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On October 14/27, 2000, the Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia issued an Epistle "to the Beloved Children of the Church in the Homeland and in the Diaspora." It evoked immediate and sustained response and comment from all around the globe from those who voiced concerns about the apparent changes to the traditional stand of the ROCA. Below are some of these responses and related articles that have been translated into English.
This page has last been updated on:
To date four Bishops and His Eminence Metropolitan Vitaly have come out publically and renounced certain aspects of this ill advised Sobor. In spite of this fact, recent Synodal statements have only dismissed any "questioning of the decisions" to the work of "enemies of the Church and "provocateurs." From this it is clear that the remaining Bishops have the inability to stand up to Archbishop Mark of Berlin or that they fully agree with this move towards "World Orthodoxy."
"Now, following numerous protests by clergy and laity, alike, it has become clear that the Year 2000 Bishops’ Sobor itself was not a sobor, in the full sense of the word. A bishop at a sobor represents not only himself, personally, but also his flock. At a sobor, he must also, in some sense, represent his predecessors on the cathedra, as well, being both an exemplary associate and a colleague of the apostles on the cathedra..."
Below are all known translated documents in English pertaining to this event in the History of the Church Abroad. They span a variety of sources from official releases to personal opinion, to views from the press services of the Patriarchate of Moscow and secular press. Monasterypress has no translators of its own . We rely totally on what we can find already posted on the internet and from the efforts of a few steadfast individuals who do have the ability of translation being greatly concerned that this information gets out to the English speaking members of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad. This site is therefore not updated as frequently as the sites available in Russian. This is indeed unfortunate. The amount of material is, as one priest put it, "four times as much and ever flowing." The protests and commentary continue... we "just cannot get it translated quickly!"
For those who can read or require Russian, please use the following links to these sites with similar and more extensive information. Other sites might be available but these represent the first responses to the "New Direction" of the Church Abroad... the voices of her faithful servants who continue to hope that good order and faithfulness to Christ would be retained in the Church Abroad.
http://www.russia-talk.com/otkliki/otkliki.htm.
A crude machine translation service is available at http://babelfish.altavista.com/translate.dyn
For current news items please visit http://www.rocie.org
Important Notice!
This page has, for almost an entire year, served as the only forum in the English language for the voice of reason and truth regarding the events that came to a head at the October 2000 Sobor of the Church Abroad.
Our Saviour who 80 years ago had preserved the Russian Church by raising up courageous defenders to assure its preservation has, true to His promise, assured this continuance once again... Metropolitan Vitaly has reorganized a new Synod of Bishops... three previous and three newly consecrated hierarchs whose love for God exceeds that of this world. Many, in all continents, have heeded this call for continuance and stay within the bosom of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia known presently as the "Russian Orthodox Church in Exile."
We have tried for many years, lately with a fuller intensity, to "strive from within" to no avail and have no interest in polemics and strife with those who have separated from us. Therefore this page will not be updated as often once the official web site of the Russian Orthodox Church in Exile is publically on line. The content of this page will remain as an historical archive of those whose dignity, moral courage and faith would not permit themselves to remain silent in the face of organized apostasy.
Please view the article "High Treason: The Luring of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad to the Moscow Patriarchate"
... and the stars from heaven fell unto the earth... Rev 6:13
To properly understand the current crisis there are some basic documents which must be read to help understand the motivations present in the subsequent materials:
The Pre, Post-Conciliar and General Epistles of Metropolitan Vitaly The Metropolitan's Response to the concerns of his flock in English and in Russian
Dialogue Between the ROCA and the MP: Why and How?
The letter of the Synod of Bishops to the "Serbian Patriarch"
The Resolution of the October Sobor Concerning the Moscow Patriarchate
Letter to Father Roman Concerning the Origins and Status of the Moscow Patriarchate
Pastoral Address of Metropolitan Anastassy
The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (Her Contemporary Significance)
Probably the best letter written in this entire period is this one from the Clergy of Kursk, Russia. It is well worth the read!:
A Letter to Metropolitan Vitaly from the Clergy of Kursk, Russia (Posted 3/18/01)
Bishop Barnaba responds to an "invitation" ( posted 10/20/01)
More Revelations ( posted 10/18/01 )
"Father forgive them..." (posted 10/12/01 updated 10/18/01!)
