Russian Christian leader condemns Western cultural ‘degradation’

Patriarch Kirill has weighed in on the Paris Olympics, accusing it of celebrating spiritual decline

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow, has for the first time commented on the controversial Summer Olympic Games in Paris. Speaking at an international culture conference in St. Petersburg on Wednesday, the Patriarch described the event as a sign of the spiritual degradation of Western culture.

The opening ceremony included a scene featuring a troupe of drag queens, homosexuals, and transsexuals posing at a table, mirroring Jesus Christ and his apostles as they appeared in Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’. The performance sparked global public backlash and was widely seen as mocking Christianity.

According to Kirill, a process of what he described as “de-cultivation” of moral values and “un-culturing” was underway in the West.

“Various [forms of] savagery become a new culture. The past Olympics are a vivid example of this,” Kirill told the forum. “Reports from the [Games] paint a very pessimistic picture that reflects the downward trajectory of the spiritual cultural component of Western civilization,” he said.

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Indulgence in one’s passions is being exploited for commercial and political gain, added the Patriarch.

A spokesperson for the Russian Orthodox Church lamented in July that “a counterculture of godlessness” has emerged in “the center of Europe.”

The opening ceremony of the Paris games was also decried by the Roman Catholic Church.

The Vatican said in a statement that it was “saddened” by certain scenes and the “offense caused to many Christians and believers of other religions.”

The French Bishops’ Conference condemned the “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity.”

The outcry forced the International Olympic Committee to apologize and delete the video of the opening ceremony from online streaming platforms.

READ MORE: Olympics chief celebrates ‘full gender parity’

LGBT propaganda has been outlawed in Russia since 2022, and the activities of the “international LGBT social movement” are officially recognized as “extremist.”