Former Tatarstan ruler Anastasy was greeted with a protest rally in Ulyanovsk

A major church scandal is flaring up in connection with the appointment of the former Metropolitan of Tatarstan Anastasy as head of the Simbirsk Metropolis. Local believers demanded that Anastasy “retire” or “whiten” his name, which was mentioned in connection with the scandal with students of the Kazan Theological Seminary. During Anastasius’s first service in Ulyanovsk, his opponents held a protest - in the Simbirsk Metropolis it was regarded as a “planned provocation.” Anastasius himself does not intend to leave the department, declaring that he is ready to accept “martyrdom” at the throne. He threatened the protesters with "throwing into the abyss of hell."

Metropolitan Anastassy with the icon, seeing the protesters, hurriedly went inside the temple
Photo: Simbirsk Metropolis of the Russian Orthodox Church

The first service of the new Metropolitan of Simbirsk and Novospassky Anastasy, who previously headed the metropolitanate in Tatarstan, was held on Monday in the Spaso-Ascension Cathedral of Ulyanovsk. According to videos posted on the Internet, it was accompanied by protests from local believers.

Before the service began, several dozen people gathered near the church, including two local clergy: Archpriest John (Kosykh) and Priest Georgy (Roshchupkin). When Anastasius appeared, those gathered began chanting the word “anaxios,” which translated from Greek means “not worthy.” The Metropolitan, holding the icon in front of him, accompanied by priests and a group of Cossacks, hurriedly walked inside the temple. The Cossacks, as seen in the recordings, tried to prevent the protesters from entering the temple. One of them tried to justify himself to the crowd: “We were given a task, we are fulfilling it.” As a result, a brawl broke out at the entrance to the cathedral. Once inside the temple, those gathered continued chanting “anaxios”, preventing the service from beginning.

Let us recall that Metropolitan Anastasy (Alexander Metkin) previously headed the Tatarstan Metropolis for 26 years (until 2012 - the Kazan Diocese). On July 13, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church transferred him to the department in Ulyanovsk. In turn, Theophan, formerly the Metropolitan of Simbirsk and Novospassky, was appointed the new head of the Tatarstan Metropolis.

The castling of the Russian Orthodox Church was preceded by a scandal in the Tatarstan Metropolis. According to media reports, at the end of 2013, students of the Kazan Theological Seminary complained of harassment by the vice-rector for educational work, abbot Kirill (Ilyukhin). An inspection of the activities of Abbot Kirill was carried out by the educational committee of the Russian Orthodox Church, as well as the prosecutor's office. As a result, Father Kirill resigned from the seminary, and in the spring of 2014, the synod relieved Anastasy of his post as rector of the seminary.

Archpriest John (Kosykh) explained to Kommersant that the claims of the Ulyanovsk believers are related to the fact that Metropolitan Anastasy “did not whitewash” after the scandal at the Kazan Seminary. The day before, parishioners of local churches signed an appeal in which they called on the new metropolitan to either “retire” or “prove through judicial and canonical means the futility of the accusations against him.” It was assumed that the metropolitan should also contact the media demanding “an end to the slander against him.” “The feelings of many believers are so tense and offended by the current rumors that they are ready to confront the new metropolitan if, despite our request, he tries to take control of the department by force,” the appeal said.

According to the archpriest, Anastassy did not respond to these calls in any way. “Perhaps Metropolitan Anastassy does not understand that the Simbirians associate the honor of the metropolis with their archbishop, who does not want to clear his name. Therefore, we took advantage of our right to say “anaxios” to him,” says Archpriest John (Kosykh). He emphasized that believers “do not accuse Bishop Anastasy of anything,” but demand that he fulfill church laws. According to him, those gathered at the temple did not commit any illegal actions.

However, in the Simbirsk Metropolitanate, the speeches against Anastasius were regarded as a “planned provocation.” “There were at most three to four dozen protesters who tried to provoke the Cossacks into rudeness and harsh actions. But this did not stop the Metropolitan from holding the service. He himself recited the Gospel, and then went out to the parishioners with a sermon,” the press service of the metropolis told Kommersant. The metropolis emphasized that Anastassy “called the instigators to repentance.” The Metropolitan’s press service does not know about any decision to punish the protesters.

There were reports in the local press that after the incident, Metropolitan Anastasy became ill with his heart. However, the press service told Kommersant that this was “not true.”

At the same time, the police received statements from citizens in connection with what happened near the church (the clergy themselves did not contact law enforcement agencies). The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Ulyanovsk region told Kommersant that the police went to the temple on Monday, but “did not find a conflict.” Currently, law enforcement officers are checking the reports received.

Archpriest John (Kosykh) told Kommersant that those who do not agree with the appointment of a new metropolitan fear pressure from the hierarchy. In particular, according to him, Priest Georgy (Roshchupkin) has already been “forbidden” to conduct services in his church. The archpriest refused to talk about further actions of the protesters.

Anastasy himself called what happened in the temple “Maidan” and “a reckless act that outraged all normal believers.” He stated: “Those who expressed their dissatisfaction in the church today, I am sure, are not Orthodox, not believers.” The Metropolitan emphasized that he does not intend to “renounce the calling of the Lord,” which brought “him to the Simbirsk Metropolis,” and is ready to “accept martyrdom” at the hands of protesters. Those who disagreed with the church’s decision, he promised that they would be “thrown into the abyss of hell.” Kommersant was unable to get a comment from the press service of Patriarch Kirill yesterday.

Kirill Antonov

The Metropolitan was tested in a “reckless act”