… I interpret the role of government legislation that creates this church sorrow for myself as the discovery of not any human considerations and intentions at all, but the implementation of the judgment of God on the Russian church society, punishing us for our historically revealed church failures and calling to repentance. Hence, the very sorrows of the Church are usually genetically connected with our church falls.

Fifty years ago, and perhaps no one else among the church community, it began to surprise, for example, the phenomenon that on the great holidays, when the bells called the believers to the temple, many of these called ones found themselves at concerts of some visiting celebrity or in the theater at a fashion show. “Since you need theaters more than churches, then let your churches turn into theaters,” I hear in this case the voice of God’s judgment.

<…>

The meaning of these views is that the Russian people committed a common sin against the church… and the blame for this lies mainly with the clergy. The task is the need for a deeper education of the people, so that the members of the church are true Christians… which means opposing the kingdom of malice. I expressed these views to the Bishops of Damascus and Athanasius, who were in solidarity with me on this matter.