Metropolitan Hilarion, who was involved in a drug case in the Czech Republic, has been decided not to be transferred to serve in South America. Instead, he will remain in Russia, reports Meduza, writes UNN.
Details
By decision of the Russian Orthodox Church, Hilarion was allowed to stay in the country to care for his mother. The Exaltation of the Cross Jerusalem Convent in the Moscow region was designated as his temporary place of service.
Religion researcher and author of the Telegram channel "Orthodoxy and Zombies" Ksenia Luchenko called the abbess of the monastery, Abbess Catherine (Chainikova), an "experienced church manager" and a person close to Patriarch Kirill. According to her, after the start of the full-scale war, the monastery actively collected funds and equipment for the Russian military.
After scandals, Hilarion was demoted and returned to Russia
In the 2010s, Hilarion headed the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. At that time, he was considered one of the closest associates of Patriarch Kirill and was even called a possible successor.
Cocaine found in Russian Metropolitan's car in the Czech Republic04.06.26, 00:37
In 2022, he became Metropolitan of Budapest and Hungary, but was later demoted after accusations of harassment by a former cell attendant.
In May 2026, drugs were found in Hilarion's car in the Czech Republic. Although no official charges were brought against him, he soon returned to Russia. Initially, Brazil was to be his new place of service, but this decision was canceled.