Russian President Vladimir Putin attends Easter service led by head of Russia's Orthodox Church

NEW DELHI: Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the Easter service led by the head of Russia's Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill at the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow on Sunday. President Putin, along with other attendees including Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin, participated in the service, holding lit red candles.
The service began late on Saturday and extended into the early hours of Sunday, during which Putin made several signs of the cross and responded to the announcement "Christ is risen" with "He is risen indeed".
Kirill, a staunch supporter of Putin and his policies, has endorsed the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, which has resulted in significant casualties and displacement since Putin ordered the invasion in February 2022. At the service, Kirill prayed for the protection of Russia's borders and expressed hope for an end to the conflict with Ukraine.
Orthodox Christians, following the Julian calendar, celebrate Easter this weekend, while most Western churches observed the holiday earlier in March. Putin regularly attends church services during major religious holidays. On Easter, he traditionally visits the Christ the Saviour Cathedral, which symbolizes the close relationship between the state and the Orthodox Church in post-Soviet Russia.
Under Kirill's leadership, the Russian Orthodox Church has been criticized for its suppression of internal dissent. Instances include the expulsion of a priest who refused to pray for Russia's victory over Ukraine and the suspension of another for conducting memorial services for Alexei Navalny, the opposition leader who died in custody earlier this year.
(With agency inputs)