Latvian Saeima adopts a law on separation of the LOC from Russian Church

On September 8, 2022, the government of Latvia approved the draft law on the separation of the Latvian Orthodox Church from the Russian Orthodox Church, submitted for consideration by the President of Latvia, Egils Levits. This is reported by the website of the Latvian Seimas.

Artuss Kaimiņš, Chairman of the Seimas Commission on Human Rights and Public Affairs, stated that the adoption of the law would consolidate the historical independence and autonomy of the Latvian Orthodox Church, eliminate the influence of the Moscow Patriarchate and the power of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The adopted law regulates the procedure for the approval and dismissal of the metropolitan, archbishops and bishops, while, as indicated in the annotation to the bill, "legal changes do not concern canonical issues."

By October 31, 2022, the Latvian Orthodox Church must bring its Statute in line with the new requirements of the law. Until October 1, the Church must provide the Office of the President with information about the current head of the Church, metropolitans, archbishops and bishops.

President Levits noted that the new law would restore the historical status of the LOC and exclude any power of the Patriarch of Moscow over the Church in Latvia. The initiative of the Head of State was caused by the fact that the Moscow Patriarchate supports the leadership of Russia and the war that Russia is waging against Ukraine.

Recall that the Russian Orthodox Church condemned the attempt of the Latvian authorities to interfere in the affairs of the Church; in turn, the Russian Foreign Ministry threatened not to leave this step without consequences.

As the UOJ wrote, the President of Latvia submitted to the Seimas a bill on the separation of the LOC from the ROC.

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