Of course, Russia’s unanointed tsar, Vladimir Putin, is also in the running for Antichrist. But he doesn’t have to be in direct competition with his toady, Donald Trum,p for the dishonor as there are several other characters busily working with the Antichrist in Revelation, such as the False Prophet, the Image of the Beast, and the Scarlet Woman. Putin is, however, tossing his own hat into the apocalyptic ring by increasingly claiming divine honors for himself.
In his latest move, the Russian president has asked Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill to inscribe Putin’s own initials on the backs of crosses given to soldiers, as if he were a saint offering his own protective blessing. This has shocked even Russian observers as a step beyond.
From President to Divine Protector? Putin Elevates Himself to New Heights With Godly Rebrand
However, Orthodoxy, particularly Russian Orthodoxy, has always had a very difficult time appeasing the absolute monarchs by whom they have always been saddled. Often it’s either kiss up or go to Siberia, and the current patriarch has become quite adept at the former to avoid the latter and seems delighted to do so. Putin has greatly rewarded him for his flattery, too, and one possibility is that the war in Ukraine is to smash not just the state, but the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as well. Returning it to obedience to Moscow might inspire the Patriarch to finally make him the “tsar of all the Russias” in name and actual fact.
What does this mean, other than that power drives men mad, and that Russian Christianity has also failed? Simply this, as traditional limits crumble under the weight of transnational billionaires and criminal heads of state, all kinds of mad ambitions will rear up. This could be yet another sign of the growing madness of the End Times.
