Ukrainian Orthodox Church Signs Agreement with State Penitentiary

Representatives of the autonomous Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine have signed an agreement confirming and broadening the cooperative efforts of the two organizations to care for the spiritual needs of prisoners in Ukraine. More (in Ukrainian) here.

Imperial Russian Prisoners of War Commemorated in Slovenia

A delegation from the Russian Orthodox Church led by Bishop Kirill of Stavropol' has participated in ceremonies marking the 95th anniversary of the death of Russian prisoners of war during World War I at a prison camp established by Austria-Hungary in what today is Slovenia. It is estimated that some 10,000 Russian soldiers died as prisoners.

A chapel has been built in Slovenia to commemorate the soldiers, many of whom were killed in a landslide while being used as forced labor to build roads. In addition to participating in commemorative events in the Slovene capital Bishop Kirill also visited the prisoners' chapel, where a memorial was served for their repose. More (in Russian) here.

Russian Orthodox Church Works to Develop Prison Ministries

The leadership of the Synodal Department for Prison Ministry of the Russian Orthodox Church has met under Bishop Irinarkh (Grezin) of Krasnogorsk, an auxiliary of the Eparchy of Moscow, to continue working on the development of district rehabilitation centers for former prisoners, the education of prison chaplains, the development of rehabilitation centers for minors, and the amendment of prison regulations to enable prisoners to more easily attend the divine services in prison churches. More (in Russian) here.

Georgia Releases Prisoners

The Georgian government is releasing roughly a hundred prisoners, having reviewed their cases and decided in favor of clemency in honor of the Lord's Pascha. More here.

St. Petersburg Diocese Opening Youth Rehabilitation Center

The Eparchy of St. Petersburg has opened the first rehabilitation center for juvenile prisoners in Russia. The center will be opened in a prison near St. Petersburg in cooperation with the Federal Penitentiary Service of the Russian Federation. More here.

Russian Prisons Opened to Orthodox Church

Patriarch Kirill (Gundyayev) of Moscow and A.A. Reymer, head of the Russian Federal Penitentiary Service, have signed an agreement allowing the Russian Orthodox Church to provide pastoral care to prisoners throughout the country. Under the agreement the Church will be able to minister to the spiritual needs of prisoners and also maintain churches and chapels at prisons as need dictates. More here.