Protodeacon Andrey Kuraev, banned from service, was hospitalized with coronavirus in one of the Moscow clinics. The incident was reported on Facebook by a friend of the ill protodeacon, Hieromonk Dimitry (Pershin).
According to the hieromonk, “everything is very difficult” with Kuraev. “I ask for prayers,” Dimitri added.
Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia had earlier temporarily banned Protodeacon Kuraev from serving in connection with his criticism of the Russian Orthodox Church. In the decree of the Primate of the Russian Orthodox Church, the ban was explained by Kuraev’s public insult to the memory of the former rector of the Epiphany Cathedral in Moscow, Archpriest Alexander Ageikin, who died of coronavirus in the spring of 2020.
In March 2021, the Diocesan Court of Moscow found no reason to reconsider of its decision of December 2020 on the eruption of Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev from the priesthood. Subsequently, Kuraev filed a petition with Patriarch Kirill to re-hold the meeting.
The Patriarch approved the decisions of the Diocesan Court of Moscow in the case of recognizing Protodeacon Andrei Kuraev as subject to removal from the priesthood and at the request of the Protodeacon himself to review this case. The decision to dismiss Andrei Kuraev from the priesthood will come into force after the issuance of the decree, however, a moratorium was introduced on the issuance of the decree – to the protodeacon provided time to rethink his position and return to the path of the Church.