The Moscow Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church has announced the suspension of the duties of the priest who led the memorial service for the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny in March. The suspension will last for three years.
In a statement on its website yesterday, the diocese did not specify the reason for the punishment imposed on priest Dmitry Safonov. He is prohibited from giving blessings, wearing a cassock, and carrying the clerical cross until 2027. Safonov has also been transferred to another church in Moscow to serve as a cantor.
“At the end of the period of repentance, depending on compliance and obedience, a decision will be made on the possibility of further clerical service,” the diocese stated.
On March 26, Safonov conducted a memorial service for Navalny, which was attended by thousands of people. Navalny, Russia’s outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin, passed away in February at the age of 47 in an Arctic prison.
Translated by Ioanna Georgakopoulou