Religious Leaders Back Putin For President
Thursday, February 09, 2012
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin took a "vacation day" on February 8 to meet as a presidential candidate with religious leaders at the Danilov Monastery in Moscow, where the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, characterized Putin's time in charge of Russia as a "miracle."
The patriarch told Putin religious leaders wanted to meet with him "as prime minister, but first of all as a candidate for president of our country, who has the best chance" to win the March election.
Kirill directly addressed Putin, saying the last 12 years were a "miracle" for the church and the Russian state. Putin was president from 2000 to 2008 and prime minister since then. Kirill wished Putin "God's help" and a long and happy life.
Besides the Russian Orthodox patriarch, leaders of Russia's Islamic, Jewish, and Buddhist communities were in attendance, as well as representatives from the Armenian, Roman Catholic, and other Christian communities.
http://www.rferl.org/content/russia_putin_president_election_religion_orthodox_islam_judaism/24478173.html
