Patriarch Kirill, in new book, calls on Russians not to shirk ‘duty to be victors’

August 08, 2026

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church argued in a new book that the Russian people have a “great responsibility not to shirk their historical duty to be victors.”

In announcing Patriarch Kirill’s War: Beyond Visible Causes and Consequences, the Moscow Patriarchate Publishing House stated:

The book by the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church is devoted to the metaphysics of war. Concepts such as “sacrifice,” “heroism,” “patriotism,” “victory,” and others are examined from a unique spiritual perspective. His Holiness the Patriarch discusses the redemptive significance and consequences of war, Russia’s metaphysical boundaries and goals, and touches upon the racial aspect of war.

Since everything in the world stems from the clash between good and evil, the outcome of war is determined by God, and victory belongs to those who stand on the side of light. Our earthly calling is to be soldiers of the Lord, to resist evil, and to uphold high moral ideals. While affirming that the Russian people have the strength to triumph, the Primate also points to the great responsibility not to shirk the historical duty to be victors.

Patriarch Kirill has described the Russo-Ukrainian War as “a continuation of that unfinished war in which we won the Great Victory in the spring of ‘45 but failed to fully eradicate the evil of Nazism,” Meduza, a newspaper published in Latvia by dissident Russian journalists, said in its article on the new book.

 

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Further information:

• Патриарх Московский и всея Руси Кирилл. ВОЙНА. За пределами видимых причин и следствий (Moscow Patriarchate Publishing House, 7/27/26)
• Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill writes book on ‘redemptive meaning of war’ (Meduza, 7/29/26)