Christian
Russian Orthodox Church — Moscow Patriarchate
Export 1 entries:
Mainstream Eastern Orthodox church; largest single Orthodox church globally. Substantial post-2022 entanglement with Russian state support for invasion of Ukraine.
CLCI radar
Loading radar…
Low Control
BITE breakdown
Behavior Control3/10
Information Control2/10
Thought Control3/10
Emotional Control3/10
Modifiers (+0)
0 — mainstream Eastern Orthodox church; substantial post-2022 entanglement with Russian state.
Profile facts
Founded
16th c.
Members
Estimated 100+ million globally
Active in
Europe, Global
In context
The ROC MP is the largest Eastern Orthodox church with substantial presence globally. Post-2022 Patriarch Kirill's public support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine has driven schism with Ukrainian Orthodox Church MP and Bulgarian, Lithuanian, and other Orthodox churches. Substantial state-church entanglement documented.
Recovery resources
- ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) — General referral and cult-aware therapist directory.
- INFORM (Information Network on Religious Movements) — LSE-founded UK research-based information service covering new religious movements.
- Freedom of Mind Resource Center — Steven Hassan's organisation; BITE-model resources and family-side exit guidance.
See the full curated list at /resources.
Evidence by BITE axis
Information Control
- Post-2022 state-church entanglement over Ukraine war
- substantial post-2022 entanglement with Russian state
Timeline
- 1589ROC Patriarchate established
- 2022Kirill supports Ukraine invasion
Evidence matrix
Structured sources cross-linked to the claims they document. Tiered per the source hierarchy. For free-text citations see the Sources section below.
Sources
- Various press coverage search ↗
- Moscow the Third Rome: Sources of the Doctrine — Speculum (1953) — https://doi.org/10.2307%2F2847182 open ↗
- The Russian Orthodox Church and nationalism after 1988 — Religion in Communist Lands (1990) — https://doi.org/10.1080%2F09637499008431483 open ↗
- The millennium celebrations of 1988 in the USSR — Religion in Communist Lands (1988) — https://doi.org/10.1080%2F09637498808431389 open ↗
- Born Again. Putin and Orthodox Church Cement Power in Russia — https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119792074745834591?mod=hpp_us_inside_today open ↗
- Russian Patriarch 'was KGB spy — https://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/feb/12/1 open ↗
- Russia's church mourns patriarch — http://us.ft.com/ftgateway/superpage.ft?news_id=fto120520081735416422&page=1 open ↗
- At Expense of All Others, Putin Picks a Church — https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/24/world/europe/24church.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=russia&st=nyt&oref=slogin open ↗
- Ветряные мельницы православия Kommersant, 15 December 2008 — http://kommersant.ru/doc.aspx?DocsID=1094071&ThemesID=1011 open ↗
- Archbishop's defiance threatens Putin's vision of Russian greatness — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/14/ukraine-archbishop-bartholomew-defies-moscow-church open ↗
- In Expanding Russian Influence, Faith Combines With Firepower — https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/14/world/europe/russia-orthodox-church.html open ↗
- Russian Orthodox Church severs links with Constantinople — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45870939 open ↗
- How is Russia-Ukraine war linked to religion? — https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-vladimir-putin-kyiv-europe-nationalism-ff22c6c17784674a5eaad0f0a1ff17ca open ↗
- I'm shocked by my church leaders in Moscow' – priest in Ukraine — https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-61109104 open ↗
- Russian Priest Defends Calling Ukraine Conflict a 'War' After $330 Fine — https://www.newsweek.com/russian-priest-defends-calling-ukraine-conflict-war-after-330-fine-1689762 open ↗
- Ukraine war: Russians grieve for fallen soldiers — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60769509 open ↗
- Those who unleashed aggression won't be in heaven' St. Petersburg priest faces criminal charges for condemning Russia's war against Ukraine — https://meduza.io/en/feature/2022/06/13/those-who-unleashed-aggression-won-t-be-in-heaven open ↗
- Russia increases censorship with new law: 15 years in jail for calling Ukraine invasion a 'war — https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/ukraine/2022/03/08/russia-free-speech-press-criminalization-misinformation/9433112002/ open ↗
- Russian Orthodox Church alleges gay pride parades were part of the reason for Ukraine war — https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-08-22#h_de0516e0f59ac2214af21bbb0aaf152e open ↗
