Archpriest Smirnov relieved of his post as head of the Patriarchal Commission

"To release Archpriest Dimitri Smirnov from the post of chairman of the patriarchal commission on family issues, protection of motherhood and childhood in accordance with the submitted request," the statement says.

According to the resolution, Smirnov was appointed the honorary chairman of the corresponding patriarchal commission.

In early 2020, Smirnov spoke out against civil marriages, comparing common-law wives with "free prostitutes."

Commenting on his words, he noted that men ceased to be the head of the family and became a "national catastrophe".