November 28, 2024

Good Sharlot


Good Sharlot
Patriarch Kirill and Putin in 2021.  Kremlin.ru, Wikimedia Commons.

Patriarch Kirill, Russian Orthodox bishop and close ally of President Vladimir Putin, issued an officially forgiveness of the singer Eduard Sharlot for his insults against the Orthodox Church.

Sharlot, who has been outspoken against Russia's War on Ukraine, was arrested at Pulkovo Airport in 2023 for petty hooliganism. He is to face trial in 2025.

In videos shared on his Instagram account, Sharlot had expressed his dissent by showing himself burning his Russian passport, nailing his military ID and a photo of Patriarch Kirill to a crucifix, and tearing up a photo of a "Z." On November 24, 2023, it was reported that the Investigative Committee of the Samara Region had opened a criminal case against Sharlot under the article on "insulting the feelings of [Russian Orthodox] believers." 

Since his arrest, Sharlot has issued formal apologies to Putin and "all Russian people." He also wrote a letter requesting forgiveness from Patriarch Kirill and the Orthodox Church. So far, it is unclear if this religious pardon will have any affect on the freedom of this political prisoner

You Might Also Like

The Patriarch's Abortion Prevention
  • October 22, 2024

The Patriarch's Abortion Prevention

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill will send letters to pregnant women in 16 regions to dissuade them from receiving abortion care.
Vlad the Long-Lived?
  • May 11, 2024

Vlad the Long-Lived?

"God forbid that the end of the century means the end of your stay in power," said Patriarch Kirill during Putin's May 7 inauguration.
Grab a Guinness for Orthodoxy
  • March 23, 2017

Grab a Guinness for Orthodoxy

Does Russian St. Patrick's Day have leprechauns? After you ponder that, there's a reindeer herder fighting big oil, humans-turned-Twitter bots, and a mysterious murder.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955