Russian Orthodox Church spokesman Vsevolod Chaplin, one of the most visible and controversial figures in the Moscow Patriarchate, was fired last week.
Chaplin then launched into a fierce attack on what he called Russia's "immoral elites" and predicted that Partiarch Kirill would soon be replaced.
On this week's Power Vertical Briefing we look at what Chaplin's sacking means going forward. Joining me is RFE/RL Senior Editor Steve Gutterman.
Enjoy...
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5
The Briefing: Church And State
NOTE: The Power Vertical Briefing is a short look ahead to the stories expected to make news in Russia in the coming week. It is hosted by Brian Whitmore, author of the Power Vertical blog, and appears every Monday.