For ethical reasons

The cleric of the Tambov diocese, Deacon Sergius Baranov, announced a severance of relations with the Russian Orthodox Church MP due to the unjust verdict against Pussy Riot. In an open letter to Patriarch Kirill, he petitions to remove himself from the priesthood, reports the Grani.ru portal.

The deacon considers Pussy Riot's act unacceptable, but in no way worthy of criminal prosecution. “Almost any thoughts and actions that are objectionable to the authorities become criminally punishable,” he notes. The church and the authorities have launched a machine of self-destruction, emphasizes Fr. Sergius. “Marina Syrova passed judgment on the Russian court itself and caused enormous damage to the Orthodox Church,” writes the deacon. “We witnessed how in the 21st century, in a secular and supposedly legal and democratic country, a court of the church inquisition actually took place.”

Father Sergius served in the Sorrow Church of the Ascension Monastery and other churches in Tambov, taught dogmatic theology, liturgical regulations and canon law at Sunday school. Currently he is on staff, and someone will probably say: well, he’s a run-of-the-mill cleric, nonsense, relations with the church didn’t work out anyway, so he’s trying to promote himself this way.

An ordinary case is not ordinary, but a symptomatic case: the trial of Pussy Riot forced many to reconsider their attitude towards the Moscow Patriarchate.