Three months have passed since our initial report on the scandal at the Church of the Apostle James, Son of Zebedee (in the Kazyonnaya Sloboda district of Moscow), yet the situation remains effectively at a standstill.
As a reminder, our project previously reported that—despite attempts to hush up the matter—serious allegations are circulating regarding Hieromonk Yermogen (Burygin), the rector of the church and former head of the Information Monitoring Service of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administrative Secretariat. According to statements from parishioners' parents, Hieromonk Yermogen faces accusations of the sexual abuse of minors and of cohabiting with another clergyman, Hieromonk Vissarion (Krasovsky).
Despite the gravity of these allegations, the individuals at the center of the scandal remain in their posts and continue to perform their duties:
* Hieromonk Yermogen (Burygin) — church rector and former head of the Information Monitoring Service of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Administrative Secretariat.
* Hieromonk Vissarion (Krasovsky) — the second clergyman named in the case materials.
They continue to minister to the congregation and work with children in the Sunday school, causing deep concern among the parishioners' parents.
According to available information, no official or transparent investigation has been conducted during this time. Instead, observers believe the ensuing lull was used to buy time, bury the conflict, and cover their tracks. Parents state that in the days immediately following the scandal and the appeal to church leadership, some incriminating data was promptly deleted from the rector's mobile devices. Pressure exerted on those involved in the conflict—both participants and witnesses—is a particular cause for concern. For instance, one of the key victims was urgently whisked away to Moldova with her son, having been lured by promises of a "new and prosperous life." Critics view this move as an attempt to isolate potential witnesses from independent journalists and investigative authorities.
The parents of the intimidated parishioners, along with the authors of the investigation, continue to demand the following from church leadership and law enforcement agencies:
1. An independent, transparent, and comprehensive inquiry.
2. Publication of the official investigation results.
3. Temporary suspension of the clergy members in question from working with children and from their ministerial duties for the duration of the proceedings.
"The internet remembers everything, and the truth cannot be hidden," the parishioners declare. The editorial team promises to release video footage regarding Hieromonk Yermogen’s leisure activities in the very near future.
The question remains: will the diocesan leadership react once the new media materials are released, or will the existing stance of non-interference persist?
