"Outright corruption": in the Rostov region morgues monopolize church sacrament

Despite the fact that this fact is already known to the authorities of the region, the business is in no hurry to wind up.

The problem became known after the family of the murdered girl came to the Bataysk morgue to collect the body, but faced blackmail. The relatives of the deceased were informed that it was necessary to pay 7.5 thousand rubles for the funeral service, otherwise they would not be able to pick up the body soon.

The priests of the seven temples of Bataysk also complained about the monopoly on the funeral service for the dead. Over the past year, the corresponding ceremonies were not actually held there, since the deceased were buried in a farewell room on the territory of the Central City Hospital.

“According to church traditions and according to the documents adopted by the Russian Orthodox Church, the funeral service at morgues, outside churches and chapels, is a violation of canonical tradition and norms. These people not only monopolize funeral services, but also monopolize the sacrament of the church, not allowing people to make a choice”, - quotes AiF as the press secretary of the head of the Don Metropolis Igor Petrovsky.

Moreover, such a funeral service costs 7.5 thousand rubles - which is extremely expensive for this service. The funeral service in churches is two to three times cheaper. “The service is imposed harshly and aggressively. We do not bless priests to funeral the dead in such places. Our position is that the last divine service in a person's life should take place in the church”, - Petrovsky added.

Correspondent "AiF" visited the farewell hall at the Central City Hospital of Bataysk. There, a funeral agency employee immediately approached him and offered services. It was indicated on the door of the hall that the organization was run by IP Barkhyan. Entrepreneur Maksim Turta believes that "a private paid farewell hall at the exit from the city morgue with unclear lease relations with the Central City Hospital belongs to one of the municipal employees". “Bataysk residents turned out to be powerless and were held hostage by nepotism and outright corruption”, - he said.

According to media reports, due to corruption in the field of funeral services, the budget of Bataysk annually loses about 40 million rubles. The problem is now being studied in the metropolitanate, as well as local deputies and the regional government. However, the farewell hall at the hospital is in no hurry to close.