The head of the Russian Orthodox Church on Thursday called for a temporary ceasefire in Ukraine on Orthodox Christmas, which is celebrated on both sides of the conflict. Patriarch Kirill—a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin and outspoken supporter of Putin’s war—said on the church’s official website: “I, Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and of all Rus, appeal to all parties involved in the internecine conflict with a call to cease fire and establish a Christmas truce from 12:00 on January 6 to 00:00 on January 7 so that Orthodox people can attend services on Christmas Eve and on the day of the Nativity of Christ.” Kirill has been sanctioned by the governments of both the U.K. and Canada for his backing of the invasion of Ukraine and the Moscow-backed branch of Ukraine’s Orthodox Church broke away from Russia last May because of Kirill’s refusal to condemn the killing.