Patriarch Kirill: Prayers for atomic bomb development religiously justified

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill has provided a religious justification for the development of Russia's atomic bomb, stating that the prayers of Saint Seraphim of Sarow played a role.

During a service at the Holy Trinity Monastery in Diveyevo, where the relics of Saint Seraphim are kept, Patriarch Kirill declared that the "Russian atomic bomb also arose through the prayers of Saint Seraphim of Sarow." He referenced conversations with Russian physicists and scientists who believed the weapon's development at the Sarow site was not coincidental but partly due to the saint's prayers.

Saint Seraphim of Sarow, a prominent Russian monk and mystic who lived from 1759 to 1833, was canonized in 1903. He has been the patron saint of Russia's nuclear forces since 2007. The monastery, a significant pilgrimage site, was reopened in 1991 after being closed by the Soviets. The Patriarch's service marked the 35th anniversary of its reopening.

Patriarch Kirill described Saint Seraphim as Russia's spiritual protector, crediting him with helping preserve the Orthodox faith during a period of spreading atheism. He also noted Sarow's importance to the Soviet nuclear program, stating that scientists working there developed the bomb, which prevented enemies from enslaving the homeland. Kirill concluded by calling for prayers for God's protection over "the Russian land, our Orthodox president, the authorities, and the armed forces."