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– Patriarch Kirill lacks strategy. It dares not confront fundamentalists and impose severe rules to stop the spread of the infection. As a result, he lost control of his own church, Konstantin von Eggert told DN. von Eggert is a freelance Russian journalist and expert on the Russian Orthodox Church.
Since the crown epidemic erupted in Russia, several churches and monasteries have been greatly affected. One of the most affected monasteries is the Trinity by Sergio Lavra, one of the most important spiritual centers of the Russian Orthodox Church. Her chief medical officer Tichon Barsukov died on covid-19 in early May. Then two monks died in quick succession. One of them had found covid-19, the other cause of death was kept secret. In addition, an 87-year-old archimandrite or abbot (monastery manager) has died. The monastery does not say why.
The church is a of the most important social institutions in Russia. His relations with the Kremlin are intimate. President Vladimir Putin attends television services at all religious festivals and regularly visits the monastery. Now, several Russian Orthodox monasteries in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus have been affected. According to Russian religious scientist and historian Andrei Zubov, the rapid spread of the infection is due to the fact that the monastery administration has not absorbed information about the crown virus.
– In the monastery you live your hard life. Management has refused to understand how dangerous the corona virus is, the attitude is that you are not affected by the outside world, Andrej Zubov tells DN.
Patriarch Kirill belongs to the highest leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church.
Photo: Oleg Varov
In order to In April, the management of the Russian Orthodox Church announced that four high-ranking priests died in coronavirus. Then another metropolitan, the bishop of a provincial capital, and another bishop have died. An important part of the explanation is that not all congregations have fulfilled Patriarch Kirill’s mandate that churches must hold services without parishioners.
– I urge you not to visit the church. You can save yourself without going to church services, Kirill said in an official statement on March 29.
At the same time, Church spokesman Vladimir Legoida said it is still possible “for fewer people” to visit the services. Many pastors chose to allow parishioners to participate in worship services outside of the church. A service of the Russian Orthodox Church involves large numbers of people, various priests, and members of the choir. It turned out that they were infected.
– patriarchs He did not use his position as CEO to say clearly and clearly what he can and cannot do from the beginning. He knew it would irritate the fundamentalist minority if it imposed too severe restrictions, says Konstantin von Eggert.
Leaving religious services is a purely financial problem for many pastors.
– The priests’ salary is taken from the collection donated by the parishioners. If they close the churches completely, they will receive no income, says von Eggert.
The collective of parishioners is the salary of priests.
Photo: Dmitri Lovetsky
Andrei Zubov himself is a believer and regularly attends church. Now follow the services of God through the Internet.
– Several priests in my ward have been sick at covid-19. A priest is dead. Now they have finally taken action: The entire church is sanitized and church services are conducted without parishioners by a lone priest, an aide, and two choir singers.
Some priests has stated that the crown cannot be transferred in a church. Zubov regrets spreading falsehoods and says a major problem is that Russians are used to mistrusting their authorities.
– In Europe, you choose your own rulers, we do not in Russia. Therefore, people are used to the fact that there are rules to bypass. Many see it as a Christian duty to visit the church. But the church is just a building. As a believer, I know that you can have a relationship with Christ everywhere.
