Patriarch Kirill punished the priest who served the memorial service for Navalny

The priest was demoted to a psalmist and was forbidden to bless, wear a cassock and a priestly cross.

Patriarch Kirill forbade Dmitriy Safronov, a priest of the Moscow Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God on Lyshchikova Gora, to perform the liturgical service of Oleksiy Navalny on the day of his funeral and to hold a memorial service on the 40th day after his death. The corresponding decision was published on the website of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The priest was demoted to the rank of psalmist and sent to the church of Reverend Pymen the Great in Novy Komiry in Moscow to "perform those assignments that the abbot will determine for him." He is now forbidden to give blessings, wear a cassock and a priest's cross.

"After the end of the penitentiary period, based on feedback from the place of obedience, a decision will be made regarding the possibility of his further liturgy," the document summarizes.

The official reason for such a decision is not indicated in the document.

The opposition publication Meduza stated that the priest had signed an appeal by clergy to hand over the politician's body to the family.

It was also reported in social networks that Dimitrii Safronov did not read Prayer for the victory of Holy Russia, in which it is said that "wars have willingly joined forces with Holy Russia and wish to divide and destroy." From September 2022, the Moscow Diocese requires all parishes to recite this prayer, Meduza notes.