His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus has emphasized the importance of interreligious dialogue with the Islamic world, highlighting the centuries-long coexistence of Orthodox Christians and Muslims. The head of the Russian Orthodox Church made these remarks during a meeting with participants of the 11th International Festival “Faith and Word.”
“Our position is that we must not remain silent, but we also must not generalize the wrongful actions of certain individuals within the Muslim community to condemn the entire ummah. This would be absolutely wrong, as we have lived together for centuries and, by God's grace, will likely continue to do so,” the patriarch stated.
Reflecting on his personal commitment to fostering ties, Patriarch Kirill noted, “People may criticize me in many ways, and everyone perceives the patriarch's words and thoughts differently. But one thing I cannot be accused of is Islamophobia. During my tenure as Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, I was personally responsible for developing the Russian Church's relationships with the Islamic world, visiting Muslim leaders across the Middle East and strengthening these ties within our country.”
The patriarch emphasized that the Moscow Patriarchate highly values its current relationship with Muslim communities. “Those Muslims who know my position can confirm this. We must never complicate or create tension in these relations, though this does not prevent us from speaking truthfully and expressing concerns where problems genuinely exist—as anyone encountering such issues in daily life would acknowledge.”
In his concluding remarks, Patriarch Kirill underscored that “positive interreligious and interpersonal relations between Christians and Muslims in our country are essential for societal harmony, the peaceful lives of our citizens, and our nation's prosperity. Therefore, there is no place for Islamophobia within the Church.”
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Based on materials from TASS