POCHAYEV, August 5 (RIA Novosti) - The head of the Russian Orthodox Church on Wednesday praised Ukraine for maintaining the Orthodox faith and said he could accept Ukrainian citizenship to strengthen spiritual unity between the two states.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia arrived in Ukraine on July 27, during his 10-day visit a Ukrainian priest suggested that the patriarch spend six months in Moscow and another six months in Kiev to bring the two capitals closer together.
The patriarch said: "This is a very good proposal. But the patriarch would need to be a little bit healthier and stronger. I would be ready to accept Ukrainian citizenship [as a second option]."
Patriarch Kirill praised the nation for its faith. "My ten-day stay in Ukraine that was devoted to touring holy sites and joint prayers with the Ukrainian people is coming to an end... My main impression is that people here preserve ardent faith in their hearts," he said.
Prince Vladimir baptized medieval Kievan Rus 1,021 years ago.
Kirill, who is seeking to improve relations with Kiev, said the church schism in Ukraine "exists, particularly as a reaction to Moscow's incorrect church policies," adding that Russia had no malicious intent. "We used to live in one state," he said.
The liberal church leader Kirill is looking to mend fences between Moscow and the divided Orthodox churches in Ukraine, which split in the 1990s following the breakup of the Soviet Union into followers of Moscow Orthodoxy and those seeking an independent national church.
Kirill said he was concerned about the situation in Ukraine no less than Russia's problems, because for the patriarch, "all congregations should be equally close to the heart and mind."
The predominant self-governing branch of Ukrainian Orthodoxy that is loyal to the Moscow Patriarchate oversees 10,000 parishes in the country, while the rival Ukrainian Orthodox Church - the Kiev Patriarchate, is not recognized outside of the country.
The situation is further complicated by a third church, the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church, originally formed in 1920s, that operates almost exclusively in the western part of the country.
The Kiev Patriarchate has widespread support in western Ukraine, including the backing of Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko who is in favor of a national church independent from Moscow.
Kirill thanked the Ukrainian authorities for organizing his visit. "Everything was properly and well organized. The visit went smoothly, calmly," he told journalists prior to leaving for Moscow.
He said he was aware that not everyone agreed with his calls for unity, but added that he "had to speak God's truth. With all humility and love I was trying to tell this to the Ukrainian nation, the Orthodox Church and anyone who wanted to listen."
