Russian priest who led Navalny's funeral providers demoted | EUROtoday

His identify is Dimitri Safronov and he honored the lifeless man when he shouldn’t have. This Russian priest presided over the primary tribute in reminiscence of opposition chief Alexei Navalny. He knew it was probably the most harmful mass of his life. This week he has been suspended from employment, or nearly: ordered to serve three years of “penance.”

In an announcement, the Moscow diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church stated on Wednesday that Safronov can be demoted to psalm reader, prohibited from sporting a cross and despatched to a different church within the Moscow area the place he would dwell. serve a “penance” of three years. The determination has not brought about shock. Russia has already retaliated in opposition to two journalists who coated the Navalny trials. He has accused them of extremism, against the law that carries a penalty of as much as six years in jail.

Not the primary time. Another priest who spoke out in opposition to the Russian invasion of Ukraine was additionally retaliated in opposition to within the ecclesiastical decree. Several Russian clergymen have been punished with fines or demotions after signing an open letter in opposition to the struggle in 2022. In a number of circumstances they had been denounced by members of their very own congregations.

“In the absence of official information, the ban can only be linked to the memorial service offered for Alexei Navalny,” denounces Ioann Burdin, a priest who was fined after which expelled after criticizing the struggle in Ukraine. “We are not returning to Stalinism, but to the German dictatorship of the 1930s”, declares to EL MUNDO. In his case, it was a Ukrainian parishioner who denounced him for speaking about peace.

In the 'Safronov file' no formal purpose for the punishment is given. But his 'crime' is thought. Dimitri Safronov learn a number of memorial prayers, generally known as 'panijida' in Russian, at Navalny's grave and led a church service final month to mark 40 days since his loss of life in a distant penal colony above the Arctic Circle.

What awaits this priest? When his three-year punishment ends, a call will likely be made on whether or not he may very well be formally expelled “depending on the evaluation he receives at his place of service,” based on the doc.

In a social media submit, Yulia Navalnaya, spouse of the late opposition chief, confirmed that Safronov had held a memorial service at his grave and requested her followers to make donations to Safronov's household. “I am very grateful to you,” she wrote. “Let's help him and his family.”

Russia has continued to persecute Navalny supporters. Hundreds of individuals had been arrested at impromptu vigils in cities throughout Russia within the days after his loss of life.

The most well-known case is that of Antonina Favorskaya, arrested final month. She posted photographs of Navalny at a courtroom listening to in mid-February, which turned out to be the final video of the opposition chief earlier than her loss of life. She was charged for her work with Navalny's FBK anti-corruption basis, designated an extremist group by the Russian authorities in 2021.