The Russian Orthodox Church has officially approved at least 12 prayers related to the war.

As Censor.NET reports , this was reported by the Center for Countering Disinformation (CDC).

It is emphasized that this indicates the Kremlin’s systematic use of the ROC to justify aggression against Ukraine.

From calls for peace to prayers for victory

According to the CPR , before the full-scale invasion, the rhetoric of the Russian Orthodox Church contained mostly veiled calls for peace. However, since 2022, as Russian researchers note, the militarization of church texts has become open.

The key, according to the Center, is the obligatory prayer “for Holy Russia,” which contains a request for Russia’s victory in the war. It must be recited in all churches of the Russian Orthodox Church, and clergy who refuse to do so may face demotion.

Separate prayers are created for the military

The CPS notes that the ROC Synod also approves new prayers for Russian military personnel, their mothers, and other categories.

In addition to official texts, unofficial prayers are also being spread at the front, according to the Center. In particular, there is a prayer about “Archangel Vladimir,” which allegedly equates Russian President Vladimir Putin with the Archangel Michael.

The Center for Countering Disinformation stated that the systematic spread of the so-called “Z-prayers” indicates the use of the Russian Orthodox Church as a tool of state propaganda.

The department emphasized that such activities, in their opinion, have nothing to do with spirituality or Christian ethics. Джерело: https://censor.net/ua/n4016491

(c)CENSOR.NET 2026