Russia arrests "Jesus of Siberia," cult leader claiming to be reincarnation of Christ

Russia arrests "Jesus of Siberia," cult leader claiming to be reincarnation of Christ

A former traffic police officer who has declared himself Jesus reincarnated has been arrested by Russian authorities in a special operation deep in Siberia.

Helicopters and armed officers were used to infiltrate the communities run by Sergei Torop, 59, who is more commonly known by his cult name "Vissarion." He and two aides were arrested in the operation run by agents from Russia's FSB security services, as well as police and other agencies. All three were led to waiting helicopters by masked police.

Footage released by investigators showed 59-year-old Vissarion, with long grey hair and a beard, and two other men being led by masked commandos from a van and boarding a helicopter.

Investigators said the self-proclaimed messiah and his aides solicited funds from disciples and emotionally abused them.

Torop, a former traffic police officer, has said he experienced an "awakening" when he lost his job in 1989 as the atheist Communist regime was fast unravelling.

In 1991, he founded what is now the Church of the Last Testament.

In the 1990s, some of Vissarion's devotees died either by suicide or as a result of harsh living conditions and lack of medical care.

His followers adhere to a jumble of creeds that draw from Russian Orthodox rites and environmentally friendly values.

Asked by AFP how he knew he was the son of God, Vissarion said in 2009: "I felt something violently surging up from within me that had been held down until then."

Source:
https://www.jpost.com/omg/helicopters-armed-police-swoop-in-to-arrest-russian-jesus-cult-leader-643201

Source:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sergei-torop-russian-jesus-vissarion-cult-leader-arrested-in-siberia-today/

Source:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/22/cult-leader-vissarion-reincarnation-jesus-arrested-siberia-russia