UK government sanctions head of Russian Orthodox Church

Patriarch Kirill - Wiki Image www.kremlin.ru.

The UK government has included the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, in a new wave of sanctions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In a press release on Thursday, the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office said Patriarch Kirill had been sanctioned "for his prominent support of Russian military aggression in Ukraine."

The Patriarch has publicly stated his support for Vladimir Putin's military actions in Ukraine, describing the war as part of a struggle against sin and pressure from the liberal West.

Church leaders from around the world have appealed to the Patriarch to speak against the war. In a video call with the Patriarch in March, Pope Francis agreed with the Patriarch, that "The Church must not use the language of politics, but the language of Jesus."

The Holy Father said: "we are shepherds of the same Holy People who believe in God, in the Holy Trinity, in the Holy Mother of God: that is why we must unite in the effort to aid peace, to help those who suffer, to seek ways of peace, and to stop the fire."

The Pope and the Patriarch stressed the exceptional importance of the ongoing negotiation process, because, according to the Pope, "those who pay the price for war are the people; it is Russian soldiers and common people who are bombed and die."

Pope Francis said: "as pastors we have the duty to be close to and help all people who are suffering from the war.

"There was a time, even in our Churches, when people spoke of a holy war or a just war. Today we cannot speak in this manner. A Christian awareness of the importance of peace has developed."

Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill agreed that "the Churches are called to contribute to strengthening peace and justice."

Pope Francis concluded the video call, lamenting the cost of war, saying: "Wars are always unjust, since it is the people of God who pay. Our hearts cannot but weep before the children and women killed, along with all the victims of war. War is never the way. The Spirit that unites us asks us as shepherds to help the peoples who suffer from war."

But the Patriarch has continued to express his support for the war.

The European Commission targeted Kirill with sanctions in May, highlighting a series of pro-war sermons and remarks he had made since Russia's invasion in February, including blessing Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.

Last month, Pope Francis said he had warned the Patriarch not to "turn himself into Putin's altar boy."

The new sanctions also target Putin's allies, military commanders accused of war crimes and Russian and Myanmar arms dealers and Russian Children's Rights Commissioner Maria Lvova-Belova for the forced transfer and adoption of Ukrainian children.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said: "Today we are targeting the enablers and perpetrators of Putin's war who have brought untold suffering to Ukraine, including the forced transfer and adoption of children. We will not tire of defending freedom and democracy, and keeping up the pressure on Putin, until Ukraine succeeds."