Russian Orthodox priest faces expulsion for refusing to pray for victory over Ukraine
Church court says Aleksiy Uminsky broke his oath by refusing to recite ‘Prayer for Holy Rus’, which church has made compulsory at services
A prominent liberal priest faces expulsion from the Russian Orthodox church for refusing to read out a prayer asking God to guide Russia to victory over Ukraine.
In a verdict published on Saturday, a church court said Aleksiy Uminsky should be “expelled from holy orders” for violating his priestly oath. The decision was forwarded for approval to Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian church who strongly backs President Vladimir Putin.
The case shows how the church is clamping down on internal dissent as it throws its support behind Putin and his “special military operation” in Ukraine, which is now nearing the end of its second year.
In Russia, when a door closes, a window opens…
You’d like to think Putin would think twice before martyring a priest. I don’t know a lot about Eastern Orthodox Christianity, but martyrdom tends to be a big deal.
That's why they are expelling him. He will be painted as a Ukrainian spy who infiltrated their Orthodox Church.
Window of opportunity has a completely different ring there.
Much respect to this man. But I’m worried international respect and sticking to his ideals won’t be enough to keep him safe.
Credit to him for this move.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
A prominent liberal priest faces expulsion from the Russian Orthodox church for refusing to read out a prayer asking God to guide Russia to victory over Ukraine.
In a verdict published on Saturday, a church court said Aleksiy Uminsky should be “expelled from holy orders” for violating his priestly oath.
The case shows how the church is clamping down on internal dissent as it throws its support behind Putin and his “special military operation” in Ukraine, which is now nearing the end of its second year.
“Behold, those who want to fight have taken up arms against Holy Rus, hoping to divide and destroy its united people,” said the prayer first pronounced by Kirill on 25 September 2022, seven months into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
He had served for 30 years as senior priest at the church of the life-giving holy trinity in Moscow before being abruptly fired this month, just before Orthodox Christmas, in a move that paved the way for Saturday’s verdict.
A total of 11,627 Orthodox believers have signed an open letter in his support since he was removed as priest of the Holy Trinity church and replaced by Andrei Tkachov, a vocal champion of the war.
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Since this is Russia, being "expelled from holy orders" is probably the least of his worries.
I still hope he can avoid other consequences.