Russian Orthodox Church apologizes for airbrushing Patriarch Kirill’s watch photo

The has apologized for showing a photo of its leader Patriarch Kirill in which a luxury watch he was wearing was airbrushed.

Patriarch Kirill’s gold is estimated to be worth more than $30,000 and was spotted by Russian bloggers.

The watch’s reflection could be seen in the 2009 photo on the church’s website.

The Patriarchate said the manipulation would be investigated and “the guilty ones will be punished severely”.

In a statement the Patriarch’s press service said “we reject on principle any use of photo editing software to alter the appearance of images.

“There will be a thorough investigation to determine why in this instance there was a crude violation of our internal ethical code. The guilty ones will be punished severely,” the statement said.

The Russian Orthodox Church has apologized for showing a photo of its leader Patriarch Kirill in which a luxury watch he was wearing was airbrushed photo

The Russian Orthodox Church has apologized for showing a photo of its leader Patriarch Kirill in which a luxury watch he was wearing was airbrushed

The original photo, dated 3 July 2009, showed a meeting between Patriarch Kirill and Russian Justice Minister Alexander Konovalov. The photoshopped version appeared this month.

Despite the the watch’s presence was given away by its reflection on a polished table top.

After heated debate about it in the Russian blogosphere the Patriarchate first removed the enlarged image from the site and then removed the image altogether.

Now the Patriarchate says the original image is back in its archive.

In February 2012 a photo of Patriarch Kirill meeting President Vladimir Putin – who was prime minister at the time – showed Kirill wearing the Breguet watch.

Last week Patriarch Kirill told a Russian interviewer, Vladimir Solovyov, that expensive watches were not part of his official attire. He admitted owning a Breguet watch, but said he kept it in its box.

 

 

Vladimir Putin reacts awkwardly as a priest bows to kiss his hand during a visit to country's northern Valaam IslandVladimir Putin’s hand kissed by Russian Orthodox priest Ignatius IV Hazim, the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Syria, has died in neighboring Lebanon at the age of 92Patriarch Ignatius IV of Antioch and All The East dies in neighboring Lebanon aged 92 Patriarch Fouad Twal, head of the Roman Catholic Church in Jerusalem, has voiced his support for a Palestinian state during a procession to Bethlehem, the birthplace of JesusPatriarch Fouad Twal, head of Roman Catholic Church in Jerusalem, backs Palestinian state Archimandrite Ephraim, Abbot of Vatopedi MonasteryOrthodox Archimandrite Ephraim, imprisoned on Christmas Eve without trial Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich caused outrage when they sang a song that implored the Virgin Mary to "throw Putin out" in FebruaryPussy Riot members go on trial in Moscow after protesting against Vladimir Putin Pope Tawadros II, the new leader of Egypt's Coptic Christian church, has been formally enthroned in CairoPope Tawadros II, new leader of Egypt’s Coptic Christian church, enthroned in Cairo Thousands of people have rallied this evening in the Israeli town of Beit Shemesh against ultra-Orthodox Jewish extremismIsrael: thousands of people rally against ultra-Orthodox extremism in Beit Shemesh Pussy Riot members were jailed for two years for staging an anti-Kremlin protest in Moscow's main cathedralPussy Riot activists appeal in Moscow court
Tags: , , ,

Short URL: http://www.bellenews.com/?p=16958

Posted by on Apr 5 2012. Filed under Europe News, Science & Technology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0.

ADVERTISEMENT

Liked this post? You'll love our newsletter.

Enter your email to receive our weekly list of top news.

NEWSFEED

Recommended

Hochzeitsmode

ADVERTISEMENT

Fashion & Style

ADVERTISEMENT