Camilla Jessen
A senior cleric in the Russian Orthodox Church has defended the practice of blessing ballistic missiles.
A senior figure in the Russian Orthodox Church has publicly stated that blessing ballistic missiles is morally acceptable, arguing that even weapons of war can be sanctified if they serve the interests of the nation.
“There is nothing wrong with saying kind words over an object that serves the benefit of certain people… from a ballistic missile to a ballpoint pen,” said Hieromonk Makary of the Ivanovo-Voznesensk Diocese, speaking to Russian outlet Abzats, as reported by The Moscow Times on May 5.
His statement mirrors earlier comments from church leadership, which have sparked both domestic and international controversy for blending religious rituals with military symbolism.
This isn’t the first time the Russian Orthodox Church has endorsed spiritual blessings of military equipment.
In August last year, Archpriest Konstantin Tatartintsev, a high-ranking official from the Moscow Patriarchate, defended the blessing of even nuclear weapons.
On one hand, it might seem unacceptable to bless something that spreads death,” Tatartintsev said. “But on the other hand, it is a weapon of deterrence… a guarantee of peace.”
According to him, the blessing is not meant to encourage war, but to acknowledge the weapon’s role in maintaining peace through strength.
Nuclear Arms as a Sign of Divine Favor
Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, has gone even further in the past, describing Russia’s nuclear arsenal as a God-given shield.
Russia has remained independent and free,” he once declared, “thanks to nuclear weapons, which were created with divine guidance granted to Soviet scientists.
Kirill has also made apocalyptic statements, reassuring believers that Christians should not fear global annihilation.
We await the Lord Jesus, who will come in great glory, destroy evil, and judge all nations,” he said, adding that nuclear threats should not alarm believers, as “Christians are not afraid of the end of the world.”
The increasing spiritual framing of military doctrine has drawn criticism from outside observers, who view such statements as a dangerous fusion of nationalism, militarism, and religion.
But within Russia, the church’s position has found public support.