February 12, 2023

The Wages of Conscience


The Wages of Conscience

The editors of the religious website Holy Fire have called for the defrocking of 293 priests who last year signed a petition demanding an end to hostilities in Ukraine.

The site addressed its appeal to the leadership of the Russian Orthodox Church and called the priests' petition "vile and treacherous," comparing it with "going over to the side of the Nazis" during the Second World War.

Father Ioann Burdin, former rector of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in the village of Karabanovo, Kostroma Region, who signed the March 2022 petition, noticed the website posting and wrote about it on his Telegram channel:

I found myself listed as number 77. Curiously, I have always considered 7 to be my lucky number (it appears three times in my birthdate).
One other observation: there are 300 priests serving in the Kostroma metropolitanate. An interesting idea: with one swipe of the pen eliminate two dioceses – Kostromskaya and Galichskaya – from the priesthood. Very deep!
But, nothing tragic: seminaries are "still giving birth"

In March of last year, the same month as Burdin and others signed the petition, Burdin was fined for "discrediting the Russian armed forces" (Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). The following month he left the service and created his own Telegram channel.

Other known cases in which priests have been removed from service due to disagreement with military operations:

  • The cleric of the Belgorod Cathedral, Fyodor Shumskikh, requested asylum in the United States due to his anti-war position. He left Russia after he was removed from his parish.
  • Rosfinmonitoring has included Kirov priest Dmitry Bayev on its list of terrorists because of his anti-war position. Since last spring he has been a defendant in a criminal case on "fakes about the Russian army" (clause “e” of part 2 of article 207.3 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation). A deacon in the Church, Bayev published social media posts in support of Ukraine and its army.

Original source: 7x7

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

How Russia Got That Way

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.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Moscow Eccentric

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.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 

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