Patriarch Kirill of Moscow expressed his support for the Patriarchate of Serbia in a recent letter following an incident in the ancient city of Ulpiana.
During an event in the region, a composition of three crosses was publicly burned by Albanians, sparking significant reactions and condemnation.
The relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Serbian Orthodox Church remains strong, with the Patriarch of Serbia having exclusively met and concelebrated with Patriarch Kirill over the past three years, without visiting other sister Churches.
In his letter, Patriarch Kirill conveyed his deep regret over the incident, describing it as “a provocation for all Christians” and “an insult to their feelings,” transcending doctrinal differences. He remarked, “A composition of three crosses, reminiscent of Calvary, was publicly burned at a local festival as part of a cheap circus show. The open underestimation of the image of the Holy Cross is a provocation for all Christians and an insult to their feelings: both Orthodox and Catholics, including the Albanians of Kosovo.”
Patriarch Kirill further emphasized that this act is part of a broader effort to de-Christianize the region of Serbia. He recalled the suffering endured by the Serbian people, stating, “The children of the Russian Church honor the memory of many Serbian brothers who were killed or expelled from their homeland, with thousands of destroyed crosses and tombstones in Serbian cemeteries, hundreds of churches and monasteries of the Church of St. Sava that were desecrated, burned, or blown up by extremists.”
He concluded his letter with a message of solidarity, praying for the strength of the Serbian Church and its flock facing repression and pain in the land of Old Serbia.
Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas