Orthodox church suspends Ohio priest after he participated in the Capitol invasion: report

On Thursday, Newsweekreported that an orthodox priest in Ohio has been suspended over his role in the Capitol riots — and could be booted out of the church altogether.

"Rev. Mark Hodges, an archpriest affiliated with several orthodox churches in southwestern Ohio, was temporarily barred from fulfilling his usual duties after participating in the January 6 rally that preceded the violent assault on the U.S. Capitol came to light," reported Emily Czachor. "His suspension from priestly responsibilities is due to last three months, and could result in his 'defrocking,' a term to denote permanent removal from his status within the church."

"Hodges claims the disciplinary action stemmed solely from his presence at the rally, where protesters baselessly challenged the presidential election's outcome, according to an email originally dispatched to the archpriest's family and friends, which he sent to Newsweek on Thursday afternoon," said the report. "However, in additional comments, a spokesperson from the Diocese of the Midwest told Newsweek that its decision was motivated by a collection of factors."

"Hodges, whose official Facebook page prominently showcases anti-abortion rhetoric, homophobia, transphobia and racism, in addition to unfounded claims related to election fraud," continued the report. "A supporter of Donald Trump, the archpriest has posted countless articles that made clear his alignment with the former president's unsubstantiated allegations that President Joe Biden's election victory was illegitimate."

In recent weeks, a number of prominent businessmen and community leaders have lost their jobs over their involvement with the invasion, which resulted in the death of five people — and dozens face a number of federal and state charges.