Church Punishments of Bishops Convicted in Modern Period

The article presents a further development of the topic of church legal proceedings, which was previously explored by the author. The historical and church- legal aspects of bishop trials characteristic of the newest times have been thoroughly studied, however the current situation with convicted bishops or the potential for lifting their sanctions have not been adequately addressed. The existing gaps in church- legal literature on these aspects make their analysis relevant. The study may be of practical value for generalizing and systematizing law enforcement practices. The article provides a general description of church trials of bishops from 1989 to 2025, as well as statistics on the punishments applied to them, and identifies possible ways to reinstate convicted bishops who are still alive. The conclusion is made that statistical data show that the harshest punishments are more frequently applied to bishops convicted of schism than to those tried for moral offenses. It is noted that many convicted hierarchs may be reinstated in their ministry. The article is based on a report given by the author at the round table “Towards Repentance and Correction”: The Problem of Punishment in Church Court (St. Petersburg Theological Academy, September 23, 2025).