Russian Orthodox Church Suspends Priest for Leading Navalny Memorial Service
Four Russian Orthodox priests, including Dmitry Safronov, led memorial services for opposition figure Alexei Navalny on March 26, 2024. According to the Orthodox tradition, such services are held on the 40th day after a person's death. However, Safronov's participation in the service has resulted in his suspension from the church.
On April 15, 2024, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia issued an order suspending Safronov for three years. The order stripped him of his priestly duties, including giving blessings and wearing a cassock. Safronov was also transferred to another Moscow church and demoted to the position of a psalm-reader.
The reasons for Safronov's suspension remain unclear, but it is believed that his involvement in Navalny's memorial service may have been the cause. The Russian Orthodox Church has traditionally supported the Russian government, and Navalny was a prominent critic of President Vladimir Putin.
Navalny died on February 16, 2024, while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges that were widely seen as politically motivated. The cause of his death remains unexplained, and his body was initially withheld from his family for further investigations. However, Safronov and other priests had signed a public letter calling for Navalny's body to be returned to them.
The Russian Orthodox Church has been a powerful institution in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union. Under President Putin, its influence has grown significantly, with many seeing it as an ally of the government. The church has supported Putin's initiatives and thrown its weight behind his campaigns, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
