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Russian patriarch criticizes Eurovision

"We need to organize our own contests to promote our culture including among other things by showing it to the world," the patriarch said
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill Mikhail Japaridze/TASS
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill
© Mikhail Japaridze/TASS

ULYANOVSK, Ma y 21 /TASS/. Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill has criticized modern trends at the popular Eurovision song contest adding that Russia has what to present to the world on the basis of national culture.

"Lullabies, patriotic and spiritual songs should be supported. We need to organize our own contests to promote our culture including among other things by showing it to the world," the patriarch said during his visit to the city of Ulyanovsk, on the Volga River, on Thursday. In Ulyanovsk, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church met participants in the Orthodox Initiative movement who have started organizing song festivals in Russia.

If Polina Gagarina wins Eurovision tin Vienna his year, the contest will arrive in Russia in 2016 with "all its bearded female singers who impose values that are alien to our culture," Patriarch Kirill stressed.

Russian singer Polina Gagarina made her way into the Eurovision final in Vienna on May 19 with a song called "A Million Voices". She will perform in the final on May 23.