Support The Moscow Times!

Vaccinate or Repent Forever, Russian Orthodox Church Warns

The metropolitan’s remarks come as several Russian regions including Moscow push for compulsory vaccination. Natalia Kolesnikova / AFP

Russians who refuse to get vaccinated against the coronavirus are taking a sin upon themselves that they will repent for until the end of their days, a top Russian Orthodox Church official said Monday. 

“I now constantly face such situations when people come to a priest in order to repent that they did not vaccinate themselves or their loved ones and that they became the unwitting cause of another person’s death,” Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the head of the Church’s external relations department, said during a live broadcast on the state-run Rossia 24 channel. 

"And it is difficult even for me to say how to live with it now,” he continued. “You'll have to atone your whole life for the sin you committed — that you thought about yourself and not another person.”

The metropolitan’s remarks come as several Russian regions including Moscow push for compulsory vaccination to contain a fierce surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths fueled by more-contagious variants and a tepid vaccine uptake.

An independent poll released Monday said 54% of Russians are still unwilling to get vaccinated against Covid-19.

The Russian Orthodox Church has stepped up enforcement of mask-wearing and other safety measures inside Moscow churches and monasteries, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency reported last week. 

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more