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"I have always held, and continue to hold, a belief that faith of any kind is something personal, and not political. Something childlike, internal, something that gives strength. Not an instrument for manipulation, not a weapon. But on the contrary – something able to defeat weapons.

It is rather hard to face direct questions such as: “So do you believe in God? Now, tell me, do you believe in God’s retribution?” Because I personally could never bring myself to ask anyone such a question. Being rooted in Christian culture, and being aware of this, is the very reason for not asking such questions. However, it is not enough when you are in prison, no one answers questions about God here. That is why I decided to write an open letter to Orthodox believers. I know this is slightly absurd: it means that to a certain degree I am writing to myself.

Quite soon it will be Easter – a religious holiday when the joy of an inexplicable unity among people is in the air and becomes brighter, and when an isolated individual seems all the more incomplete. Now, on the eve of Easter, in Passion Week, I am saying that I would like to celebrate it with a feeling of peace within me and around me. And if someone has been insulted by my actions or words, I hope they can forgive me. I did not and do not intend to offend anyone’s religious feelings.

The present seems like a pendulum between the words “absurdity” and “lawlessness”. The time is stretched between letters of support and meetings with my lawyer. In between there is hope, and re-reading the words of support written to me by people I do not know, who are there for me and who have lent me a helping hand. Only because of them and thanks to them, I can say, quoting Paul the Apostle: “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”

Because it is men and their strange laws that make me a criminal now. I refuse to believe in this, just as I refuse to believe in the inability of a Christian to forgive. Now and for ever.”

Source: Echo of Moscow radio