Much in Church news of the past few days is the historic jewel of San Remo, Italy, the Church of the Savior, St Seraphim and St Catherine's vote to join Rocor-MP, where it was accepted, most likely with delight. This article, by an Italian, does not include mention of Rocor-MP, which the author omits entirely to include as the most important of the jurisdictions which lasted through the post-Russian revolutionary years in Europe. Somehow, he understands only the EP and the Paris Exarchate as active in Europe among the emigres from the Russian Empire.
Otherwise, this article provides a backdrop for those readers not so well versed in this tricky struggle taking place today.
Rome (AsiaNews) - The Patriarchate of Constantinople has suspended a divinis father Dionisij Bajkov (see photo) for three months. The Orthodox priest was serving in San Remo at the historic church dedicated to the Most Holy Savior, Saint Katherine and Saint Seraphim of Sarov. It is one of the churches of the Russian archdiocese that was suppressed last November by the ecumenical patriarchate, who were told to stop commemorating their Archbishop, to join the clergy of the Greek metropolises, to consider the parishes and communities as part of these metropolises , and finally to deliver all the required documents and parish registers.
The suspension was decided by Metropolitan Gennadios (Zervos), head of the Greek Orthodox in Italy, based in Venice. Father Bajkov ignored his directives, and continued to commemorate the Archbishop of Paris Ioannis of Chariopoulis, born Jean Renneteau, a 76-year-old Frenchman born in Bordeaux, who represents the historic "French orthodoxy" originating from the Russian emigration of the following years to the revolution. Furthermore, the parish priest of San Remo did not attend the meeting convened in Venice on 23 January. Like him, other priests in Italy also deserted the convocation to Venice, and further suspensions and threats are expected for days.
The church of San Remo is perhaps the most famous among the Italian Orthodox churches; as Father Dionisij himself reiterated in an interview with Nezavisimaja Gazeta, "is the city's visiting card, and is shown on all tourist maps, which is why it has long been targeted by the Greeks. To avoid controversy, we will keep it closed until February 23rd, when there will be the assembly of our Archdiocese ". The parish priest also added that he is ready, if necessary, to "lock the doors". Other priests, 10 in total, that make up the exarchate of Paris, have decided to abstain for the next month from all the liturgical celebrations....
The European Russians, in fact, have tried in this century to keep the Russian identity, which seemed to have been canceled by the Soviets at home, intact.