Russian Priest Arrested for Delivering Sermon Against Ukraine War
A Russian priest has been arrested after delivering an anti-war sermon on Sunday over President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Father Ioann Burdin of the Resurrection Church in Russia's western Kostroma region will be tried for anti-war statements in his sermon, and for publishing a link to an anti-war petition on his parish's website, the BBC's Russian service reported. The priest "committed a public offense aimed at discrediting the Russian armed forces which are conducting a special military operation" in Ukraine, according to a police report quoted by the Media Zona website.
He held his sermon on the final Sunday before Lent in Russia, which is known in the Orthodox Church as "Forgiveness Sunday." Father Ioann has been accused of discrediting Russia's armed forces. He told parishioners about "Russian troops in Ukraine shelling the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv and killing citizens of Ukraine—brothers and sisters in Christ," according to Media Zona. Father Ioann has a court appearance scheduled this week in the Krasnoselsky District Court of the Kostroma region.
His parish reportedly shared a link last week to an anti-war petition, accompanied by a statement that criticized Putin's decision to launch a full-scale invasion against Ukraine on February 24.
https://www.newsweek.com/russian-priest-arrested-delivering-sermon-anti-war-against-ukraine-1685436
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