Prayers for the Soul of Alexey Navalny at the Miami Cathedral

On February 24, at the request of the parishioners, a memorial service for Alexey Navalny was held at the Cathedral of St. Matrona of Moscow in Miami. 

It was the ninth day after the death of the Russian opposition leader in accordance with the Eastern Orthodox tradition.  Archimandrite Alexander, Rector of the Cathedral, led the service.  Upon its conclusion, he delivered an address to those present. 

“We are now learning that many priests are prohibited from serving memorial services for the reposed servant of God Alexey.  This is frightening, this is terrible… because the Church must pray for everyone.  God grants us free will; we can choose freely what we should do and how we want to do it.  Alexey made his choice to fight for the truth, for his ideals, and for this he suffered.  This is a very sad day for the Ukrainian people: we are exactly two years into the war in which many were injured, many were killed.  We must remember that the Church is an oasis where all people should find refuge, where we should not divide ourselves into Whites or Reds.  Christ should unite us all.”