The Patriarch told Putin religious leaders wanted to meet with him “as prime minister, but first of all as a candidate for president of our country, who has the best chance” to win the March election.
Kirill directly addressed Putin saying the last 12 years were a “miracle” for the church and the Russian state. Putin was president from 2000 to 2008 and prime minister since then. Kirill wished Putin “God’s help” and a long and happy life.
Besides the Russian Orthodox Patriarch, leaders of Russia’s Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist communities were there as well as from the Armenian Church, Roman Catholic and other Christian communities.
Russia’s chief Rabbi Berel Lazar alluded to the February 4 anti-government demonstrations in Russia saying “the fact they (demonstrations) took place on Saturday suggest that it was not a Jewish event.” Lazar quipped, “We joked in the synagogue that it would have been better to come for prayer on that day.”
The chairman of Russia’s Council of Muftis Ravil Gainutdin also lent Putin the support of his followers, saying “Muslims know you. Muslims trust you. Muslims are wishing you success.”
The chairman of the North Caucasus Muslim Coordinating Center Ismail Berdiev praised Putin for preserving Russia as a nation and criticized those who were protesting against Putin and the Russian government. Berdiev called anti-government protesters “the loud-mouthed minority” and said too much attention was being paid to them. Berdiev claimed Putin enjoyed overwhelming support of Muslims in the North Caucasus.
For his part, Putin stressed the need for more religious faith in Russia. Putin said the “voice of the church” is not heard often enough on television and he considers it necessary to devote more air time to religious themes.
Putin also said he would give instructions to defense and education officials to work with religious officials to develop “military clergy.”
Putin also assured the state is “not going to and will not interfere in the affairs of religious organizations.”
Putin’s press secretary Dmitri Peskov said Putin was taking a one-day holiday from his job as prime minister to spend time as a presidential candidate.
written by the central newsroom
Source Article from http://www.rferl.org/content/russia_putin_president_election_religion_orthodox_islam_judaism/24478173.html