A Reply to Fr. George Kallauer (posted10/10/01)
"The Criminal- Robber Council" (posted 9/25/01)
Another Resignation (posted 9/12/01)
The Russian Orthodox Church at the Crossroads (posted 9/06/01)
Why have many Priests and Bishops "walled themselves off" from the Synod? (Posted 8/23/01)
A "Clarification" (posted 8/23/01)
How is Metropolitan Vitaly Hindering the pro--MP Faction in the Rocor? (Posted 8/16/01)
The Starosta of the Protection of the Holy Virgin Parish in Ottawa Resigns his position (posted 8/13/01)
"One Does Not Conceal Good Deeds From People" (posted 8/3/01)
Coup d'Etat in ROCOR (posted 7/24/01)
"Cowardice, Betrayal and Deceit" (posted 7/23/01)
A Suggested Solution to the Current Crisis (posted7/16/01)
Report of the First Day of the Synod of Bishops Held on July 10th 2001 (posted 7/12/01)
The Resignation of a Respected Instructor (posted 7/12/01)
Bishop Barnaba of Cannes Responds to the Slander and Lies Being Spread by Higher Ranking Clergymen (posted 7/06/01)
The Final Word (updated 7/17/01)
The Response of the Canadian Clergy to Bishop Michael's Response to the Canadian Clergy's Statement (posted 7/02/01)
A Small Commentary (posted 7/02/01)
Bishop Gabriel's Speech Coach (posted 7/20/01)
Bishop Gabriel's Response to His Ruling Hierarch's Call to Peace (posted 7/02/01)
Encyclical Epistle from His Eminence Metropolitan Vitaly
First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad June 2001 (posted 6/27/01) (Please Note: Unfortunately there have been official statements that this letter was not approved consciously by His Eminence. This is indeed unfortunate... one would have hoped that this letter (which once again calls for a calming down of the flock) would have been viewed as an honourable way to peace within our Church. One also would think that the call of His Eminence to unity would be heeded if indeed "nothing has changed." In the Synod meeting that will take place mid-July let us pray and write to the Synod that the assembled Bishops will discuss the turmoil in the Church pastorally as Vladika has in his rights as first hierarch called the Bishops of our Church to, not just "dealing with the Metropolitan and his letter" as has been stated in some higher church circles. Editors MonasteryPress)
An Explanation and History of the Events in France (posted 5/31/01)
The Statement of the Clergy of the Canadian Diocese of Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (updated 6/29/01)
The Exploits of our(?) Archbishop Mark (posted 5/22/01)
An Open Letter From Some Loyal Sons and Daughters of the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad (updated 5/25/01)
An Address by the Banned ROCOR Clergy of the Western-European Eparchy (posted 5/22/01)
An Open Appeal to Those Loving the Church of Christ from the editors of Listok.com (posted 5/17/01)
Fettered by fear (This article is placed here as a consolation to those who find present events distressing. Posted 5/10/01)
The Ukase from the Synod of Bishops to the Clergy of France and their reply to Archbishop Lavra (posted 5/07/01)
Statement from the French Clergy ( posted 5/07/01)
What Ever Happened to the Metropolitan's Post-Sobor Epistle? ( posted 5/04/01)
Archbishop Mark's view of Rocor ( posted 5/07/01)
The Letter of Metropolitan Cyprian of Fili, Greece, President of the Holy Synod of the Church in Resistance to the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (what is interesting is that even our "sister church" realizes a "new policy" which certain voices in the Rocor deny)
An Appeal of ROCOR'S Chernigov Community Parishoners to Bishop Agafangel
Bishop Barnaba walls himself and His flock off from those who would betray the Church Abroad
Another Bishop speaks out and reveals a little behind the scenes goings on.
The comments of Two ROCOR Bishops
An Open Letter to the Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church (January 2001)
The Parishioners of the Richmond Hill Church of the Dormition, addressing the ROCOR Faithful.
Reactions to Father Paisuis' Letter to his Flock.
Letter received from ROCOR's Koenigsberg Parish.
The Response of Priest Pavel Simakov, from St. Petersburg [Russia].
Comments of Archpriest George Primak of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
"Lest We Forget!" from Hieroschemamonk Elia of the Burning Bush Hermitage, USA.
Comments of Fr.Tikhon Kozushin [Moscow] (ROCOR).
"Concerning the Status of the ROCOR Parishes in Russia in the Light of the Results of the Patriarchal Sobor," written by Hieromonk Dionisii and Priest Timofey (ROCOR).
Part one
Part two
Part three
Part four
Part five
The Appeal of the Omsk Clergy.
"We're Being Railroaded!" the unrestrained comments of Hieroschemamonk Elia
"Why Should We Rejoice?" Fr. Constantine Bussyguin, Brazil
A Letter to Vladyka Metropolitan from Abbess Juliana
Three Letters from Saint Petersburg
A Response to the Metropolitan's Post Sobor Epistle