A Russian Orthodox Christian priest plans to run for mayor, in the first such bid in an election since the church relaxed a ban on clergy entering politics, newspapers said on Wednesday.
Priest Anton Butin registered this week as an independent candidate in Nerekhta, a town of 30,000 people 300 kilometers southeast of Moscow.
After the fall of the Soviet Union, the church banned clergy from state jobs in what experts say was a bid to wield greater control over independent-minded clergy.
Last week it declared they could enter politics in "exceptional cases," where the church encounters hostility from other faiths and factions, but did not elaborate.
It was unclear whether Butin falls into that category. His superior, the archpriest of Kostroma, warned the move could cost him his robes, Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper reported.
"It's unclear whether they will elect me. When I concretely go to work as mayor, then I will certainly seek [the church's] blessing," Butin said.
A local elections commission spokeswoman confirmed that Butin was on the ballot for the March 13 vote in the Kostroma region, set to run against five other candidates.
"I called the head of the elections commission and asked whether I had the right," Butin, who became a priest in 1985, told Nezavisimaya Gazeta.
"Then I put my trust in God. … Within three days we gathered the 453 signatures required to register," daily Noviye Izvestia quoted him as saying.
The Constitution officially separates church from state but electoral law does not specifically ban clergy from state office, saying any citizens may stand.
President Dmitry Medvedev last week backed the Orthodox Church's decision to lift the ban, calling it "the largest and the most respected social institution in modern Russia".
But rights campaigners say its power is encroaching on the separation of religion and state, while Muslim and other minorities say they feel excluded.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
