A priest who sympathizes with M. Khodorkovsky is banned from serving

According to the Press Center of Mikhail Khodorkovsky , cleric of the Chita diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church, Fr. Sergiy Taratukhin, who in November 2005 refused to consecrate a prayer room in the colony of Krasnokamensk in protest against the conviction of the ex-head of Yukos and was later transferred to a remote parish as punishment for this act, is banned from ministry. The corresponding decree is dated March 21 and signed by Bishop Evstafiy of Chita and Transbaikal. In the opinion of Fr. Sergius, "this is a ban on professional activity for political reasons."

"The two-page decree," the press center said, "contains a detailed motivation for the actions of the clergy. The document says that Father Sergius was banned from serving "for interfering in political activities and for trying to involve parishioners in it."

According to the priest, he was awarded this wording for calling Mikhail Khodorkovsky a political prisoner, and for talking with parishioners about the fate of this special prisoner.

Much is said about politics in this decree. Elsewhere, the sanctions against Father Sergius are explained by the fact that, according to the hierarchs, he "deliberately gave his actions a political coloring."

Father Sergius is accused of refusing to consecrate the administrative building of the Krasnokamensk colony. <...>

Separately, the decree says about interviews with Father Sergiy, which he gave to both our Press Center and other publications. It seems that Father Sergiy's superiors believed that exile to Krasny Chekoy would prevent the priest from communicating with journalists, but, as the decree says, "violations continued," and apparently, these violations overwhelmed someone's patience.

"The most important thing was taken away from me. It was my life," Father Sergiy said.

Bishop Evstafiy claims that the ban on Fr. Sergius has no political background and is caused by the violation of the priestly oath. As the hierarch explained, we are talking about the refusal of Fr. Sergius to consecrate the building in the colony: "He then announced his act in the media. But according to the protege oath, which every priest of the Russian Orthodox Church takes before ordination, he should not engage in political activities." In addition, according to the bishop, the banned cleric "was very dishonest about his liturgical duties."

Sources

• Prohibition of priest who called Khodorkovsky a political prisoner has no political background - Bishop of Chita // Interfax-religion. 2006. March 24.