Latest news with #RussianOrthodoxChurch
Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Times
Fans of heavy metal could face jail in Russia as Putin bans ‘satanists'
Russian fans of heavy metal and goth music could face prison after the Kremlin's top court outlawed the 'international satanism movement' as an extremist and terrorist group — even though no such organisation exists. The Russian Supreme Court's ruling came after appeals from the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, MPs and other officials. It means that anyone who is alleged to be a member of the non-existent movement could face up to eight years in prison. Critics said the ruling would increase the climate of fear that has gripped Russia since President Putin ordered tanks into Ukraine in 2022. In April, Andrei Kartapolov, a senior MP who heads the Russian parliament's defence committee, told officials that satanism was a 'direct threat to Russian statehood'. He also alleged, without evidence, that Russia's satanists were funded by the West. Another pro-Kremlin MP claimed that he had received complaints from members of the public about the growing number of 'satanic sex orgies' in Moscow and other cities.
Korea Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Pope Leo discusses war in Ukraine with Russian Orthodox Church official
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -- Pope Leo discussed the war in Ukraine on Saturday with Metropolitan Anthony, a senior cleric in the Russian Orthodox Church, in a possible effort to ease ties between the churches strained by Russia's invasion. Leo saw Anthony, chairman of the department of external church relations, and five other high-profile clerics during an audience in the morning, the Vatican said. "During the conversation, numerous issues were raised concerning the state of Orthodox-Catholic dialogue, as well as the ongoing conflicts in the world, including in Ukraine and the Middle East," the Russian Orthodox Church said in a statement. Since assuming the papacy in May, Leo has repeatedly appealed for peace in global conflicts and this month told visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that the Vatican was willing to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Russian officials, however, have said they do not view the Vatican as a serious venue for talks because it is surrounded by NATO member Italy which has supported Ukraine. The head of Russia's Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has been an enthusiastic backer of the invasion of Ukraine. The Russian church statement said that Kirill's congratulations were conveyed to Leo for his election as pope. "Pope Leo XIV expressed his gratitude to his holiness patriarch Kirill for his good wishes and noted the importance of developing relations with the Russian Orthodox Church," it added.
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Pope Leo Discusses War in Ukraine with Russian Orthodox Church Official
VATICAN CITY, July 26 (Reuters) – Pope Leo discussed the war in Ukraine on Saturday with Metropolitan Anthony, a senior cleric in the Russian Orthodox Church, in a possible effort to ease ties between the churches strained by Russia's invasion. Leo saw Anthony, chairman of the department of external church relations, and five other high-profile clerics during an audience in the morning, the Vatican said. 'During the conversation, numerous issues were raised concerning the state of Orthodox-Catholic dialogue, as well as the ongoing conflicts in the world, including in Ukraine and the Middle East,' the Russian Orthodox Church said in a statement. Since assuming the papacy in May, Leo has repeatedly appealed for peace in global conflicts and this month told visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that the Vatican was willing to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Russian officials, however, have said they do not view the Vatican as a serious venue for talks because it is surrounded by NATO member Italy which has supported Ukraine. The head of Russia's Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has been an enthusiastic backer of the invasion of Ukraine. The Russian church statement said that Kirill's congratulations were conveyed to Leo for his election as pope. 'Pope Leo XIV expressed his gratitude to his holiness patriarch Kirill for his good wishes and noted the importance of developing relations with the Russian Orthodox Church,' it added.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Pope receives high-ranking Russian Orthodox cleric
Pope Leo XIV, left, shakes hands with Anthony Sevryuk, Metropolitan of Volokolamsk and Chairman of the Department of External Relations of the Russian Orthodox Church, during their meeting at the Vatican. (Pic credit: AP) VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV held a first meeting on Saturday with a senior Russian Orthodox cleric at the Vatican since becoming the head of the Catholic church earlier this year, the Holy See said without giving further details. Leo -- who has called on the Kremlin to make a "gesture" towards peace in Ukraine -- received Metropolitan Anthony of Volokolamsk, the head of external relations at the Russian Orthodox Church. Relations between the Vatican and Moscow has been frosty for centuries. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has sanctified Moscow's Ukraine invasion, which he has described as a "holy war." But Moscow had a dialogue with the late Pope Francis, widely criticised in Ukraine, with Metropolitan Anthony hold around a dozen meetings with the Argentinian pontiff. The Russian cleric told Italian newspaper La Repubblica days before the meeting that Francis had a "balanced approach" on Ukraine, while he did not know Leo's stance yet. Leo is the first American pope. He took over the church at a time when the United States is pushing for peace in Ukraine, in efforts that have so far yielded few results to stop the three-year war. Leo had received Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this month and has also spoken to Russia's Vladimir Putin by phone. The Vatican had earlier this year been floated as a possible platform for peace talks, but that idea was refuted by the Kremlin and negotiations have stayed in Istanbul. Anthony reiterated that, for Moscow, the Vatican would not be a "neutral" ground for any peace talks. Metropolitan Anthony was appointed as head of the Moscow church's external relations in 2022 -- the year Russia invaded Ukraine -- and had earlier been a church envoy in Italy.
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Pope Leo discusses war in Ukraine with Russian Orthodox Church official
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Pope Leo interacts with Metropolitan Antonij of Volokolamsk, at the Vatican July 26, 2025. Simone Risoluti/Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS VATICAN CITY - Pope Leo discussed the war in Ukraine on Saturday with Metropolitan Anthony, a senior cleric in the Russian Orthodox Church, in a possible effort to ease ties between the churches strained by Russia's invasion. Leo saw Anthony, chairman of the department of external church relations, and five other high-profile clerics during an audience in the morning, the Vatican said. "During the conversation, numerous issues were raised concerning the state of Orthodox-Catholic dialogue, as well as the ongoing conflicts in the world, including in Ukraine and the Middle East," the Russian Orthodox Church said in a statement. Since assuming the papacy in May, Leo has repeatedly appealed for peace in global conflicts and this month told visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy that the Vatican was willing to host Russia-Ukraine peace talks. Russian officials, however, have said they do not view the Vatican as a serious venue for talks because it is surrounded by NATO member Italy which has supported Ukraine. The head of Russia's Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has been an enthusiastic backer of the invasion of Ukraine. The Russian church statement said that Kirill's congratulations were conveyed to Leo for his election as pope. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Woman taken to hospital after car falls into sinkhole on Tanjong Katong Road Singapore Students hide vapes in underwear, toilet roll holders: S'pore schools grapple with vaping scourge Singapore 'I've tried everything': Mum helpless as son's Kpod addiction spirals out of control Singapore NDP 2025: How Benjamin Kheng is whisked from Marina Bay to Padang in 10 minutes by boat, buggy Singapore Almost half of planned 30,000 HDB flats in Tengah to be completed by end-2025: Chee Hong Tat Singapore From libraries to living rooms: How reading habits take root in underserved S'pore children Asia Thai-Cambodia clashes spread along frontier as death toll rises Asia Thousands rally in downtown Kuala Lumpur for resignation of PM Anwar "Pope Leo XIV expressed his gratitude to his holiness patriarch Kirill for his good wishes and noted the importance of developing relations with the Russian Orthodox Church," it added. REUTERS
