An interview with the Russian media was given by Kirill, on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of his enthronement as Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’.
Patriarch Kirill, speaking of the crisis in the relations with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and of whether things have reached a point of no return, stressed that “the point of no return is non-existence (death). Each one of us will be at a point of no return when our physical life is over. And as long as we live, as long as Church lives, there must, of course, be no point of no return.”
Kirill said that one cannot go against God’s will, adding that “it is impossible to preach one thing and ask people to do something, when you actually do exactly the opposite.”
The Patriarch of Moscow said that where there was division, there was anger and underlined that this was visible everywhere. Moreover, the Patriarch said that the word of God can not be spread by violence, deception or dependence on political forces.
Regarding the future of the Church of Russia and its place in the world, Patriarch Kirill stated that the place of the Russian Church and of the Church in general in the modern world is interwoven with the inner life of human being.
“The inner word of a person is projected onto his social relationships. Therefore, I do not believe that the Church will have such a brilliant story after us. At any given time, the Church faces its own difficulties. And I see no evidence that these difficulties were fewer,” he said.
Finally, he wished that God would help us in order that our Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate would never drift away from Lord.