SocietyRussian Federation
Questioning Russia's Church: Why Sister Vassa won't give in

This browser does not support the video element.
July 19, 2025
Advertisement
In Moscow, Patriarch Kirill has given his blessing to Vladimir Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine, and many Russian Orthodox bishops have followed his lead. Meanwhile, in Rome, a courageous, previously Russian Orthodox nun has found herself "defrocked" after she spoke out against church leaders. But Sister Vassa refuses to give in. She has switched to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and continues to speak out against those who support Putin and the war. On social media, the US-born nun, who is an accomplished theologian with a doctorate in canon law, boasts hundreds of thousands of followers. A report by Miodrag Soric.