Rally in support of Russian Orthodox Church in punk rock protest
(22 Apr 2012) 1. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia leading service
2. Close up of candles and religious icon
3. Wide of people praying in ?Moscow''s Christ the Saviour Cathedral?
4. Wide pan right of church service
5. Mid of Patriarch Kirill giving sign of the cross
6. Close up of candle and crucifix
7. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Olga (no last name given), Russian Othodox Christian:
"I think in all times there were attacks on the church but no Christian can stay at home when they see all these situations and don''t undertake some measures to stop them. I consider it an inner state of being and everybody should do something."
8. Wide of church service
9. Patriarch Kirill holding candles during service
10. Wide of priest crossing himself before broken icons
11. Zoom in of damaged painting of Jesus Christ
12. Wide tilt down of ?exterior of Moscow''s Christ the Saviour Cathedral?
13. Mid of priests carrying icons down church steps
14. Pan right of crowd standing outside Christ the Saviour Cathedral? for rally
15. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Anastasia Kosinkova, Russian Othodox Christian:
"We gathered here today to stand here and pray, to defend our religion from this encroachment on Orthodoxy, because some barbarians can infringe upon icons and crosses."
16. Wide of Christians at rally crossing themselves
17. Wide of crowd praying
18. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia:
"When we were attacked by persecutors, that cannot be compared to what has happened in the past. But this is more dangerous, because of the fact that this blasphemy and sacrilege, the humiliation under sanctuary, has been supported by the view of a legal demonstration of human freedom."
19. Wide of dome of Cathedral
20. Wide of people with flags and icons
21. Wide of ?Moscow''s Christ the Saviour Cathedral?, crowd in foreground
STORYLINE
Tens of thousands prayed outside Moscow''s main cathedral on Sunday to show their support for the Russian Orthodox Church in a controversy over a punk rock political protest.
Christ the Saviour Cathedral was the scene of a brief surprise performance in February by a female punk rock group protesting Vladimir Putin''s return to the presidency.
Three members of the band Pussy Riot remain in police custody and face up to seven years in jail on charges of hooliganism.
The head of Russia''s Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia, held a service inside the cathedral before leading a procession outside.
Patriarch Kirill has portrayed the punk performance as part of a broader attack on the church.
As part of the procession, priests carried a crucifix and an icon that had been damaged in attacks elsewhere in Russia this spring.
The priests also carried an icon that had been riddled with bullet holes in the 1920s, when atheist Communists began destroying churches around the country after taking power in 1917.
Speaking to the crowds from a stage outside the cathedral, Kirill said the actions of Pussy Riot were "more dangerous" than previous attacks on the church, "because of the fact that this blasphemy and sacrilege, the humiliation under sanctuary, has been supported by the view of a legal demonstration of human freedom."
The harsh treatment of Pussy Riot has provoked a public outcry and contributed to growing criticism of the church, a powerful institution with close ties to the Kremlin.
But the Russian Orthodox church is considered by many Russians to be part of their national identity and an intrinsic part of a powerful state.
The church maintains that desecration of icons and other acts of vandalism have become more frequent since the punk protest.
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