Pat. Kirill of Moscow: same old attacks against the Church

Moscow, December 6 (Interfax) - Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia believes the recent attacks on the Church are reminiscent of the atmosphere in Russia before the revolution.

"Attacks against the Church have recently intensified. This is all very reminiscent of the atmosphere in the Russian empire before the revolution. Like now, they were trying to find out what Orthodox people's reaction would be. Blasphemous acts and provocations were carried out," the Patriarch said while meeting with the leaders of the register Cossack troops of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.

Speaking about the recent stage of the Church's regeneration, the patriarch said that people's turn to God has until now been "timid and has been regarded with interest and condescendence as some revival of folklore or national traditions."

"However, when they felt that Orthodox faith is not folklore and that it is becoming part of people's life, they started repeating the things that took place before, Patriarch Kirill said.

Patriarch Kirill said he is surprised by the "lack of inventiveness" among the opponents of the Church.

"The same accusations are being made over and over again. Open up the magazines Bezbozhnik, read about the activities by Yemelyan Yaroslavsky, who headed the All-Union Society of Militant Atheists. The same techniques, the same goals, the same arguments! However, everything failed and the victory of the enemies of the Church turned out temporary. Now our people can't be turned away from faith either," the Patriarch said.

The Primate said he is hoping that the people of Russia realize the danger of the attempts to "revive the ghosts of the past."