Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill says that legal recognition of gay marriage is a sign that the Day of Judgement is approaching, according to Interfax news agency.
Kirill told a crowd gathering at Kazan Cathedral on Moscow's Red Square that same-sex marriage signals the end of the world whereby people choose 'a path towards self-destruction'.
He publically supported a recent move by Russian President Vladimir Putin to criminalise gay and lesbian advertising in Russia.
Although homosexuality stopped being a crime in Russia since 1993, it still comes with considerable social stigma in a country heavily influenced by the Orthodox church. Marches supporting gay rights and gay activists are often targeted.
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