Russian Orthodox Church set to ban priests from blessing weapons

The priests are being urged to ditch the common practice and bless soldiers instead.

Russell Whiting from the Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament told Premier the move represents a “positive step forward”.

“We saw just in this country last month with the service at Westminster Abbey, which was seen by many as giving a blessing to nuclear weapons, just what a controversial step it is once clergy members and other Christian leaders get involved,” he said.

“Obviously, we want to make sure that all weapons are only used in a severe last resort. And we just don’t think it’s appropriate that clergy and clerics should be getting involved with blessing them.”

In May, the Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament protested outisde Westminster Abbey as they hosted ‘A Service to Recognise Fifty Years of Continuous At Sea Deterrent’ for the Royal Navy in May.

During the controversial service, the Dean of Westminster praised the use of the UK’s nuclear deterrents for bringing peace across the world.

The Moscow Times reported that members of a church council commission met last week in Moscow and discussed and approved the draft revision on the rules covering the blessing of military weapons.

While the new rules state that military hardware may no longer be blessed, they still allow priests to sanctify “personal weapons”.

Whiting told Premier he is uncomfortable with the…