Russian Orthodox Church (ROCOR) Outreach to Congressional Offices
Representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) are scheduled to visit Congressional offices on Tuesday, December 16.
ROCOR functions as the U.S.-based branch of the Russian Orthodox Church, which is led by Patriarch Kirill of Moscow—a longtime Kremlin ally who, during the Soviet period, served as a KGB officer and today remains closely aligned with Russian state policy.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Patriarch Kirill has explicitly framed the war as a religious crusade, declaring it a “holy war” against Ukraine and the West. He has publicly stated that Russian soldiers who die fighting in Ukraine will have their sins forgiven, using religious doctrine to justify violence and sanctify military aggression.
Religious Persecution in Occupied Ukraine
This religious rhetoric has had direct and deadly consequences. As a result of Russian military actions and religious persecution in occupied Ukrainian territories:
Approximately 80 Ukrainian pastors and priests have been killed by Russian forces.
Evangelical clergy have been disproportionately targeted: 29 of the 80 clergy killed were Evangelical.
Although Evangelicals comprise approximately 4% of Ukraine’s population, they account for 36% of the clergy killed.
In Russian-occupied territories, all Catholic priests have either been expelled or killed; none remain.
International observers and U.S. government reporting have documented systematic repression of religious communities that are not aligned with the Moscow Patriarchate, including arrests of clergy, church seizures, and bans on religious activity.
ROCOR’s Relationship to Patriarch Kirill
Representatives of ROCOR often claim independence from Patriarch Kirill and the Moscow Patriarchate. However, available evidence suggests continued institutional and spiritual ties:
At least 35 ROCOR churches display photographs of Patriarch Kirill or reference his leadership.
All three ROCOR dioceses governing churches in the United States operate within ecclesiastical structures that acknowledge Kirill’s authority and spiritual primacy.
Given these facts, ROCOR representatives should not be treated as neutral or fully independent sources regarding religious freedom or conditions in Ukraine without careful scrutiny.
Questions Congressional Offices Should Ask
If Congressional offices choose to meet with ROCOR representatives, staff should consider asking direct questions about:
ROCOR’s formal and informal relationship with Patriarch Kirill;
Whether ROCOR recognizes Patriarch Kirill as a spiritual authority;
ROCOR’s position on the persecution of Ukrainian Christians—particularly Evangelicals and Catholics—in Russian-occupied territories.
This outreach effort is reportedly being organized by Catherine Whiteford, Co-Chair of the Young Republican National Federation. Her father, Archpriest John Whiteford, serves in a ROCOR parish in Texas and publicly references his relationship with Patriarch Kirill.
Additional Background and Documentation
The following publicly available sources provide additional context on the role of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia’s war against Ukraine and the documented persecution of religious communities:
Ukraine’s Christians vs. Putin’s Church — A short explainer video examining how the Russian Orthodox Church has been used to legitimize Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Russian Orthodox Church declares “holy war” — Atlantic Council analysis of Patriarch Kirill’s religious framing of the invasion.
Why the Russian Orthodox Church supports the war in Ukraine — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on church–state alignment in Russia.
Patriarch Kirill’s embrace of the war — Foreign Policy on ideology and clerical support for the invasion.
2023 International Religious Freedom Report: Ukraine — U.S. Department of State documentation of religious freedom violations.
Russia’s Religious Freedom Violations in Ukraine — Issue update from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.
Ukrainian Catholics driven out by Russian occupation — Reuters reporting on the expulsion of Catholic clergy from occupied areas.
Volos Declaration — A statement signed by more than 1,600 Orthodox theologians condemning the “Russian World” ideology promoted by the Moscow Patriarchate.
