Petition against the appointment of the pro-war Metropolitan Mark (Golovkov) as Exarch of Western Europe

We, the associations Russie-Libertés (France), Rusos Libres (Spain), and Mir Vsem (Friede Allen e.V.) (Germany), express our deep concern regarding the appointment of Metropolitan Mark (Golovkov) to serve in France.

In accordance with the decision of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church dated 12 March 2026, Metropolitan Mark has been appointed head of the Patriarchal Exarchate of Western Europe, which unites the dioceses and parishes of the Moscow Patriarchate in Andorra, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Portugal, France and Switzerland.

This appointment causes us not only moral perturbation, but also serious public concern.

Whilst in Russia, Metropolitan Mark repeatedly and publicly demonstrated his support for the war waged by the Russian Federation against Ukraine. It is a matter of fact that he blessed military equipment prior to its dispatch to the front. In particular, whilst blessing weapons intended for use in combat operations, Metropolitan Mark stated:

These words leave no room for ambiguous interpretation. This is not a matter of pastoral support for people caught up in war, but of a direct religious justification of armed violence, the sacralisation of war, and the blessing of weapons that bring death, destruction and suffering in the course of military aggression.

Furthermore, Metropolitan Mark has delegated clergy to minister to Russian servicemen fighting in the occupied territories of Ukraine, as well as to encourage the Russian citizens forcibly mobilised to the front. In the Ryazan Diocese, which he heads, as in other dioceses of the Russian Orthodox Church in Russia, clergy are effectively forced to participate in the public religious legitimisation of the war through prayers for the victory of the Russian army.

Such a practice does not represent a private political stance, but rather the systematic use of religious authority to justify aggression and militarist propaganda.

Metropolitan Mark’s public rhetoric regarding anti-war Russians is also a cause for particular concern. Following the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he disparagingly referred to those who had left Russia as a ‘generation of freeloaders’. Meanwhile, it is precisely these people — journalists, human rights defenders, clergy and activists who refused to support the war — who make up a significant proportion of those forced to seek refuge in European countries, including France, to escape repression, criminal prosecution and political pressure.

The appointment to the ministry in France of a man who publicly supported the invasion of Ukraine and demonstrated contempt for dissenting Russians inevitably raises the question: to what extent is the presence of such a figure permissible in the European public and religious sphere?

We also draw attention to the conclusions contained in the European Commission’s document ‘Strategic Orientations on a coordinated EU approach to prevention of radicalisation for 2024-2026’, prepared by the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs. The document explicitly states that, alongside other forms of extremism, the spread of Russian propaganda and disinformation, including in the context of the war against Ukraine, is a cause of serious concern for EU Member States.

In this context, the actions of religious figures who openly support a war of aggression and justify it in the name of a spiritual mission cannot be viewed in isolation from the broader issue of the spread of an ideology that undermines the foundations of European security, solidarity and the rule of law.

In this regard, we call on the French authorities:

— to conduct a legal assessment of the grounds for Metropolitan Mark’s stay in France, with particular emphasis on the potential risks his presence may pose to public order. 

— to take into account his role in propagating an ideology that justifies war and provides a religious justification for violence when considering the possibility of applying existing restrictive measures. 

We also appeal to Christians of all denominations, to representatives of religious communities and civil society in Europe, to take note of this appointment.

The Russian Orthodox Church in Western Europe is now represented by a man who has not merely failed to distance himself from the war, but has publicly contributed to its justification, using the language of the Church, religious authority and spiritual power to do so.

We are convinced that Christian witness cannot serve as a cover for war propaganda, and that church ministry cannot be a tool for justifying violence.

It is precisely for this reason that this appointment must not go unchallenged in terms of public, moral and legal scrutiny.

Rev. Valerian Dunin-Barkovsky, Very Rev. Andrey Kordochkin, Pavel Fakhrtdinov, NGO ‘Peace unto All’ (Friede Allen e.V., Germany)

Olga Prokopyeva, Executive Director of the organisation Russie-Libertés, France

Alexei Nesterenko, President of La Asociación de Rusos Libres, Spain