Pussy Riot Forgiven By Russian Orthodox Church

Pussy Riot, the all-girl punk band sentenced yesterday to two years in prison for their actions inside a Russian church have sparked debates the world over about free speech in Russia, but the church in which they engaged in the actions that landed them behind bars has forgiven them for their transgression.

However, despite the church forgiving Pussy Riot for the protest that garnered international attention after the three were jailed, church leaders do not believe the women have been unjustly sentenced. In fact, the church seems to see forgiveness as separate to how the women are treated legally, and feels that the sentence handed down was fair.

Tikhon Shevkunov of Moscow’s Sretensky Monastery said on state TV Saturday:

“The church has been sometimes accused of not forgiving them… We did forgive them from the very start. But such actions should be cut short by society and authorities.”

Archpriest Maxim Kozlov added:

“We are simply praying and hoping that these young women and all these people shouting in front of the court building, committing sacrilegious acts not only in Russia but in other countries, realize that their acts are awful. And despite this the church is asking for mercy within the limits of law.”

On Friday, the church itself issued a statement wherein it characterized the initial actions of Pussy Riot as a “reflection of rude animosity toward millions of people and their feelings,” but it implored the state to “show clemency toward the convicted in the hope that they will refrain from new sacrilegious actions.”