Church of Sweden calls on parishes to sever ties with ROC monastery in Minsk supporting war in Ukraine
This was reported on Facebook by the Open Orthodoxy Network, which cited a warning from the Church of Sweden.
The warning was issued due to concerns about the monastery's ties to the Russian state and its support for the war against Ukraine. According to church leaders, up to 20 parishes had been cooperating with the Minsk monastery, primarily through fairs where nuns sold handicrafts, including mittens, icons, matryoshka dolls, and other souvenirs.
The Church of Sweden's press release stated that the nuns "maintain close contact with the GRU and are subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate under Patriarch Kirill," which implies their indirect support for the Russian regime. The parish of Täby near Stockholm, which had invited the nuns for eight years, has since apologized and announced that it will sever ties "for the duration of the war."
Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell has announced a possible review of the rules regarding the stay of individuals associated with the Russian state. He stated, "Sweden is not obliged to show hospitality to those who support Russian aggression against Ukraine."
As reported by RISU, St. Elizabeth Convent in Minsk, which has been actively assisting Russians involved in the war against Ukraine, has announced that it will offer nursing courses. The nuns from this monastery have also received awards from Putin for promoting the Russian language.
