www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Vladimir Putin and his Miracle Cross - Calls it a Revelation

There is a picture on the page of him with the cross on.
Sad he wouldn't say that he believed in God, only in humans.

Vladimir Putin and his Miracle Cross - Calls it a Revelation

Americans know very little about Prime Minister Putin's Christian beliefs. Here is a fascinating interview of Vladimir Putin by Larry King. Vladimir Putin talks about his Miracle Cross. He calls it a "Revelation"

Here is the original CNN transcript. KING: There is much talk about Vladimir Putin and religious faith. I'm told that you wear a cross. Is that true? Are you religious? What are your feelings in this area?

PUTIN (through translator): I prefer -- I would prefer not to develop on that subject in detail. I think such things are sacred for everybody. Everybody's belief is not to be shown off, it's inside a man's heart. As regards to wearing cross, earlier I never had it -- once my mother gave it to me and when I visited Israel. I was there two times. First on an official invitation of the minister of foreign affairs of that country. The second time, I liked the country, and I traveled there with my family as a tourist.

So my mother gave it to me to have a blessing there at the Tomb of Lord. I did so and now it's with me always.

Incidentally enough, there was a story about this cross and since then I have always decided to have it on my body, now in the Dacha close to St. Petersburg, there was fire on the Dacha, it happened because of the fact that something went wrong with sauna.

Prior entering sauna, I took off the cross before entering the sauna, and then with my friend we jumped out naked, since it was so unexpected. And I cherish that cross very much, it was my mother's cross, and the fire was really in earnest at the time. So I was thinking about whether perhaps it could get even remnants of it, it was an aluminum-made cross, a very simple thing.

I was surprised completely when one of the workers, just muddling through those ashes of the remnants, found that cross intact. And the house fell, that was a surprise, a revelation, and therefore I always now keep it with me.

KING: Do you believe there is a higher power?

PUTIN (through translator): I believe in human beings. I believe in his good intentions. I believe in the fact that all of us have come to this would to do good. And if we do so, and if we do so together, then success is awaiting for us. And both with regards to our relations as people to people, or inter-state relations. And most important, we will achieve the ultimate goal, comfort in our own heart.

KING: Thank you Mr. President.

PUTIN (through translator): Thank you.

KING: Vladimir Putin, president of Russia, thanks for joining us.
http://ministryvalues.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=732&Itemid=127

Goodness, but just how brown can Larry King's nose get?

I do find this somewhat strange, though. He won't say whether or not he believes in a higher power? Maybe he just didn't want to tell Larry King. LOL.

Alexis

Saw video of him at the Paschal Service at Christ the Saviour this past year, crossing himself and crossing himself. Is it all for show?

According to First person : an astonishingly frank self-portrait by Russia's president Vladimir Putin / with Nataliya Gevorkyan, Natalya Timakova, and Andrei Kolesnikov; translated by Catherine A. Fitzpatrick, Mr Putin is an Orthodox Christian.

Would that it were true. But, his comments in the interview would cause one to have doubts. Of course, something may have gotten lost in translation.

Dn. Robert

A ROCOR priest once told me one way you can tell if a leader in Russia believed was whether or not they held a candle in the left or right hand.

If in the left hand they can make sign of cross. If in the right hand they can't.

That's worth researching. Time to resurrect the pics from the Moscow/ROCOR re-union Liturgy.

Dn. Robert

We have to understand that all persons are not culturally the same as us. Where as our leaders will speak openly about their faith (and this is most laudable and something which I am proud of), other country's leaders do not feel comfortable doing this. I have noticed a great hesitancy about openly speaking about faith, and even contradictory remarks, by Russian leaders. It must have to do with their roots being in the former Soviet Union, but it could also be because of the common stance (held worldwide) of keeping one's faith private, especially in the world of politics. I wouldn't make too much of it.

Alice

Still gotta watch with which hand he holds his candle!!!

Dn. Robert

I rather get the feeling that Putin uses religion to serve him and place it at his 'advantage' on the political scene rather than for any true spirituality. I have serious concerns about the man... he is 'eyeing' the Imperial throne and has delusions of grandeur. I seriously doubt the Russian Chamber of Nobility would recognize him as he his not the true legitimate heir to this throne. Putin likes 'Lenin and company' and if he were any real Christian he would remove himself from such a man for all the atrocities he has done - the Gulags and the Holodomor included! There is nothing there to be proud of on this record!

Best,

Christine

Careful with that log in your eye.

Clearly, Putin stopped short of saying he believes in God.

In what sense, then, is the cross for him and others like him a kind of "lucky charm" that one carries etc.?

We have people from Russia who come to Church for Holy Water to keep at home - yet they are mum as to whether they are believers or not.

And this may not be Putin's fault. The communist system which he grew up under tended to destroy people's souls. That he himself has said that he venerates Lenin and regards his remains on an equal par with the relics of Orthodox Saiints speaks for itself.

This isn't judging to condemn - God is the judge.

But we should stay away from the likes of him for fear that such may give harm to our own souls.

Alex

Yes....God is the judge. Saying that someone does not have any "true spirituality" is judging to condemn. That is dangerous. I do not know Putin's heart and I will not judge him.


I will probably never have an opportunity to meet him so I don't have to worry about "staying away from him." Can Mr. Putin give harm to my soul? I don't think so. However, I do understand the disdain that you have toward him.

I also know that some of the things he has written and said stand in favor of certain Christian values....including his position against abortion and gay "marriage." It has been uplifting for me to see a leader of a country take such positions.....especially when living in a country where our president celebrates homosexual "marriage" and abortion on demand.

Whether Putin is sincere or not is not my place to judge.

If you choose to support this Neo-Soviet leader, that is your option and I won't hold it against you.

But the idea that we cannot judge is clearly contradicted by St Paul in his letters to the Corinthians.

As for his "uplifting" statements - all kinds of things can appear as angels of light. As someone who has worked with politicians for a long time, I know.

Alex