarian efforts of the Moscow Patriarchate in the context of the Ukrainian conflict. The ROC hierarch called the politician's statement "an example of gross pressure from a high-ranking government official on the oldest inter-Christian organization, interference in the internal affairs of the World Council of Churches and an attempt to question the peacemaking and politically neutral nature of the latter's activities”.

According to Metropolitan Anthony, the position of the WCC leadership and the support of the ROC delegation by the Assembly delegates showed that Steinmeier's accusations against the Church did not receive the support he expected.

"I hope that the World Council of Churches will continue to be an independent platform for dialogue, following in its activities not a biased political order from certain states, but the goal of establishing peace and harmony," stressed the head of the ROC delegation to the Assembly of the World Council of Churches.

As reported, German President Steinmeier reproached the Russian Orthodox Church for supporting the war in Ukraine at the WCC Assembly.

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