According to the Russian Church, Novaya Gazeta is discredited by publications that “defame the clergy.”

February 20, 2012 Synodal Information Department publicly expressed to the editors of Novaya Gazeta his “ extreme bewilderment at the fact of the publication an article containing baseless allegations discrediting the sacred authorities Russian Orthodox Church ".

The statement of the Synodal Department says, that Alexander Soldatov, the author of the article “For what should the servant of God Kirill thank the “slave on the galleys "", published in the New newspaper" February 15, 2012, relying on "rumors and gossip", " expresses demonstratively rude disrespect for readers and hostile attitude towards millions of Orthodox believers , and the very publication of this text “ visibly discredits the New newspaper" ".

In response to the statement, journalist Alexander Soldatov, stressed that preparing a publication dedicated to the financial activities of Patriarch Kirill, he “ did not use rumors and gossip, but relied only on information officially published in the media or scientific papers ", and in addition, was " a direct eyewitness to many of the events described in the article ". In his opinion, the statement The Synodal Department expresses " an emotional reaction that does not affect the essence of the issues raised ".

Sources

• Response of the Editor-in-Chief of "Portal-Credo.Ru" Alexander Soldatov to the Statement of the Synodal Information Department of the ROC MP // Portal-Credo.ru. 2012. February 20.
• Statement of the Synodal Information Department of the Moscow Patriarchate in connection with the publication in Novaya Gazeta of the article “For what should the servant of God Kirill thank the “slave in the galleys”” // Official website of the Moscow Patriarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church. 2012. February 20.