[MarMema]

He doesn’t understand that it makes no sense to offer a cross to an avowed atheist and persecutor of Christians.

I guess I don't understand either, Fr. Hans. Seems like just the right person to give a cross to, imo.

[kimosabe31]

Ditto MarMema...I am Orthodox, and it saddens me to see that many within the Orthodox hierarchy are skilled "butt kissers" of dictators. It may be a survival technique for hierarchs based in commie or muslim countries. Case in point: Pascha before last, when the Church of the Nativity was occupied by a gang of arafarts palestinian psychopaths, the Coptic pope in Egypt publicly sent good wishes and sympathy to arafart who was confined to his quarters by the IDF at the time.