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Patriarch Kirill calls for preserving unity of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus

MOSCOW, January 03, /ITAR-TASS/. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia said it was important to preserve unity of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus that “continues to be a great spiritual and civilised drive of present-day world”.

Addressing people at Moscow Kremlin’s Assumption Cathedral on Friday, Patriarch Kirill said: “No one should sell the unity for a mess of pottage.”

The patriarch called for preserving “the unity, which was founded by Saint Prince Vladimir Equal to Apostles and the first hierarchs of the Russian Church”.

Over centuries the unity was being created and cared, the patriarch said.

He cited the example of Metropolitan Pyotr, who blessed the Assumption Cathedral. The liturgy was made on the day of his memory. “Saint Pyotr did the best to preserve the unity: he went through eparchies of ruined Rus, harmonised crazy lords and waked love to Motherland,” Patriarch Kirill said.

“His great deed is a response to those who say Russia and Ukraine have nothing in common. This is a response to those who say the Church in Russia and Ukraine are different churches. This is the united Church of Saint Rus that is based on the deeds of Saint Pyotr, Saint Alexy, the Kiev Pechersk wonderworkers and Saint Sergius of Radonezh,” the patriarch said.

“We believe that our spiritual unity will get Russia rid of temptation, idolatry, destruction and violations of God’s commandments,” he said.