Russia

Cyril: Polarising Patriarch

An extravagant Lifestyle, hate against homosexuals, and a close relationship to Putin. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church Kyrill I. is in Russia disputed. From Moscow, Yuri Rescheto.

His voice sounds as distinctive as his sayings: Homo-marriages to bring the end of the world, Russian bombs in Syria, peace and happiness. Patriarch Kyrill are loud and like his two cents on current world events. And he has “dostup k telu” – as the Russians are very close to the Russian leadership call to President Putin personally. No wonder that the Church and state, Patriarch and President, Hand-in-Hand with the state and its citizens reign. Officially separated from the state
enjoy the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia still have the Status of a state religion.

Your head is for many Russian Orthodox believers, a man full of contradictions. As well as Putin. Both experienced in the course of time to various metamorphoses. Both shape the image of today’s Russia.

Patriarch and President come from Leningrad, today St. Petersburg. Putin studied there in the 70s, the Soviet secret service KGB know, Cyril, at that time still as a seminarian Vladimir Gundjaew – the Russian Orthodoxy. He made fast career, secular and ecclesiastical, became a rector of the Leningrad Priesterschule and was only 31 years Archbishop.

Sympathies for Catholicism

In this time built Kyrill, his relationship to the chief Ministers of the region of Leningrad, the Metropolitan Nikodim, on. Cyril was his private Secretary, and admired the metropolitans, in turn, open sympathies for Catholicism, harbored, popes, revered, and as the first Russian priests with Catholics prayed together. Today, Nikodim as the largest supporter of for many Russian Orthodox believers, incredibly appearing idea of a unification of the Russian Orthodox with the Roman Catholic Church. And it is this Nikodim exercised a great influence on the present Patriarch Kyrill I. of.

Close ties: Patriarch Kyrill and President Putin

Cyril himself was in his younger years, many times with the Pope. The last Time in December 2007, a year before his appointment as the Patriarch. At that time, the German Pope, Benedict XVI, the Roman Catholic Church. The first Russian television transmitted a report for Benedict the Russians the blessing and Cyril, in response to the Pope’s Hand kisses. The Latter is regarded as a sign of recognition of the special Status of the Pope, as a priest of all priests.

Today the Patriarch does not share the view that Catholics are heretics – one in the Russian Church wide-spread opinion. The Church of prohibition of common prayer is true, not for Catholics, but for Orthodox Spalter, says Cyril. The same he has been several times in the Russian television program “The word of the priest” is mentioned. One may assume, therefore, that a cloud of sympathy and maybe even admiration for Pope Francis
at the airport of Havana down, when he is on the Patriarch. The same is probably true for the upcoming meeting of the Pope with President Putin, also in Havana. Putin has never made a secret of his fascination for the Argentine Pope made.

Watch for 30,000 euros

The Meeting in the Cuban capital, making already headlines in Russia, are really interested it should, but the Least. Quite different than the scandals because of the supposedly outrageously extravagant lifestyle of Cyril and its probably not always legal practicality.

Time endeckten User a photo in a network, the Patriarch with a Swiss watch brand “Breguet” for 30,000 euros at the Armgelenk shows, once flashed the rumors about the palaces of his excellence in the South Russian Pitsunda and his Villa in Switzerland. Shorter distances will put the Minister with an armoured Mercedes-Benz S-class, it is said, extended with a private jet.

The New York Times reported on Kyrills expensive watch. In one photo, she was of the Church even way retouched

In the 90s, turned up the Name of the current pastors in several investigative journalistic Reports around dubious trading companies of the Russian Orthodox Church. Allegations of illegal business, there are always times again, even against his compatriot from the Leningrad time, the Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Proved nothing so far. But “there is no smoke without fire” say the Russians. And given the economic crisis and the threat of impoverishment in the country are just the rumors around Kyrills alleged luxury life for his Image devastating. In this respect he meets in Havana in the Catholics, Francis is his absolute counterpart.