Church of Russia: Murderers of the Ambassador in Turkey will not bring Russia into conflict with Islamic world

The Russian Orthodox Church is convinced that those who are involved in killing of the RF Ambassador Andrey Karlov will not pit Russia against the Islamic world, according to the RIA News.

“Mr Karlov was a highly-skilled diplomat, wonderful, helpful, and an Orthodox Christian. I think all the believers, who used to know him, will pray for his peaceful repose. His Holiness Patriarch Kiril knew him personally and had the highest regard for him,” said deputy chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate Archpriest Nikolay Balashov, who also knew personally the deceased diplomat.

He told about the church wedding ceremony 10 years ago of Andrey Karlov, who used to be an Ambassador of the Russian Federation in 2001-2006 in the DPRK, in Pyongyang at the Holy Trinity Church.

“Andrey called me when Kim Jong-il came up with an idea of building an Orthodox church in Pyongyang. He paid lots of efforts to make this idea come true. After it was consecrated in the summer of 2006, there was a wedding ceremony of the Ambassador and his wife Marina. He continued to take care of the church further on – decorated it, invited the Embassy’s staff members and diplomats from other Orthodox states in Pyongyang to come to the church, attended church services himself. He wanted to breathe life into the shrine, based in the atheist capital of the state,” remarked Mr Balashov.

Hr says Mr Karlov had contacts with the church even later when he worked as a Director of the Consulate Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and then as an Ambassador of Russia in Ankara.

“He was concerned about spiritual needs of our fellow countrymen. I know Mr Karlov addressed Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew with a request to assist in spiritual guidance of the Turkey-based Russian faithful. We discussed this issue on numerous occasions,” added Mr Balashov.

Asked about the murder of Russia’s Ambassador, the Agency’s interlocutor replied, ”In my opinion, this is for us to remember that the service of a Russian diplomat is not only responsible but also dangerous.” According to Nikolay Balashov, Andrey Karlov “finished his life, trying to foster better understanding between our nations”, when talking about the exhibition that showed Russia with the eyes of its Turkish visitors.

"It’s clear the murder was committed by those who wanted to stir up animosity between Russia the world of Islam. We are confident they won’t achieve their objective,” concluded the Deputy Chairman.

Mr Karlov became a subject to an armed assault in Ankara on Monday. The Ambassador was wounded at the public event and died afterwards. The Russian Foreign Policy Agency qualifies the occurrence as a terrorist act.