Is Russia's Syria intervention a 'holy war'? Russian Orthodox Church: 'yes' The church fully supports the Kremlin's decision to intervene in Syria, both as a 'war on terrorism' and to protect Middle Eastern Christians it sees as its responsibility. Christian Science Monitor By Fred Weir 18 hours ago For many in the West, the idea that a church would take an overtly hawkish stance in the conflict in Syria is an utterly foreign concept. But then, the Russian Orthodox Church is not of the West, says Archpriest Vsevolod Chaplin, the church's most recognizable spokesperson, in his spartan downtown Moscow office....