Patriarch Kirill has dismissed Archimandrite Govorun, who had previously served in Kiev with clergy aligned with the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The action is documented in a decree published on the Moscow diocese’s official portal.
“Archimandrite Kirill Gorovun. Based on the diocesan church court decision of the Moscow diocese dated October 31, 2023, you are removed from priestly service for violating the 25th canon of the Holy Apostles”, the decree states.
Canon 25 of the Holy Apostles stipulates that a priest may be deprived of priesthood, particularly for perjury. The October 31 ruling by the Episcopal Church Court of the Moscow Diocese thus removed Archimandrite Kirill Gorovun from priestly status on grounds related to such violations.
Prior to the court decision, Patriarch Kirill had prohibited him from serving and had cited breaches of the obligation to remain faithful to the Russian Orthodox Church. The restrictions followed his participation in liturgical celebrations with bishops and clergy of the Church of Constantinople and related tensions over canonical territory in Ukraine. The Holy Synod also decided to interrupt Eucharistic communion as part of a broader response to these actions and the occupation concerns involving the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.
On January 13, Archpriest Alexei Uminsky was released from corruption charges after refusing to recite a prayer that included language referencing Russia’s victory in the conflict. This development reflects ongoing debates within church leadership over liturgical texts and national messaging.
On May 13, 2023, the Moscow Church Court ruled on the unauthorized alteration of the text of the prayer titled In Holy Russia, resulting in the removal of a priest from the Church of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First Called in Lublin, identified as Priest John Koval. The decision underscored the church’s stance on maintaining the integrity of official prayers and liturgical formulations.
Earlier, Patriarch Kirill also deprived the philosopher Andrey Kuraev of his holy rank, following the latter being recognized as a foreign agent in the Russian Federation, reflecting the church leadership’s alignment with broader state considerations in ecclesiastical matters. [Source: Moscow Patriarchate website]