Russian Orthodox Church Says Reunification With European Archdiocese Historical Event

The reunification of a part of the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe (AROCWE) with Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is a historical event, Vladimir Legoida, the chairman of the ROC's Synodal Department for Church's Relations with Society and Mass Media, told Sputnik on Saturday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th September, 2019) The reunification of a part of the Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe (AROCWE) with Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) is a historical event, Vladimir Legoida, the chairman of the ROC's Synodal Department for Church's Relations with Society and Mass Media, told Sputnik on Saturday.

Earlier in the day, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church allowed Father John (Renneteau), the archbishop of the Archdiocese, to join the Moscow Patriarchate together with all those members of the church who wish to follow him.

"A historical event took place today. As it was said in the Synod's decision this event ends the process of uniting the church that was separated by the [October] Revolution and the Civil War.

This is the second stage. The first was in 2007, when we [the ROC] reunited with the [Russian Orthodox] Church Abroad. Now we are together again," Legoida said.

The Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe was created in 1931 as a part of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Its original members were mostly Russian immigrants, who had left their country after the October Revolution.

In 2018, the Patriarchate of Constantinople decided to revoke the AROCWE's special status and put its churches directly under Constantinople's jurisdiction. The Russian Orthodox Church offered to join it instead. During the latest assembly the majority of priests and parishioners voted for joining the Moscow Patriarchate.