Moscow-aligned Orthodox clergy not invited to Lithuanian president's inauguration

VILNIUS – Clergy from the Lithuanian Orthodox Archdiocese, which is subordinate to the Moscow Patriarchate, were not invited to President Gitanas Nauseda's inauguration events on Friday, spokespeople confirmed to BNS.

Representatives from all other traditional and state-recognized religious communities were present, including the leaders of the Constantinople Patriarchate-subordinate Orthodox community in Lithuania, which was granted official legal recognition last February.

The state authorities' decision not to invite the Lithuanian Orthodox Archdiocese's clergy was a protest against the Moscow Patriarchate's stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

"The leaders of all traditional and state-recognized religious communities and associations in Lithuania were invited to the Seimas sitting for President Gitanas Nauseda's oath of office ceremony, except for Metropolitan Innokentiy of the Orthodox Archdiocese of Vilnius and Lithuania," Lukas Kornelijus Vaiciakas, head of the secretariat of the speaker of the parliament, told BNS.

He added that Innokentiy was not invited "for reasons obvious to everyone: his attitude towards the war in Ukraine".

Nauseda's spokesman Ridas Jasiulionis also confirmed to BNS that it had been decided not to invite clergy under the Moscow Patriarchate to the inauguration events, but did not comment further on the decision.

Orthodox Christians in Lithuania are considered one of the nine traditional religious communities.

Nauseda was sworn in for his second term as president on Friday.