Fate of jailed punk rockers Pussy Riot overshadows senior church figure Patriarch Kirill’s visit

By CHRIS BOROWSKI
Published on 17/08/2012 00:00

The head of the Russian ­Orthodox Church made a ­historic visit to Poland yesterday with a message of reconciliation that risked being overshadowed by the trial of female punk rockers behind a protest stunt in Moscow’s main cathedral.

Human rights groups plan to stage demonstrations during the four-day visit by Patriarch Kirill, who has criticised Pussy Riot, the band which sang a “punk prayer” against president Vladimir Putin at the altar of Christ the Saviour Cathedral in February.

A Moscow court will issue its verdict on three members of the band today in a case that has drawn international condemnation from musicians and free speech advocates and by Mr Putin’s opponents in Russia who say it shows his intolerance of political dissent.

Sir Paul McCartney joined other artists yesterday in expressing support for Pussy Riot. In a letter, the former Beatle urged the detained trio to “stay strong” and called on authorities to allow them freedom of speech. Sir Paul said: “I and many others like me who ­believe in free speech will do everything in our power to support you and the idea of artistic freedom.”

Their performance was meant to highlight the close ties between Mr Putin and the patriarch, who called the Russian leader’s period as president and premier “a miracle of God”.

Many Russians considered the protest blasphemous and the women could face years in jail if convicted of “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”.

Rights groups in Poland said Kirill – who aims to ease historic tensions between the two countries – would not be allowed to avoid the issue.

“He is obviously very involved in the Pussy Riot case as the church has refused to stand in defence of these women. So obviously the Orthodox Church plays a role in the political imprisonment of these women in Russia,” said Elena Zacharenko, in the Warsaw office of Amnesty International.

The group plans protests during his visit, including a march to the Russian embassy.

Polish media have focused on the call for reconciliation that Kirill will sign today with Archbishop Jozef Michalik, head of Poland’s Catholic Church.

“The goal of this document is not to settle the painful pages of history shared by Poland and Russia. The essential issue is instead to start this dialogue, to talk on the basis of the same scripture of Christ,” said Father Jozef Kloch, for the Polish Episcopal Conference.

Many Poles look at their eastern neighbour with concern after the Soviet Union’s domination of Poland for more than four decades. Russia also controlled a large part of eastern Poland for more than a century before the First World War.

“As people of faith we should use the power of God, we should pray for reconciliation between our nations. To do this truthfully, we should take the first step,” Kirill told Polish radio.

While most of Poland’s 38 million population consider themselves Catholic, the Orthodox Church is Poland’s second-largest religious group with about half a million members.