Russia, Church of the Last Testament: Vissarion Sentenced to Twelve Years

New religious movements continue to be repressed through accusations of brainwashing and extremism.

By Massimo Introvigne

July 3, 2025

Sergei Torop, “Vissarion.” From Facebook.

On June 30, a court in Novosibirsk, Russia, sentenced Sergei Torop, the leader of the “Church of the Last Testament” (also known as the “Vissarion Community”), to twelve years in a strict penal colony. His associates, Vladimir Vedernikov and Vadim Redkin, received sentences of twelve and eleven years, respectively. The leaders of the Last Testament community are accused of “extremism” and “psychological manipulation” of their followers—charges that are commonly leveled in Russia against groups labeled as “cults.”

Torop was born on January 14, 1961, in Krasnodar to a family of atheist bricklayers, although his grandmother was part of the Old Believers movement, which significantly influenced him. In 1968, the family relocated to Minusinsk. After completing his compulsory military service, he worked in the territorial militia and developed an interest in religion and esotericism. He specifically became involved in Agni Yoga, an offshoot of Theosophy founded by the painter Nicholas Roerich and his wife.

In May 1990, Torop announced that “his memory had been opened” and that he now remembered being the Son of God, coming to Earth under the name Vissarion. On January 14, 1991, he claimed to have been baptized directly by God the Father. Then, on August 18, 1991, he preached his first sermon near Minusinsk. This event marks the beginning of Vissarion’s public life and is celebrated within the movement as “Announcement Day.” The significance of this date is further emphasized by its coincidence with the failure of the coup against Mikhail Gorbachev’s government.

In 1994, Vissarion invited his followers to gather in a community on Mount Sukhoi in the Krasnoyarsk province, which he presented as “the center of the world.” Later that year, the movement was officially registered as a community. By 1995, it ordained its first two priests; in 1996, it consecrated its first church.

Despite being a primary target of the growing Russian anti-cult movement, Vissarion’s community expanded significantly, establishing around eighty communities in Russia, along with groups in Bulgaria, Germany, the Baltic States, and the United States, as well as smaller groups in various other countries, including Italy.

Members of the Church of the Last Testament. From Instagram.

On September 22, 2020, amidst increasingly virulent campaigns in Russia against organizations labeled as “cults” by anti-cult activists and the Russian Orthodox Church, Vissarion, Vedernikov, and Redkin were arrested.

Vissarion’s teachings combine Christian beliefs typical of Russian new religious movements with elements of esotericism and New Age. He asserts that God, the Unifying Principle, creates the universe through an energy known as Qi in China and Prana in India. According to his teachings, the universe operates under the Law of Opportunity, which posits that each living entity primarily acts in its interests, and secondarily for the system as a whole and for others. A key consequence of this principle is the Law of the Boomerang, akin to the principle of karma, which states that individuals will reap what they sow. Vissarion teaches that Earth is a living entity deserving of reverence.

Human beings are called to assist the Son of God in accordance with the Law of Return, which emphasizes that for individuals to grow and develop, they must “give back” the warmth and richness bestowed upon them by the Son of God, sharing these blessings with others. However, Vissarion indicates that many do not follow the Law of Return, leading to Earth reacting with punishments and disasters. Those who have overcome all aggressive impulses may avoid these calamities, though this is challenging. Currently, it is possible through following the Son of God, who, foreseeing potential self-destruction, has incarnated again in the form of Vissarion.

Following Vissarion does not necessarily require full commitment to community life; engaging in a few simple rituals may be sufficient. These rituals range from the “Sacred Circle,” which celebrates the divine nature of the Earth, to the blessing of food and the observance of specific feast days. However, the sacraments of baptism and marriage necessitate the presence of priests from the Church of the Last Testament. Additionally, “creative ecclesiastical work” in daily life plays an important role, emphasizing the creation of harmony and beauty through one’s actions. A commitment to ecological principles is also vital.

While the Last Testament community has been banned in Russia, it continues to exist abroad, where followers have gathered funds to appeal the decision rendered in Novosibirsk.

Source: bitterwinter.org