August 28, 2023, on the Feast of the Dormition of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Patriarch Kirill noted in his sermon that “now is a difficult time, when the forces of evil are trying to break the unity of Holy Russia”. About it writes the Center “Chryzma” with reference to the official website of the Russian Orthodox Church.

“They are well aware that it is impossible to do this while the unity of the Church of Russia is preserved. That is why the blows were struck first of all on the Church,” the Patriarch emphasized.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church added that a “puppet, thankless schism” had been created in Ukraine, “our people, faithful to Orthodoxy, faithful to the canons, suffer, the faithful episcopate suffers,” but those who rebel against God will never win.

The Patriarch recalled that faithfulness to the Church is always accompanied by suffering. He emphasized that “our prayer is for our suffering brothers” in Ukraine.

“We believe that all these persecutions will pass and schismatic structures will collapse, as it happened in our country. Only patience is needed for our brothers, sisters, episcopate, clergy, and we are all called to pray for them in our personal prayers, church prayers, remembering that the preservation of the true Orthodox Church in the land of Ukraine depends on their faithfulness to the Lord, on their ability to bear the afflictions and sorrows,” he said.