President Vladimir Putin on Sunday attended the Easter service of the Russian Orthodox Church, which strongly supported the Kremlin leader’s decision to invade Ukraine, Reuters reports.

Vladimir Putin took part in the Easter service, which was led by Patriarch KirillPhoto: Pavlo Bednyakov / AP / Profimedia

Putin, wearing a dark suit with a white shirt and dark purple tie, sat for the service in a corner of Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior, holding a lit red candle, live footage showed at midnight.

He also participated last year. The Mayor of Moscow Serhii Sobyanin stood next to Vladimir Putin during the service.

The Russian leader crossed himself several times during a ceremony known as the Divine Liturgy.

When Patriarch Kirill announced “Christ is Risen,” Putin joined the other members of the congregation in replying, “Truly He is Risen.” He didn’t say otherwise.

The Russian news agency TASS notes that Putin believes that “Easter unites Orthodox Christians and all citizens of Russia who celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, around high ideals and moral values, awakens in people the brightest feelings, faith in the triumph of life and goodness.” and justice”.

Putin’s greetings for Kirill

Putin delivered a congratulatory message to Kirill, in which he “expressed deep gratitude to Patriarch Kirill for his work, noting his role in strengthening society,” TASS also notes.

“On Easter, believers feel sincere happiness and spiritual upliftment, the joy of joining the traditions of their parents, which are passed down from generation to generation,” Putin’s message reads.

Cyril’s statements in support of the Russian invasion, which Kiev and Western countries condemn as an act of aggression, divided the world Orthodoxy.

In January, Putin praised the church for supporting Moscow’s forces fighting in Ukraine in an Orthodox Christmas message designed to rally people behind his vision of a modern Russia.

On Easter night, the Russians bombed Ukraine

Russian shelling continued on Friday evening. Ukrainian officials said that Moscow hit the Sumy, Chernihiv, Donetsk, Mykolaiv and Zaporizhia regions, writes The Kyiv Independent.

Two teenagers died in Mykolaiv, the governor of the region reported.

In Donetsk, three civilians were injured, including two women who were in a pharmacy during the explosions, and a man who was near a shopping center.