Head of Russian Orthodox Church slams social media “disease”

Yesterday Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, showed worshippers at Moscow’s Epiphany Cathedral that he might be more tech-savvy than we give him credit for, decrying Russian young people’s obsession with social media.

According to Patriarch Kirill, young people desperate for approval on social media are suffering from a “real disease”. Russia’s Interfax news agency reported that the religious leader sees this issue as rooted in vanity.

“Some young people see no purpose in life except to get likes. If they have no other aim, then we should see that as a tragedy,” he stated.

Those seeking “likes” on social media were not the only ones to bear the brunt of Patriarch Kirill’s criticism — online images also aroused his outrage for causing “sinful thoughts”.

Many Russian Orthodox Christians adopt a vegan diet for the duration of Lent — will Patriarch Kirill’s rousing speech see many young members of the Church taking a break from social media?

Source: The Moscow Times