The head of the Russian Church, Patriarch Kirill, made some interesting comments about Putin over the weekend, which reflect how many in Russia see him, and which partially explain his popularity, especially among the Christian faithful. Kirill's comments were contained in birthday congratulations published on the Patriarch's website (Russian text, see below for translation) over the weekend. Birthday wishes have a completely different cultural significance in Russia than they do in the West, with Russians attributing great importance and politeness to them. This is in part a legacy of the communist era, when there was a paucity of holidays which...
