For several months now, the Synod of the Latvian Orthodox Church has been receiving numerous complaints from Orthodox laity and even from non-Orthodox about the activities of a certain Father Augustine, argumenti.ru reports.

“Archimandrite” Augustine (Zashchirinsky) is not a priest of the Latvian Orthodox Church, but only lives in Latvia as a private person. Although he calls himself an archimandrite, he is not.

Not having the right to perform divine services and rites, “Archimandrite” Augustine not only performs funerals for the Orthodox, deceiving the relatives of the deceased, but also, putting on the vestments of a Catholic priest, performs the funerals for Catholics.

Deceiving people, he says that he is creating a parish under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

His activities in Latvia are not only illegal, but also harm interfaith relations in Latvia, according to the LPC.