In what can only be described as a bizarre move, the Russian Orthodox Church is essentially offering indulgences to any Russian soldiers who die during Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Premier Christian News reports.

Patriarch Kirill, 75, is the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and in a sermon that he preached on Sunday, Sept 25, 2022, he stated that any Russian soldiers killed during the invasion will be absolved of their sins.

According to Kirill’s theology, these soldiers no longer need Christ and can die for their own sins and receive eternal life.

In his sermon Kirill stated:

“… if a person dies in the performance of this duty, then they have undoubtedly committed an act equivalent to sacrifice. They will have sacrificed themselves for others. And therefore, we believe that this sacrifice washes away all the sins that a person has committed.”

Of course, Russian soldiers should be a little concerned about this meaningless promise. Not only is it completely unBiblical, but the Russian Orthodox Church had tried similar tricks earlier, with unsuccessful results.

A Russian Orthodox Priest had previously placed a piece from Christ’s original cross on board of Russia’s high-tech flagship, the Moskva.

Of course, it wasn’t a piece of Christ’s original cross, but the Russian Orthodox Church believed it was. It also believed this would provide protection for the ship during the war.

Ukraine sunk the ship on April 14, 2022, with what many believe were massive casualties.

READ: Orthodox Church leader says Russian soldiers dying in Ukraine will be cleansed of sin AND Sunken Russian warship may have carried Christian relic ‘True Cross’ piece