Former Schema-Hegumen Sergey (Nikolai) Romanov, an excommunicated Russian Orthodox priest who gained national attention in 2020 for his radical views about the COVID-19 pandemic, has been sentenced to 5.5 years in prison for inciting hatred against Jews and Catholics in his online sermons.
In November 2021, Romanov was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison on charges of arbitrariness, violating the right to freedom of conscience and religion, and incitement to suicide, after he seized a convent near Yekaterinburg and overthrew the Mother Superior.
Meduza survived 2024 thanks to its readers!
Let’s stick together for 2025.
The world is at a crossroads today, and quality journalism will help shape the decades to come. Real stories must be told at any cost. Please support Meduza by signing up for a recurring donation.