Orthodox cleric declares widows should never remarry

(MENAFN) Andrey Tkachev, a senior priest of the Russian Orthodox Church, declared that widowed women should never remarry and remain devoted to their late husbands for life. Speaking during a sermon, Tkachev urged widows to follow the example of Xenia of Saint Petersburg, a 19th-century saint who gave away all her possessions after her husband’s death and lived a life of piety and devotion.

Tkachev criticized widows who remarry, describing them as “lustful” and “dead alive,” contrasting them with “righteous women” who stay loyal to their deceased spouses. He warned that a husband’s spirit watches from beyond and that it would be shameful to betray that bond.

Known for his controversial sermons, Tkachev has previously condemned families with only one child and attributed Ukrainian attacks on Russian cities to divine punishment for abortions, stating that true peace will come only through repentance.

MENAFN16062025000045015687ID1109678245