- Exclusive | Pope Francis: "I am ready to meet Putin in Moscow — https://www.corriere.it/cronache/22_maggio_03/pope-francis-putin-e713a1de-cad0-11ec-84d1-341c28840c78.shtml open ↗
- Russian Orthodox church in Amsterdam announces split with Moscow — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/13/russian-orthodox-church-in-amsterdam-announces-split-with-moscow open ↗
- Putin's top priest tells Russians not to fear death amid mobilization — https://www.newsweek.com/russia-priest-patriarch-kirill-mobilization-putin-death-ukraine-1745616 open ↗
- Russian Orthodox priest faces expulsion for refusing to pray for victory over Ukraine — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/14/russian-orthodox-priest-faces-expulsion-for-refusing-to-pray-for-victory-over-ukraine open ↗
- Ukraine Is Now 'Holy War,' Russian Church Declares — https://www.newsweek.com/russia-ukraine-war-holy-1884577 open ↗
- Fact Check: Ukrainian MPs vote to allow Russia-linked church to be banned, not Christianity — https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/ukrainian-mps-vote-allow-russia-linked-church-be-banned-not-christianity-2024-08-23/ open ↗
- BBC - Religions - Christianity: Eastern Orthodox Church — https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/easternorthodox_1.shtml open ↗
- The Cambridge Dictionary of Christianity — https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511780165 open ↗
- The Cambridge Dictionary of Christianity (2010) — https://doi.org/10.1017%2FCBO9780511780165 open ↗
- Recent Scholarship on Russian Orthodoxy: A Critique — http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/kritika/v002/2.2freeze.html open ↗
- Russian Orthodox Church — https://www.britannica.com/topic/Russian-Orthodox-Church open ↗
- Kyivan Ecclesiastical Tradition before & after 1686: Discontinuities & Transformation — http://www.academia.edu/9064637/Kyivan_Ecclesiastical_Tradition_before_and_after_1686_Discontinuities_and_Transformation_%D0%9A%D0%B8%D1%97%D0%B2%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D0%B5%D0%BA%D0%BA%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B7%D1%96%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%BD%D0%B0_%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%86%D1%96%D1%8F_%D0%B4%D0%BE_%D1%96_%D0%BF%D1%96%D1%81%D0%BB%D1%8F_1686_%D1%80._%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B7%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%B8_%D1%82%D0%B0_%D1%82%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D1%84%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BC%D0%B0%D1%86%D1%96%D1%97_ open ↗
- Yeltsin to lie in state in Moscow — http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6586181.stm open ↗
- Cross meets Kremlin — http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,150718,00.html open ↗
- Russian Orthodox Church alleges gay pride parades were part of the reason for Ukraine war — https://edition.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-08-22/h_de0516e0f59ac2214af21bbb0aaf152e open ↗
- Russian Church enthrones leader — http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7863385.stm open ↗
- russian-orthodox-church — https://www.jstor.org/topic/russian-orthodox-church open ↗
- Au Kazakhstan, le pape François apaise les tensions avec Moscou — https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/au-kazakhstan-le-pape-francois-apaise-les-tensions-avec-moscou-20220914 open ↗
- Voraus-Abteilungen „Kirchenbau“ — https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2019/05/14/80513-peredovye-otryady-hramostroya open ↗
- Die Straße zum Platz — https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2019/05/18/80571-doroga-k-skveru open ↗
- https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2023/11/29/imperiia-pravoslavie-natsionalizm-i-nikakikh-prav-cheloveka — https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2023/11/29/imperiia-pravoslavie-natsionalizm-i-nikakikh-prav-cheloveka open ↗
- Selenskyj sagt der russlandnahen Kirche den Kampf an — https://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/ausland/ukraine-krieg-selenskyj-sagt-russlandnaher-kirche-den-kampf-an-18506264.html open ↗
- Mit göttlicher Unterstützung? — https://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/russisch-orthodoxe-kirche-ukrainekrieg-1.5651438 open ↗
- Ungodly espionage: Russian hackers targeted Orthodox clergy. — https://www.apnews.com/26815e0d06d348f4b85350e96b78f6a8 open ↗
- Das mächtige Moskauer Patriarchat wird schrumpfen. — https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2018-09/russisch-orthodoxe-kirche-ukraine-krieg-5vor8 open ↗
- Sich daran zu erinnern ist verboten! — https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2018/09/15/77846-pominat-zapreschaetsya open ↗
