The Church of Sweden is calling on its parishes not to receive nuns from the Belarusian St Elisabeth Convent in Minsk. The decision follows a scandal that erupted after sisters from the convent visited the Täby parish outside Stockholm.

The Belarusian convent is subordinated to the Moscow Patriarchate, led by Patriarch Kirill (Vladimir Gundyaev), and, according to the Church of Sweden, is believed to have ties to Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU. It is also noted that the nuns have been actively seeking contact with parishes across Sweden, and as many as 20 parishes may already have cooperated with the convent.
(https://www.sverigesradio.se/artikel/kyrkans-spionlarm-slapp-inte-in-nunnorna-fran-minsk)

Lisa-Gun Bernestedt, head of civil preparedness at the Church of Sweden, said: “They indirectly support the Russian regime, and we are not going to help facilitate that.”

Sweden’s Minister for Migration, Johan Forssell, said he intends to discuss with the Migration Agency the possibility of revising the country’s residency rules for individuals linked to Russia’s interests. He stressed that Sweden is under no obligation to be hospitable to those who support actions by the Russian Federation that violate international law.