Russian Patriarch preaches forgiveness of sins of killed soldiers of WWII

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church said so during the Christmas service on Saturday, Ria Novosti reports. He stated that the Lord forgave the sins of the soldiers who died during the so-called Great Patriotic War and that they went to heaven.

He added that sacrifice is the highest manifestation of love. “Recalling the words that there is no greater love than if someone lay down his life for his friends, we understand that they are all with the Lord, and their sins were forgiven for the great sacrifice that they made for the sake of their people.”

According to Kirill, such a sacrifice is not required today, even though “there are places today, including in the expanse of the historical Rus, where weapons are used, where people defend their homeland and die in peacetime.”

On Orthodox Christmas Day, celebrated last Saturday, the Patriarch visited the Christmas tree in the Christ the Saviour Church in Moscow. Among the attendees were children from soldiers serving at the Ukrainian front, among others.