Orthodox Christian Russians Must Not Marry Muslims Lest Russia Become an Islamic State, Russian Orthodox Prelate Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, May 28 – A senior Russian churchman in St. Petersburg says that no Orthodox Christian should marry a Muslim not only because such inter-faith unions have been prohibited by the Orthodox church since ancient times but also because radical Muslims hope to use such marriages to transform Russia into an Islamic state.

            Archpriest Kirill (Ivanov) who is pastor at a major church in St. Petersburg, says that the issue of such inter-faith marriages is becoming ever sharper more seirous because radical Muslims “are seeking to make Russia an Islamic state through marriages with ‘our girls’” (stoletie.ru/lenta/protoijerej_rpc_kirill_napomnil_o_zaprete_braka_s_musulmanami_296.htm).

            The archpriest says that yet another reason Russian women have to avoid marriages with Muslim immigrants is that the latter often have wives in their homelands. Because the Koran allows Muslims to have four wives, the Russian spouses of these Muslims may find themselves in a subordinate position.

            Other Orthodox priests acknowledge that inter-faith marriages are increasingly common. Hieromonk Ioann (Anisimov), a Russian Orthodox priest who serves in Dagestan, says that it would be better for people to marry only those who share a common faith but that in a poly-religious country like Russia that will not always be the case.

            In his view, Ioann says, “mixed marriages are completely acceptable if the spouses respect the religious views of one another” and do not try to convert each other …  The ancient Hebrews had strict bans n such marriages. But we are not an Old Testament religion; we are Christians.”