Patriarch Kirill asked the parishioners to support the priests financially

Previously, Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov recommended that the Russians, who were left on self-isolation without money, go beg for alms.

“In recent weeks, we have been going through difficult trials. A dangerous disease befell the Russians, killing many lives, including the lives of clergy. Tens of thousands of people are now suffering in hospitals, and doctors and nurses are selflessly fighting for their lives. Even more people are forced to stay at home, endure restrictions in communication with family and friends, and often even in dire financial need ... I appeal to people who are wealthy and well-disposed to the Church with a humble request to provide material support to our clergymen”, - says the patriarch.

According to him, his prayers have already been heard - several generous donations have already arrived at the church. The patriarch assured that he is with the Russians, and continues to pray for them, asking God for an early deliverance from the pandemic. In the message, he also talks about how hard it was for him to decide to close the temples on church holidays, calling them "the most difficult words in his life."

He urged Russians and priests to remain prudent and not engage in a continuous search for enemies. The other day, a clergyman of the Yekaterinburg diocese called the leadership closing the temples cowards and cursed all of them and their families. In his opinion, the leadership is cowardly before the disease. For this he was suspended from preaching.

Another priest, the main opposition member of the Russian Orthodox Church, Andrei Kuraev, was forbidden to speak out in public after he badly wrote about him on his blog on the day of the rector’s death, thereby desecrating his memory. Now Kuraeva awaits a church court. He himself called the removal not important. He will continue to do what he has been doing in recent years.