Orthodox-to-Catholic conversions in Russia increase fourfold due to the war

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow. Photo: Sota

During the Christmas Mass at the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow on December 25, the congregation included not only Catholics but also Orthodox believers.

One Orthodox Christian explained her choice: "They pray for peace here, while in our churches, they pray for the 'victory of Russian forces' in a fratricidal war!" she told a Sota correspondent. "The Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) so brazenly defies God and openly declares that it goes against His basic commandments. I personally can no longer attend our Orthodox churches because they are all under Kirill! In all of them, they pray for his health and that of the war criminal Putin, whom he blesses. There is no God left in these churches; He has been cast out. But as someone who has been deeply religious for a long time, it’s hard to live without church services, confession, communion… without the parish life I’ve missed so much during these nearly three years of war."

Another Orthodox worshiper added: "Yes, I know, Lord, that I am sinning right now, but better this kind of prayer than prayers for war. And living without prayer at all is impossible."

A parish vicar at the cathedral reported that since early 2022, the number of Orthodox Christians seeking to convert to Catholicism has increased fourfold.
"Before 2022, about 50-60 people signed up to join us. Now, up to 200-250 Orthodox Christians express a desire to adopt Catholicism – four times more! The reasons for leaving the ROC have also changed. Previously, it was disagreement with the foundations of Orthodoxy. Now, it’s a simple human desire to be part of a church that preaches Christian values and adheres to Gospel principles."

As the UOJ previously reported, Patriarch Kirill assured that the calling of Russians is to be "warriors of the Lord".

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