By Kostas Onisenko
The ecclesiastical court of Yekaterinburg sent for approval the decision on the excommunication of the schema-monk Sergei Romanov.
Sergei (Romanov) had turned against Patriarch Kirill and the Russian leadership last April over the containment measures applied in temples due to the pandemic. He himself had refused to leave the monastery while several people came to support him. Later, on July 3, the ecclesiastical court found him guilty of violating his religious vows and banned him from officiating. As he allegedly did not comply with the decision, a new ecclesiastical court was appointed for “violation of the 28th Rule of the Holy Apostles” according to which priests who violate the prohibition to perform this sacrament are excommunicated. The monk did not appear in court.
“Today we gathered here for the third time, there was no such need for the court, there were hope and desire that the schema-monk Sergei would come, would give explanations or change his attitude, would regret what he did,” said the head of the court, Nikolai Maleta. The monk still has the opportunity to appeal the decision, provided he appears in person.
