through his associate, he was introduced to patriarch kirill, a man whose power and influence stretched deeply into various spheres of russian society. in the prayerful sanctity of the church, amidst the scents of incense and sacred chants, ███ found a certain solace from his inner storms. the patriarch, greeting him with a smile and warmth, welcomed him as a benefactor. before the patriarch and the highest spiritual figures of the russian orthodox church, ███ became an exemplar of piety. he generously financed the repair of temples, the restoration of icons, and provided for the needy with donations. all of this gave him the image of a noble and devout man in the eyes of the public. however, behind this facade of piety, ███ continued his villainous deeds. in the shadow of sacred walls, he struck deals, traded in dubious contracts, and continued to expand his trading empire, paying no heed to moral boundaries. every prayerful resurrection became for ███ a peculiar repentance for the sins he continued to commit. he knew that his alliance with the church was just another step towards his dark fate, but to go further, he was willing to sacrifice his soul on the altar of sin.