Bankruptcy proceedings have been initiated in the Czech Republic for the Prague Diocese of the Orthodox Church

The Prague diocese of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia is facing bankruptcy proceedings due to months of wage debts owed to clergy. The legal proceedings were initiated after a petition by two clerics revealed deep financial problems and put the diocese at risk of selling off assets to cover liabilities.

According to Seznam.cz, the insolvency petition was filed by priest Kirill Sarkisyan and another spiritual trustee. According to them, they have not received their salaries since July, and the total amount owed is tens of thousands of crowns. It is noted that dozens of other clergymen are in a similar situation. Fr. Kirill Sarkisyan explained that the appeal to the court was a forced measure due to the lack of reaction and communication from the leadership of the diocese.

Helena Nutilova, the petitioners’ lawyer, emphasized that within the framework of the insolvency proceedings the diocese will be treated as an ordinary legal entity. If no funds are found for reorganization, the court may declare bankruptcy proceedings, which will lead to the sale of the church’s assets to pay off debts.

The situation was preceded by an attempt by Archbishop Michael of Prague and the Czech Lands to solve the problem with a large loan. He asked the Diocesan Council to approve a loan of 20 million crowns from a private individual at 2% per month to cover debts to the state and employees. However, the council rejected the request citing a complete lack of information on the financial situation of the diocese.

The situation did not come as a surprise. A special commission, created with the blessing of the archbishop himself, has previously repeatedly warned of the risk of economic collapse. Back in June of this year, the commission pointed to the need for a moratorium and reorganization. Now many clergy and members of the Diocesan Council hope that the appointed administrator will be able to shed light on the accounting of the diocese, since, as it turned out, the audit commission was abolished about ten years ago.

Recall, earlier we reported that the General Assembly of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in the Czech Republic on November 25, 2025, decided to suspend for one year the membership of the Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia (OCLC). This step was taken due to loss of trust, reports of financial irregularities, and concerns about possible foreign influence.