The clerical duties of the Russian Orthodox priest who performed the memorial service for late opposition leader Alexei Navalny in March have been suspended for three years, the Moscow Diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church announced. In a statement released on its website yesterday, Tuesday, the diocese did not give a reason for the punishment, which bans priest Dmitry Safronov from giving blessings, wearing cassocks and carrying the priest's cross until 2027. Safronov was transferred also to another church in Moscow to perform cantor duties. “At the end of the penance period, depending on compliance and obedience, a decision will be made on the possibility of further priestly service,” the diocese said in its statement. On March 26, Safronov held a memorial service for Navalny, which was attended by thousands of people. Alexei Navalny was President Vladimir Putin's fiercest critic inside Russia and died in February aged 47 in an Arctic prison. […]
Source: News Beast
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