Vissarion

Vissarion is the religious name of Sergey Anatolyevich Torop, a former traffic policeman from Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. He claims to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ and founded the Church of the Last Testament in 1991. His teachings blend elements of Russian Orthodoxy, Buddhism, and other spiritual traditions, with a strong emphasis on environmentalism and a vegetarian diet. Vissarion established a communal settlement in the Krasnoyarsk taiga called "Tiberkul," where thousands of his followers live in a self-sufficient community. Adherents believe Vissarion is a divine being who will guide humanity through an impending apocalypse. The Church of the Last Testament has faced scrutiny from Russian authorities, and Vissarion himself was arrested in September 2020 on charges of causing psychological harm and organizing an extremist group. His followers, however, largely remain loyal, viewing his arrest as a persecution of their faith.