"Happy name day, Father Sergei!"
The clergy in Russia's northern naval base of Severomorsk sends a greeting to Sergei Cherichenko, the militant priest who is fighting on occupied land.
Father Sergei normally serves in Sputnik, the base of the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade on the Kola Peninsula. But since Russia launched its full-scale war of aggression in February 2022, he has spent more time on occupied Ukrainian land than at the base of the Northern Fleet marines.
Since early 2023, he is believed to be serving on the frontline with a weapon his his hands.
On October 8, in connection with his name day, the regional diocese sent a greeting to the fighting priest.
"We wish you strength of spirit, good health, long life and success in your service, and may the Almighty Lord shower you with His grace, multiplying your strength and granting you, your flock, all the marines of the Northern Fleet, as well as the entire 61st Naval Infantry Brigade of the Northern Fleet and the entire Russian army many years of service!"
"Congratulations, many happy returns!" the church wrote on its social media page.
Sergei Cherichenko, a keen kickboxer, is not only arch-priest in Sputnik, but also the head of the Murmansk regional diocese's department of physical education and sports. He is believed to be a close associate of regional Metropolitan Mitrofan, the regional arch-conservative church leader who heads the Moscow Patriarchate's Sports Commission.
The church in Sputnik, along with all congregations in the military towns on the Kola Peninsula, are subordinate to the diocese of Severomorsk.
The diocese is headed by Bishop Tarasii, a strong supporter of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Over the past more than 3,5 years of full-scale war, he has sent at least seven of his regional priests to occupied territories to serve, among them father Cherichenko.
In addition comes Oleg Denichenko, the priest from Zapolyarny who was awarded a medal for his service. Leonid Suloyev normally works in Oleniya Bay, the naval base that houses Russia’s notorious Main Directorate for Deep Sea Research (GUGI). Sergei Sherfetdinov works in Vidyaevo and Ura-Guba and also heads the missionary department of the diocese. Aleksandr Zaitsev and Artur Zaiko serve at the naval bases of Zaozersk and Gadzhievo respectively
Sergei Cherichenko has appeared on a number of photos with a uniform and protective gear. It is believed that he himself has taken part part in battle. A social media channel that is closely connected with the occupying forces from the Kola Peninsula confirmed that the priest is "not only a spiritual instructor."
“Father Sergei has departed to the zone of the special military operation, this time not as a spiritual instructor for our warriors like last time, but as a military comrade, as a commander,” the page administrator reported.
The prelate is believed to be based in occupied parts of the Kherson region, along with the rest of the troops from the 61st Naval Infantry Brigade.
In a video comment on Telegram published during one of his stays on occupied Ukrainian land, Cherichenko emphasised that “we are united by a common understanding that we are fighting against evil, where we, and only we, are the representatives of the light […]”
According to Patriarch Kirill, up to 25 priests are at any given time working in the war zone. They serve for periods of 2-4 weeks at the time, he said in late 2022 in a meeting with military clergymen that had returned from duty.
