Religion

News

Russian Orthodox clergy allowed to run in secular elections

Moscow, October 5, Interfax - The governing body of the Russian Orthodox Church has allowed clerics to run for elected office in government "in the event of "ire ecclesiastical necessity."

"In the event of dire ecclesiastical necessity, in exceptional situations where action is needed against schismatic or non-Orthodox forces that are seeking to use elected office for fighting the Orthodox Church, the Holy Synod or the Synod of a self-governing Church will choose persons for participation in elections for bodies of state authority," the Holy Synod said in a resolution in Moscow on Thursday.

At the same time, a cleric will not be allowed to be a member of any political party even if he runs on a party ticket, the resolution said.

"A hierarch, cleric, monk or layman who is performing duties of obedience at a general ecclesiastical institution must in advance submit an application to the Patriarch and the Holy Synod or the Synod of a self-governing Church, explaining his reasons for seeking election to a legislative or executive body and state which non-Orthodox or schismatic groups are planning to use this body for action against the Orthodox Church," the document said.

An application for blessing for taking part in an election must be filed before the period when election campaigning is allowed by law.

"The hierarchy will enjoy the right to revoke their blessing in the event that the patriarch and Holy Synod or the Synod of a self-governing Church have decided that a cleric is pursing impermissible activities in the position to which he has been elected. In that case, the cleric who has been elected to a legislative or executive body of authority would be duty-bound to resign from his elected office," the resolution said.

Print this page

Home

News

.	Customize latest news

• Discussions of interfaith problems must be intensified in UN, intl organizations - Lavrov 21 May 2013, 17:04
• Russian patriarch concerned about violence against Christians in Africa 21 May 2013, 17:01
• Tajik president calls on Islamic Development Bank to invest in regional infrastructure 21 May 2013, 15:53
• Patriarch Kirill tells CoE's secretary general same-sex marriage sinful 21 May 2013, 13:38
• Most Russians support non-intervention of church in state affairs - poll 21 May 2013, 10:12
• Suspected militants killed near Moscow may have belonged to Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan - source 21 May 2013, 10:00
• Hizb ut-Tahrir activist from Kyrgyzstan detained in Alma-Ata 20 May 2013, 11:43
• Anti-homophobia demo held in Kiev 20 May 2013, 10:05
• Georgian patriarch calls on supporters, opponents of gay movement to pray for each other 20 May 2013, 10:04
• 28 injured in Tbilisi in attack on rally in defense of gays 20 May 2013, 10:03
• Head of Consumer Right Protection Society fined 100,000 rubles for slandering Cathedral of Christ the Savior Fund 17 May 2013, 16:58
• LGBT rally in St. Petersburg draws 60 supporters, 200 opponents 17 May 2013, 16:55
• Georgian ombudsman fails to protect gay parade in Tbilisi 17 May 2013, 16:16
• Seventeen people injured amid gay parade in Tbilisi 17 May 2013, 16:08
• Orthodox Church, NGO of Moldova ask Chisinau mayor to cancel gay parade 17 May 2013, 15:06
• Police, special task forces save gay parade participants from outraged citizens in Tbilisi 17 May 2013, 14:23
• Three-fourths of Russians insist govt. should ban public display of homosexuality 17 May 2013, 13:14
• Suspected leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir Sakhalin unit detained 17 May 2013, 11:54
• Hezbollah's interests are in Lebanon, it just protects Shiite shrines in Syria - Lavrov 17 May 2013, 10:11
• Leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir unit detained in Bishkek 16 May 2013, 15:48
• Priests should return to Chinese Orthodox churches - Moscow Patriarchate 16 May 2013, 14:08
• Sexual minority event removed from Moscow park's plan 16 May 2013, 10:06
• Patriarch Kirill says optimistic about future of Orthodoxy in China 16 May 2013, 10:00
• Moscow Mayor's Office says no gay pride parade 15 May 2013, 18:34
• Patriarch Kirill holds first in 50 years divine liturgy in Shanghai 15 May 2013, 11:58
• Russian analysts: immigrants, guest workers fertile ground for radical Islamism 15 May 2013, 10:16
• Still no hajj warning from Saudi Arabia over SARS-like virus 14 May 2013, 15:07
• Monument to Sts Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra unveiled in St. Petersburg 14 May 2013, 15:05
• Ivanishvili says will protect gays, refuses to discuss possibility of same-sex "marriages" 14 May 2013, 14:07
• Mayor's Office says no gay parade in Moscow 14 May 2013, 11:53

Other news