XXII. On the pension provision

1. The clergymen and church workers who are citizens of the Russian Federation and work in the canonical units of the Russian Orthodox Church registered as legal entities shall receive the state pension according to established procedure.

2. The pension maintenance of the clergymen and church workers who are citizens of other states shall be provided according to the relevant laws of their countries of residence.

3. The Russian Orthodox Church may have the pension system of its own.

4. At the age of 75, each cleric who holds in a canonical unit or diocesan body the post of father/mother superior of the monastery/convent, or abbot, rector of a parish, chair of a parish council, dean, secretary of the diocesan council, chair or vice-chair of a diocesan department or commission, chair, secretary or member of the diocesan court, shall be obliged to file a petition to the diocesan bishop for his/her relief from the respective duties. The decision on the time of compliance with such petition shall be made at the discretion of the diocesan bishop, and in the case of father/mother superior or abbot – at the discretion of the Holy Synod upon the recommendation of the diocesan bishop. The diocesan bishop shall take care of providing decent conditions for the clerics relieved from their duties on the grounds of age for the continuation of the liturgical and pastoral ministry.