Archbishop Reproaches President, MPs for Support to Sacrilegious Punk Group
It is "bewildering and alarming" that members of Parliament are lending public support to the Russian punk group Pussy Riot's barbarian attack against the Russian Orthodox Church, Archbishop of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church Andres Põder said in a letter to the clergy.
"Also, that President of the Republic took part in the concert arranged in the group's support," Põder was quoted in the Lutheran monthly, Meie Kirik.
"We know that for most Russian people, the church is indeed a holy place and licentiousness there is a sacrilege. Compared to the abused feelings of millions of orthodox believers, the alleged political message of the band is totally irrelevant and beside the point," the letter went on.
Desecrating a place of worship and trampling on people's religious freedom in order to attain someone's political, economic or entertainment goals is unacceptable, and it would be cynical to present such behavior as freedom of speech, Põder argued.
Pussy Riot is a Russian women's punk group known for its bold appearances in Moscow. On February 21, as a part of the protest movement against Vladimir Putin's reelection, the band made an unauthorized performance in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow, praying to the Holy Mother, Blessed Virgin to chase Putin out. On March 3, two members of the group were arrested by Russian authorities and accused of “hooliganism”, for which they face up to 7 years in prison.
On Sunday, a support group led by Estonian MP Juku-Kalle Raid organized a rock concert in Tallinn to express solidarity with the band's arrested members. The event was attended by a number of MPs and President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.
Erkki Sivonen