The patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church has suspended a priest who participated in services for the late opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Dmitry Safronov took part in Navalny's funeral and presided over the commemoration on March 26, the 40th day after his death, following an important Russian Orthodox tradition.
An order published on the Moscow Diocese website on Tuesday announced that Safronov has been demoted from his position as a priest to that of a psalm-reader. Additionally, he has been stripped of the right to give blessings or wear a cassock for three years and has been transferred to another church in the capital. The decision was signed by Patriarch Kirill, a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A reason for the suspension was not provided. Navalny, aged 47, passed away on February 16 in a remote Arctic penal colony where he was serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges that were widely viewed as politically motivated. The cause of his death remains unexplained, with his allies pointing fingers at the Kremlin.
Initially, Russian authorities declined to release Navalny's body, citing the need for further investigations. Safronov was among the clergymen who signed a public letter urging the return of the remains to his family.
During his more than two decades in power, Putin has elevated the status of the Russian Orthodox Church, enhancing its prestige, wealth, and influence after years of oppression or indifference under Soviet rule. In return, church leaders like Kirill have backed Putin's initiatives. The church has supported the war in Ukraine, with its clergymen often seen blessing troops and equipment for the campaign.
