LITHUANIA: Deacon Andrey Kuraev was accepted into the clergy of the Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Lithuania
European Times (22.07.2024) – On July 23, 2024, Archdeacon Andrey Kuraev was admitted to the clergy of the Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Lithuania in response to his request, according to an official announcement of the Exarchate. Specifically, it says:
“Archdeacon Andrei, born in 1963, is a famous theologian and missionary, author of many books and doctor of philosophy and theology. During his more than thirty years of ministry, he has brought many people to Christ. Since 2013, because of his criticism of the activities of the Moscow Patriarchate and against Patriarch Kirill, he has been subject to various repressions by the Church and the Russian state.
For condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine, the cleric was fined twice and declared a “foreign agent”. In 2023, Patriarch Kirill deprived him of his holy rank, but in April 2024, the Ecumenical Patriarch accepted his appeal and, after examining the basis of the accusation, decided that Archdeacon Andrey Kuraev was deprived of his holy rank not for religious, but for political reasons reasons, in connection with which Fr. Andrei was restored in the same condition.
He will continue his clerical ministry as Archdeacon of the Lithuanian Exarchate. Archdeacon Andrey Kuraev will continue his church service as a missionary and will not be tied to any parish but will continue to preach the Gospel in different cities and countries, observing church rules.”
The Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Lithuania was registered at the beginning of 2024. The establishment of this ecclesiastical jurisdiction came about after Vilnius Metropolitan Innokenty (ROC) removed under pressure from Moscow five priests, until then his close associates, because of their public opposition to the pro-war policy of the Moscow Patriarchate. They were also among the first priests deprived of their rank for this reason, who filed a complaint with the Ecumenical Patriarch and were restored to ministry. Later, they were joined by other priests from Belarus and Russia.
Currently, the Exarchate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Lithuania does not have its own bishop, and its exarch is Fr. Justin Kiviloo, who is originally from Estonia.