Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the Orthodox Easter service in Moscow just hours after declaring a unilateral ceasefire in Ukraine, a move dismissed by Kyiv as symbolic amid ongoing combat operations.
Putin, accompanied by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, took part in the late-night Easter service at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the country’s most prominent church. The ceremony was led by Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church and a steadfast supporter of Putin and the war in Ukraine.
Wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and red tie, Putin was seen holding a lit red candle and crossing himself multiple times as Patriarch Kirill proclaimed, “Christ is risen”. The Easter service, steeped in tradition, began late Saturday and continued into the early hours of Sunday, marking the most sacred celebration in the Russian Orthodox calendar.
Orthodox Christianity has long played a central role in shaping Putin’s worldview, and the president traditionally appears at church services on major religious holidays. For millions of Orthodox Christians in Russia, Easter represents a profound spiritual milestone.
During the service, Patriarch Kirill delivered messages that alluded to broader geopolitical themes. According to Russia’s RIA state news agency, he expressed hope that a “lasting and just peace can be established in the vast expanses of historical Rus,” referencing the historical territories that encompass modern-day Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
TASS also quoted Kirill saying, “How wonderfully it was said, do not do evil to another and do not treat others as you would not want them to treat you… If people adhered to this holiday commandment, then life would be completely different: family and social life and — let me say this — inter-governmental.”
While Kirill offered spiritual reflections, his unwavering endorsement of Russia’s military campaign remains notable. Since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022, the conflict has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths — with Ukrainian civilians and soldiers suffering the majority of casualties — and millions displaced from their homes.
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Though Moscow announced the Easter ceasefire as a humanitarian gesture, Ukrainian officials criticized it as disingenuous, pointing out that shelling and armed clashes reportedly continued across several regions.
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As the war enters its fourth year, the symbolic significance of religious observances in Russia — especially those involving the president — remains deeply intertwined with national identity, politics, and the Kremlin’s narrative of the conflict.
