Priest suspended for overseeing memorial service for Alexei Navalny

The suspension of a priest overseeing a memorial service for late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has sparked controversy within the Russian Orthodox Church. Dmitry Safronov held a memorial service by Navalny’s grave in Moscow on March 26 to mark 40 days since the politician’s death, following an important ritual within Russian Orthodox tradition.

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has suspended Safronov for three years, demoting him from his position as a priest to that of a psalm-reader. Safronov has also been stripped of the right to give blessings or wear a cassock for the next three years, and has been transferred to another church within the capital.

No reason was given for the decision, which comes amidst ongoing speculation surrounding the cause of Navalny’s sudden death on Feb 16 in a remote Arctic penal colony. Navalny was serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges widely seen as politically motivated. His allies have blamed the Kremlin for his demise.

Safronov was among the clergymen who signed a public letter calling for Navalny’s remains to be returned to his family. The move to suspend him has raised questions about the church’s relationship with the Russian government, particularly under the leadership of President Vladimir Putin.

Putin has significantly boosted the Russian Orthodox Church’s standing during his more than two decades in power, increasing its prestige, wealth, and power. The church, in turn, has supported Putin’s initiatives, including the war in Ukraine.

The suspension of Safronov highlights the complex relationship between the Russian Orthodox Church, the government, and issues of political dissent and human rights in the country. The decision has drawn attention to the church’s role in Russian society and its alignment with the government’s policies.