The church didn’t state the explanation for its choice. (File)

Moscow:

The pinnacle of the Russian Orthodox Church has suspended a Russian priest who led a memorial service for Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny.

Patriarch Kirill, an in depth ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, signed a decree banning priest Dmitry Safronov from giving blessings, carrying a cross or carrying the frock for 3 years.

Dmitry Safronov, who carried out a memorial service at Navalny’s grave 40 days after his demise, was additionally demoted and transferred to a different church in Moscow, the decree, dated April 15 and revealed Tuesday, states.

“On the finish of the interval of penance, on the premise of suggestions from the place of obedience, a call can be made on the potential for his additional priestly service,” it stated.

The church didn’t state the explanation for its choice.

Navalny, Putin’s most strident opponent of the final decade, died in an Arctic jail colony in February, the place he was serving a decades-long sentence on “extremism” expenses broadly seen as retribution for his campaigning towards the Kremlin.

The Russian Orthodox Church is a key backer of Putin. It has embraced his promotion of conservative social insurance policies, together with a crackdown on the LGBTQ neighborhood, and helps the army offensive on Ukraine.

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