Protodeacon Kuraev denied entry to Latvia

Orthodox missionary Protodeacon Andrei Kurayev, who was heading to Latvia for participation in the philosophical discussion, was stopped by border guards at the airport of Riga due to the fact that he was put on the list of people banned from entering Latvia at the request of the republic security service, reports RIA Novosti with reference to the Latvian media.

The Russian religious leader came to Ukraine to participate in the philosophical discussion "Let's talk about the soul" at the Zadornov library. Kuraev told the local media that he had a long-term Schengen visa, and two weeks before he had freely travelled to another Schengen country.

"Sitting at the airport in Riga. Border guards are saying that the Latvian security service has long banned me from entry and the ban was extended in 2015. In Latvia, I was once about 10 years ago. From that trip I still keep a stained glass on the window – it was presented by the Speaker of the Latvian Parliament, the Lutheran pastor to me. What I’m just saying that there were no scandals, although at that time the lecture took place at the "House of Moscow," the protodeacon wrote in his blog on livejournal.com.