Dirty laundry

The dissolution of church marriages may fall within the competence of the recently created All-Church Court of the Moscow Patriarchate.

“Now such decisions are made by the bishop. In the Regulations on the Church Court there is a mention of other cases. Such cases can also include divorce proceedings,” said Archpriest Vladislav Tsypin in an interview published yesterday

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Father Vladislav heads the historical and legal commission of the Russian Church, which for several years has been developing regulations and other necessary documents regulating the work of the All-Church Court.

The dissolution of a church marriage is now not uncommon. “There are many such cases,” confirms Tsypin, “perhaps they will be considered by church courts.”

The list of offenses subject to consideration in the church court includes five categories of cases: offenses against faith, neighbor and Christian morality, against the rules of monasticism, hierarchical order and against pastoral service.

According to the chairman of the court, Metropolitan Isidor of Ekaterinodar and Kuban, residents of any region can appeal to the church court regarding the dishonesty of pastors and the dissolution of a church marriage. Complaints from citizens outside the Church should also be considered - in cases of church offenses against neighbors and Christian morality.