Pat. Kirill Removes Met. Nestor from Western European Exarchate

Photos allegedly show Met. Nestor gambling under his secular name, Evgeny Sirotenko. Photo: pokernews.com

MOSCOW — Pat. Kirill of Moscow has removed Met. Nestor of Chersonesus and Western Europe from his position as head of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Exarchate of Western Europe, citing the start of ecclesiastical proceedings against him. The Exarchate oversees dioceses in France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Monaco.

While the official reason for the proceedings was not disclosed, Novaya Gazeta Europe reported that Pat. Kirill’s dissatisfaction stemmed from Nestor’s longtime participation in international poker tournaments under his secular name. According to The Hendon Mob poker database, Nestor’s total winnings exceeded $47,000, and photographs of him competing were published by PokerNews.

Canon law forbids clergy from gambling or even attending such events, and the upcoming church trial is expected to address both his gaming activity and the alleged use of church funds for related purposes. Still, it should be noted that the decision came by way of decree from the Patriarch himself and not from the Holy Synod.

According to a release from the Moscow Patriarchate, the "temporary administration of the above-mentioned canonical structures was entrusted to Met. Mark of Ryazan and Mikhailovsk." Last year, Met. Nestor was initially entrusted with ROC parishes in Hungary after the dismissal of Met. Hilarion before they were transferred to the jurisdiction of Met. Mark. 

Some observers, however, suggest that the poker allegations may mask deeper tensions. According to The Moscow Times, Nestor publicly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, co-signing an anti-war declaration with Roman Catholic Abp. Francisco Javier Martínez of Spain, and refused to dismiss a priest who had also denounced the war. He also met informally with "bishop" Alexander (Drabinko) of the schismatic Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), a move strictly prohibited by Moscow.

Journalist Ksenia Luchenko argued that Nestor may have been targeted by those who were "dissatisfied" with his views. “He did not promote the ‘Russian world,’” she said, also arguing that he stood with his priests and not the Patriarchate. Disgraced former deacon Andrei Kuraev, now in Prague, agreed, saying:

"The peculiarities of Met. Nestor's life that are known to me are not worthy of judgment in any way. Well, that is, you can find a canon, but one of those that have not been observed by everyone for a long time. Like a ban on playing chess."

According to Novaya Gazeta Europe, "parishioners of the Trinity Cathedral in Paris are already collecting signatures in support of their bishop, and in informal conversations they even express their readiness to support his departure from the Russian Orthodox Church, for example, to the... Patriarchate of Constantinople."

Previously, UOJ reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin presented Pat. Kirill of Moscow with the Presidential Award for Strengthening the Unity of the Russian Nation.

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