The patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church, Kirill, has been called the ideologue behind the war against Ukraine.
He has blessed the soldiers and stands close to Putin.
Recently, however, the news came that he escaped the threat of sanctions from the EU.
This also means that the church's Swedish branch does not have to be examined by the Authority for support to religious communities.
In Sweden, the Russian Orthodox Church under the Moscow Patriarchate has congregations in 12 places, and since 2015 has received almost 1.2 million in state grants.
Church criticism
As SVT previously reported, critical voices have been raised that Russian Orthodox congregations in Sweden are close to Putin and that the churches pray for the state, the authorities and Patriarch Kirill.
- It is the Swedish state and the Swedish authorities that are prayed for during the service in Sweden, says Nikolaj Sananés, director of the Russian Orthodox Church in Arboga, who calls the war in Ukraine a fratricide.
- I am against this war, most Orthodox Christians I know are.
On the Sunday after the war broke out, it was completely quiet in the church, you only heard sobs.
No longer mentions the patriarch
In Arboga, they have chosen to lift the blessing over Kirill from their ceremonial prayers, despite the fact that it violates the church order.
- Some of his statements are downright awful, and difficult for us in Sweden to understand.
I had hoped that the Patriarch would stand up for human love and be the voice of conscience, says Nikolaj Sananés.
The theologian Michael Hjälm believes that Nikolaj Sananés finds it easier to express himself in this way because he is not a priest.
- If he were a priest, he would probably be deposed.
To be able to conduct your church activities and organize official services, you need to remind a local bishop or patriarch.
If you choose not to mention the patriarch, you can not arrange any services.