- Die russische Kirche bricht mit Konstantinopel. — https://www.welt.de/politik/ausland/article182161374/Streit-um-Ukraine-Die-russische-Kirche-bricht-mit-Konstantinopel.html open ↗
- Russian Orthodox Church cuts ties with Constantinople. — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/15/russian-orthodox-church-cuts-ties-with-constantinople open ↗
- Wir bombardieren wieder Woronesch. — https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2018/10/16/78212-my-opyat-bombim-voronezh open ↗
- Die ersten Verluste an der Moskauer Konstantinopel-Front. — https://novayagazeta.ru/articles/2018/10/20/78272-pervye-poteri-na-moskovsko-konstantinopolskom-fronte-kakih-stavshih-uzhe-privychnymi-religioznyh-uslug-i-svyatyn-lishatsya-pravoslavnye-rossiyane-v-rezultate-razryva-rpts-s-konstantinopolskim-patriarhatom-i-voobsche-mirovym-pravoslaviem open ↗
- Mahnmal für beleidigte Gläubige. — https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2018/11/26/78710-russkiy-mir-opyat-okruzhili open ↗
- Es ist Autokephalie! — https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2018/12/15/78952-est-avtokefaliya open ↗
- „Satans Trank“ und die Werte des Liberalismus des Patriarchen. — https://www.novayagazeta.ru/articles/2019/01/08/79120-rozhdestvo-tomosa open ↗
- Russian Orthodox Church elects 16th patriarch - Los Angeles Times — http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-russia-patriarch28-2009jan28,0,5609753.story open ↗
- Orthodox Church split: Five reasons why it matters — https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45877584 open ↗
- Социологический опрос Гэллапа, 2011 — http://photos.state.gov/libraries/moldova/106281/PDF-RU/2011-IRF-RU.pdf open ↗
- Социологи: 44 % украинцев относят себя к УПЦ — https://www.bbc.co.uk/ukrainian/ukraine_in_russian/2015/04/150409_ru_s_religion_opinion_poll open ↗
- Russia's War on Ukraine: The Four Roots of Putin's Invasion — https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/russias-war-on-ukraine/B5B11221D6352CF59474C2EC89C6C554 open ↗
- Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople — http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/178827/Ecumenical-Patriarchate-of-Constantinople open ↗
- The End of “Putin’s Empire?” Ontological Problems of Russian Imperialism in the Context of the War against Ukraine, 2022 — https://doi.org/10.1080/10758216.2022.2158873 open ↗
- The End of “Putin’s Empire?” Ontological Problems of Russian Imperialism in the Context of the War against Ukraine, 2022 — Problems of Post-Communism (2023) — https://dx.doi.org/10.1080%2F10758216.2022.2158873 open ↗
- Why did the Russian and Ukrainian Orthodox churches split? — https://www.economist.com/the-economist-explains/2022/01/06/why-did-the-russian-and-ukrainian-orthodox-churches-split open ↗
- Russia’s Orthodox Church paints the conflict in Ukraine as a holy war — https://www.economist.com/europe/2022/03/21/russias-orthodox-church-paints-the-conflict-in-ukraine-as-a-holy-war open ↗
- Святослав Хоменко, Виталий Червоненко, Анастасия Лотарева. «Битье определяет сознание». Избавилась ли УПЦ от Московского патриархата? — BBC, 30.05.2022. — https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-61628635 open ↗
- 10.15211/9785981631559 — https://dx.doi.org/10.15211%2F9785981631559 open ↗
We cite sources by name and outlet rather than fabricating links. Where a source includes its own URL, the open ↗ link opens it directly; otherwise search ↗runs a Google Scholar query for the cited title — useful for verifying academic sources. For news outlets, search the outlet's own archive.
Change history
Substantive edits logged per the score-updates policy.
- 2026-05-29Phase 1 Batch J: per-group recovery resources applied via programmatic palette (closest-fit by category + subCategory + score). Palette: Mainstream-comparator lighter.
- 2026-05-20Score band scheme migrated from 4 bands to 5 (Minimal 0–5 / Low 6–12 / Moderate 13–20 / High 21–30 / Extreme 31–40). No CLCI value changed; the new Minimal band was carved out of the bottom of the previous Low band.
Key terms in this profile
Relevant hubs
Curated entry points on CLCI Hub for situations connected to this group.
You may also want to explore
Found something wrong on this profile?
We accept correction requests from anyone — current and former members, researchers, journalists, family members, and the listed organisation. Submissions are reviewed by an editor; we do not auto-publish.
Disclaimer. This profile is an educational summary based on publicly available reports. Many members of this group do not experience the patterns described. Individual congregations and chapters vary widely. If you or someone you know needs support, contact a licensed therapist or the International Cultic Studies Association.