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Patriarch Kirill urges Russians, Ukrainians to do everything for soonest peace

The patriarch also expressed hope that the people of Russia and Ukraine would restore their "peace and good co-existence, and strong fraternal ties between our people, who were one nation in some point, inhabiting one country of Rus"

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia conducts an Orthodox Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour Sergei Karpukhin/TASS

Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia conducts an Orthodox Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour

© Sergei Karpukhin/TASS

MOSCOW, April 16. /TASS/. Russians and Ukrainians should do everything within their powers to restore peace in Ukraine as soon as possible, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, said on Sunday during the Paschal Vigil in the Christ the Savior Cathedral of Moscow.

"Sad events, which may even be described as internal feud, are now taking place on our historic Russian land. Today, I am addressing Russians and Ukrainians, particularly those who became embroiled in this conflict against their will: with the force of our prayer, and our good deeds, and our good intentions, we must do everything to stop this conflict as soon as possible," he said.

The patriarch also expressed hope that the people of Russia and Ukraine would restore their "peace and good co-existence, and strong fraternal ties between our people, who were one nation in some point, inhabiting one country of Rus."

"My special prayer today will be about it, and I will ask you all to join it," he added.

Easter is the central holiday of the entire Christian world commemorating a key moment in the history of Christianity - Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead. The Russian Orthodox Church determines the date based on solar and lunar calendars. In 2022, it falls on April 16.

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