The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, by far the most popular and influential religion in the country, has compared same-sex marriage to Nazism.

Patriarch Kirill, who is close to President Putin, was in Kyrgyzstan promoting one of his books when he said that "so-called homosexual marriages" were a threat to family values.

He added: "When laws are detached from morality they cease being laws people can accept," comparing the legislation to the sort enacted in Nazi Germany.

Kirill's outburst comes at a time when Russia has received condemnation for its reaction to the gay purge in Chechnya, where gay men have been detained, tortured and murdered.

Kirill, who has held the highest position in the church since 2009, has a long history of virulent anti-gay rhetoric, repeatedly speaking out against same-sex marriage specifically.

Note from Ron: When the communists were taking over Russia circa 1918, the Orthodox priests were engaged in a hot debate about what their priestly garb should look like. In the mean time the communists -anti Christians to core- took control of Russia for the better part of the 20th Century, and the Orthodox priests came up with religious garb (see above photo) that is as gaudy and tasteless as Communist was anti-Christian. Alas, here is one more organized religion that has totally lost its moral compass in the throes of self indulgence and aggrandizement.