The Russian Orthodox Church suspended Metropolitan Hilarion from ruling the Budapest-Hungarian diocese

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) has decided to release Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev) from the administration of the Budapest-Hungarian diocese, as his way of life no longer corresponds to "the image of a monk and clergyman". This is stated on December 27 in the journals of the synod, cited on the website of the Russian Orthodox Church.

It is noted that the commission to study the affairs in the said diocese asked the Primate of the ROC, who has the right to do so according to the statute, to draw the attention of Metropolitan Hilarion "to the inconsistency of the nature of his relations with his immediate surroundings" and his lifestyle due to priests.

"To release His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion from the administration of the Budapest-Hungarian diocese and to retire him. Temporary management of the Budapest-Hungarian diocese to entrust His Eminence Metropolitan Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsky", - stated in the resolution.

For further place of service to Metropolitan Hilarion the Russian Orthodox Church has determined the Church of the Holy First Apostles Peter and Paul in Karlovy Vary.

Before that, on October 9, it was reported that the arrested in the case of murder, kidnapping and extortion in 1997-2017 in Belgorod region priest Stanislav Dementeev, military officer Igor Selutin and entrepreneur Stepan Morozov have extensive connections in the criminal environment. In April, it became known that the Investigative Committee (IC) of the Russian Federation is investigating a criminal case of serious crimes of 20 years ago, the defendants of which are a serviceman, a priest and a businessman from Belgorod region. All three were detained last summer and then placed in custody.