Lithuanian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Inokentiy, who is a Russian citizen, has had his Lithuanian residence permit extended for another two years, the Migration Department has confirmed to BNS.
The Orthodox priest will be able to continue living in Lithuania until 2025.
The Migration Department made this decision after receiving data from the State Security Department, the State Border Guard Service, and the Police Department, showing that the Orthodox leader posed no threat to national security.
According to the information available to BNS, the documents submitted by the Lithuanian Orthodox leader indicate that he is against Russia’s war in Ukraine and maintains that Crimea belongs to Ukraine.
The Lithuanian Orthodox Church is one of nine traditional religious communities in Lithuania. It has the title of Metropolia and belongs to the Patriarchate of Moscow and All Russia.
However, the Vilnius and Lithuania metropolitan asked the Moscow Patriarchate in May to grant the Lithuanian Orthodox Church the status of a self-governing Church after several priests initiated the separation from the Moscow Patriarchate.
Currently, only three Orthodox Churches under the canonical jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate have the status of a self-governing church, including those of Estonia, Latvia, and Moldova.
Read more: Lithuanian Orthodox Church says it’s moving toward autonomy
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