ROC priest banned from priesthood for his “pro-Ukrainian stance”
Priest Dmytro Ostanin spoke out against the war in Ukraine, for which he was suspended from ministry by Patriarch Kirill.
June 10, 2024 – Priest Dmytro Ostanin of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in Norway was suspended from ministry by Patriarch Kirill due to his pro-Ukrainian stance, according to the Telegram channel Christians Against War!
The channel reported: “Fr. Dmytro Ostanin, a Ukrainian originally from the Dnipropetrovsk region and rector of the Epiphany Parish of the ROC in Bergen, Norway, openly expressed his pro-Ukrainian views and opposed the war in Ukraine. As a result, he was harassed by Russian Z-activists.”
On March 12, 2024, the ROC Synod recalled Fr. Dmytro to the jurisdiction of Patriarch Kirill. On June 7, 2024, he was officially suspended from ministry by order of the Patriarch.
Earlier, the UOJ reported that Patriarch Kirill had also suspended the priest who conducted the funeral service for Alexei Navalny.
