Dozens of priests were subjected to repression for their anti-war stance

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, 59 priests who took an anti-war stance have been subjected to repression by the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) and security forces. Such calculations are provided by Novaya Gazeta Europe.

The publication took into account cases of pressure on Christian priests serving in Russia and foreign dioceses and churches dependent on the Moscow Patriarchate. Thus, in 47 cases, ministers in Russia were subjected to repression, in 12 - from foreign churches “subordinate” to the Russian Orthodox Church. We are talking about six ministers of the Lithuanian Orthodox Church, three from the Belarusian Orthodox Church, as well as priests of the Russian Orthodox Church in Spain, Kazakhstan and Israel.

Journalists came to the conclusion that the church persecutes priests with opposition views almost as often as the state: out of 47 cases of persecution of priests who served in Russia, in 18 they faced persecution from the Russian Orthodox Church, in 23 from the authorities, in another six from repression on both sides.

To influence priests, the Russian Orthodox Church uses various measures, including dismissals from administrative positions, conversations and temporary suspensions. However, New Europe notes that in relation to priests who opposed the war, it uses extreme measures - a ban on ministry and defrocking.

The study says that of all the Christian churches and movements represented in Russia, only the Russian Orthodox Church resorts to repression against clergy because of their anti-war position. In 19 cases, priests from other churches, including Catholics, Protestants and representatives of “alternative” Orthodox churches, spoke out against the war. The security forces put pressure on them, but no repressive measures were taken by the clergy.

Some priests who did not support the war are moving away from the Moscow Patriarchate: for example, 9 out of 13 defrocked clergy continued to serve abroad. They managed to recover through the Constantinople (Ecumenical) Patriarchate, proving that the reason for defrocking was only their anti-war position.

In addition, communities and churches, including the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Orthodox Church of Latvia, and the Russian Orthodox Church in Amsterdam, refuse to submit to the Moscow Patriarchate.

Priests of all faiths in the occupied territories of Ukraine are subjected to the most widespread repression. New Europe did not include these cases due to difficulties in counting, but the Kharkiv human rights group reported that as of January 2024, at least 45 Ukrainian priests were kidnapped and later released. After moving to Ukrainian-controlled territory, they reported torture. The fate of 20 clergymen after the abductions remains unknown. Human rights activists also reported two deliberate murders of priests and the deportation of one of them.

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