Russian Orthodox Church suspends protodeacon from service after critical remarks about archpriest who died from coronavirus

2:24 pm, April 29, 2020

Source: ROC

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has temporarily banned well-known Protodeacon and Orthodox theologian Andrey Kuraev from service.

According to Patriarch Kirill’s decree, this decision was made in connection with a “public insult” to the memory of the former rector of Moscow’s Epiphany Cathedral, Archpriest Alexander Ageikin.

“And also taking into account your previous actions, about which I have received complaints,” Patriarch Kirill wrote.

Archpriest Ageikin died of the coronavirus on April 21. Kuraev later commented on his death in a post on the blogging platform LiveJournal.

The ban from service against Kuraev will remain in place until an ecclesiastical court makes a decision regarding his actions.

Kuraev refused to comment on the Patriarch's decree for Meduza.

“For me, a much more important event happened today — my confessor died, a bright man, who influenced many clergymen in Moscow — Archpriest Grigory Breyev. I am thinking about this now,” he said.

For more on the Russian Orthodox Church and COVID-19

Archpriest Grigory Breyev was the Rector of the “Rozhdestva Presvyatoy Bogoroditsy” Church in Moscow's Krylatskoye District. The 83-year-old priest died on April 29 due to complications from bilateral pneumonia, but he allegedly tested negative for COVID-19. His son reported his death.
In early April, the Russian Orthodox Church reported that a clergyman at Breyev’s church in Krylatskoye had tested positive for COVID-19, while two others has symptoms characteristic of the coronavirus.
On April 27, Patriarch Kirill lashed out at the clergy of the Russian Orthodox Church, demanding better compliance with quarantine restrictions and threatening dissident clergymen with church tribunals.