Bishop of Šumperk accused of ordination of the banned Russian cleric

Bishop Isaiah of Šumperk serves with a cleric banned in the Russian Orthodox Church. Photo: https://www.ikonapress.info

Bishop Isaiah from the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, known for concelebrating with Sergei (Epiphany) Dumenko, is accused of ordaining a cleric banned by the Russian Orthodox Church. This is reported by the Czech church edition ikonapress.info.

The resource published information that in January 2019 Bishop Isaiah brought Alexy Kukhta to Uzhgorod, whom he had previously ordained as a priest, and there he concelebrated with him in the Uzhgorod Cathedral. On March 12, 2019, Metropolitan Daniel of Arkhangelsk and Kholmogory, in a letter to the Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, His Beatitude Metropolitan Rostislav, informed him of this fact.

“I notify Your Beatitude that Protodeacon Alexy Kukhta was banned by my order No. 17-3 dated March 9, 2015 for grave canonical violations (fornication, second marriage) for a period of 1 year. Due to unrepentant decree No. 20/1 of March 13, 2016, the ban on ministry was extended for another three years (copies of the decrees are attached). Currently, materials are being prepared for the diocesan court to deprive Protodeacon Alexy Kukhta of his dignity,” wrote Metropolitan Daniel.

In this regard, Metropolitan Daniel of Arkhangelsk asked the Primate of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, His Beatitude Metropolitan Rostislav, to check and find out how the banned deacon of the Russian Orthodox Church had been admitted to the clergy of the Czech Orthodox Church, without a letter of leave and lifting the ban, and was ordained to priesthood contrary to the canons.

As the UOJ previously reported, the seizure of the OCCLS property by the bishop who'd served with Dumenko was reported on the Web.

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