The "St. Peter and Paul" Church in Karlovy Vary - the headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic - is now in the hands of its Hungarian diocese. Why was this move made by Moscow Patriarch Kirill, who actively supports Putin?
The "St. Peter and Paul" Church is one of the most famous landmarks in Karlovy Vary. Its golden domes shine from afar, and its interior is richly decorated, ARD reports. The Russian Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic also holds open services in this church.
The Russian Orthodox Church has a small representation in the Russian embassy in Prague, but its main headquarters is in the popular Russian resort. The building there apparently recently has a new owner - journalistic investigations have established that the church in Karlovy Vary, which is under the leadership of the Moscow Patriarchate, has begun transferring its property to Hungary since the beginning of the year. It is alleged that it is doing so due to the threat of sanctions.
The temple and its adjacent properties, including a luxury villa, already belong to the Hungarian diocese. In Hungary, where close relations with Russia are maintained under Orbán's rule, the Russian Orthodox Church has nothing to fear, ARD points out.
Support from Hungary
This is not the case in the Czech Republic. The media write that the government is considering freezing the property of the church loyal to Moscow. However, nothing has been done yet, which observers such as journalist Jiri Hynek say is scandalous.
He has received confirmation that the long-time Metropolitan of Budapest - Hilarion - has also been sent to Karlovy Vary. In December, the Orthodox priest was prematurely retired in Hungary - due to accusations of sexual assault and a dissolute lifestyle.
For a long time, he was considered the second most important cleric in the entire Russian Orthodox Church, ARD notes. Now he will replace the previous supreme representative in the Czech Republic, Nikolai Lischenyuk, whom the government in Prague extradited.
The official reason is very unclear
The head of Czech domestic intelligence, Michal Koudelka, justified the extradition quite enigmatically, saying that as a representative of the Orthodox Church in the Czech Republic, Lischenyuk had done things that were incompatible with the country's security. The official accusations against the Orthodox priest are that, with the support of the Russian authorities, he encouraged separatist tendencies in the EU. It is not known exactly what this means, writes ARD.
Security expert Jan Padourek from the Czech Interior Ministry is more specific: “The church in Karlovy Vary is used to cover up espionage activities. Cooperation between the Russian Orthodox Church and the secret services of the Russian Federation has been ongoing since Soviet times – the connection is proven and obvious“.
The priest's home in Karlovy Vary is well hidden from prying eyes – Russian spies have been coming and going unmolested, Czech media write, citing sources from the security services. It is alleged that they have supported separatist movements in other EU countries – such as the movement for autonomy in Catalonia. Karlovy Vary is an excellent cover for Russian agents - the resort is very popular with Russians.
Lishchenyuk's lawyer denies all charges and says that people with foreign license plates met there - nothing that threatened the country's security. The Orthodox priest appealed the decision to revoke his right to reside in the Czech Republic, but lost in several instances, including the Constitutional Court.
Intensive activities in favor of the Russian state
Lishchenyuk, and with him the Moscow Patriarchate, which is close to Putin, also had influence on the essentially independent Czech Orthodox Church. Meanwhile, it is the second largest denomination in the country with over 40,000 members. Russia's war against Ukraine has divided believers, Czech cleric Rafael Moravsky told ARD. For him, the Russian Orthodox Church is a mouthpiece for the Kremlin and the Russian regime.
“It instills fear by claiming that the Orthodox are obliged to side with Russia and against Western civilization, because otherwise they would automatically side with Satan and their souls would not be saved“, says Moravski. Patriarch Kirill of Moscow praises the attack on Ukraine and calls the dead soldiers “martyrs”, writes ARD. The media outlet recalls that he was the first person the Czech Republic included in its sanctions list two years ago. The arguments - the Russian Orthodox Church and its leader are part of the Kremlin's repressive apparatus.
The patriarch, who has also been sanctioned by Canada, Britain, Lithuania and Estonia, is banned from entering the Czech Republic and from carrying out any activities there. His assets are frozen, but only his personal ones. And the church in Karlovy Vary is not among them.