The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, called on the Russian Federation and Ukraine to establish a Christmas truce so that the Orthodox could attend the holiday services. This was reported by the press service of the Moscow Patriarchate.
"I, Kirill, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, appeal to all parties involved in the internecine conflict to cease fire and establish a Christmas truce from 12:00 on January 6 to 24:00 on January 7 so that Orthodox people can attend services on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day," the appeal states.
The Office of the President of Ukraine reacted to the statement of Patriarch Kirill. Mykhailo Podoliak, adviser to the head of the OP, stated that the "Christmas truce" is a cynical trap and an element of propaganda, as the Russian Orthodox Church previously called for the genocide of Ukrainians and encouraged mass murders.
The Russian Orthodox Church is not an authority for global Orthodoxy and acts only as a propagandist of war. The Russian Orthodox Church called for the genocide of Ukrainians, encouraged mass murders and insists on even greater militarization of Russia. Therefore, the Russian Orthodox Church's statement about a "Christmas truce" is a cynical trap and an element of propaganda," Podolyak wrote on Twitter.
The Russian Orthodox Church is not an authority for global Orthodoxy and acts only as a "propagandist of war". The Russian Orthodox Church has called for the genocide of Ukrainians, encouraged mass murders, and insists on even greater militarization of the Russian Federation. Therefore, the statement of the Russian Orthodox Church about the "Christmas truce" is a cynical trap and an element of propaganda.
— Mykhailo Podolyak (@Podolyak_M) January 5, 2023