Russian Orthodox Church Backs Integration Of Western European 'Russian Exarchate' - Bishop

Muhammad Irfan Published October 08, 2019 | 12:20 AM

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th October, 2019) The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) satisfied the appeal of clergy of the Archdiocese of Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe to accept them into the ROC jurisdiction, Bishop Savva (Tutunov) of Zelenograd, deputy chancellor of the Moscow Patriarchate, said on Monday.

"The historic meeting of the Holy Synod has come to an end. The Archdiocese of West European parishes of Russian tradition is now an integral part of the Moscow Patriarchate," the bishop wrote on Telegram.

The meeting of the Holy Synod was held in the Holy Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, he added.

According to Bishop Savva, a special management regime has been established for the archdiocese that is in line with its tradition.

The Archdiocese of Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe ("Russian Exarchate") was founded in 1921, when the interim administration of Russian churches in Western Europe was entrusted to Archbishop Evlogius (Georgievsky).

Such a decision was made by Patriarch Tikhon of Moscow, the Holy Synod and the Supreme Church Council. Due to historical circumstances, in 1931, parishes headed by Metropolitan Eulogius were temporarily accepted into the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople as exarchate.

On November 27, 2018, the Synod of Constantinople decided to dissolve the archdiocese.

On September 14 this year, Archbishop John (Renneteau), the head of the archdiocese, appealed to Patriarch Kirill of Moscow saying that the majority of clergy and laypeople, "supported the draft canonical accession to the Moscow Patriarchate." On the same day, the ROC's Holy Synod decided to integrate Archbishop John with his parishes, in the jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate. On September 28, a meeting of the archdiocese's clergy was held in Paris, at which the vast majority of clergy confirmed the appeal to join the Russian Orthodox Church.

The archdiocese now comprises about 100 parishes with an estimated population of 100,000.