Archbishop KYRILL announces union between ROCOR and MP!

[Lounger]

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty has just reported the following at http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2003/11/1 ... 201103.asp

RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCHES MOVE TOWARD REUNIFICATION
Archbishop Kirill, head of the Moscow Patriarchate's Foreign Relations Department, announced on 19 November that the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad have reached an agreement in principle on the need to unite the two churches, ORT reported. He said that the two churches, which split in 1917, will issue a canonic decision during their respective Metropolitan councils next year. Archbishop Kirill said there are virtually no areas of disagreement remaining between the two churches, "although there remain psychological divisions generated by the Russian Civil War."

[Bogatyr]

sic transit gloria mundi... This is a call for resistor bodies to forge a new unity and forego the current situation and our traditional home. We are betrayed! Let us forever hold the historical witness of ROCOR dear , but let us now leave behind the new party of compromise.
ORTHODOXIA I THANATOS!
Rostislav Mikhailovich Malleev-Pokrovsky

[mwoerl]

First of all, it is METROPOLITAN Kirill, not Archbishop. Secondly, he has been mentioned as one of those within the hierarchy of the MP who does not "dig" the ROCOR at all; such an announcement, rather premature, and, I am sure, extremely unwelcome by ROCOR, could possibly be a move to torpedo any such "union" before it takes place.

Why is it, oh why is it, that when we are dealing with the Orthodoxc Church and negotiations and official announcements, that only one thing seems to be guaranteed?

And, of course, that one thing, unfortunately, is NOT "the one thing needful," that one thing always seems to be the

BIZARRE.

I would not lose any sleep over this announcement. Let us just say that during the Soviet era, Metropolitan Kirill did not establish a reputation for "truthfulness" in his many pronouncements made in the service of the Glorious Socialist Motherland.

Michael Woerl

[尼古拉前执事]

From the official ROCOR web site ...

The Visit of the Delegation of the Church Abroad to Moscow

The Delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (more below) had as its goal to prepare the official visit of the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus, to Moscow.

The Delegation was to examine questions relating to such a trip, to determine the form, aim and possible results of such a visit by the First Hierarch to Russia. During the course of two meetings, the readiness to embark on a pre-conciliar process was expressed, and the hope that it would result in prayerful-eucharistic communion. The participants of the discussions drew up a public statement which does not pretend to be exhaustive and exact in every detail.

STATEMENT

At the invitation of the Russian Orthodox Churc/Moscow Patriarchate, on 17 November, 2003, a delegation of the Russian Church Abroad visited Moscow. The delegation consisted of Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany, Archbishop Hilarion of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand, Bishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, Protopriest Nikolai Artemoff, Secretary of the German Diocese and Protopriest Peter Holodny, Treasurer of the Synod of Bishops.

On 18 November, His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia received the delegation at his working residence on Chisty pereulok. Questions of church unity were discussed with warmth and sincerity.

On 19 November, talks were held under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II at the Patriarchal residence between the delegation of the Russian Church Abroad in its full complement and the permanent members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus; Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsa and Kolomensk; and Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department of External Church Affairs. Also participating in the discussion were the prior of the Sretensky Monastery in Moscow, Archimandrite Tikhon and the Secretary of the DECA on Inter-Orthodox Affairs, Protopriest Nikolai Balashov.

Both sides expressed their intention of establishing prayerful-eucharistic communion. The decision was made to form a committee to aid in resolving the problems that had accumulated over the course of many years. The participants of the talks expressed their willingness to follow the path of ecclesiastical unity in the spirit of genuine repentance, based on general canonical Tradition and with consideration of the ecclesial-administrative realities that developed during the 20th century. Such a rapprochement, earnestly expected by the children of the Russian Church both in the Fatherland and in the diaspora, will be the most important contribution towards the spiritual victory over the tragic consequences of the revolution and civil war in Russia, felt for many long decades of resistance and poor understanding.

The examination of the questions discussed at the meeting will continue at meetings of the Holy Synod and the Council of the Russian Orthodox Church, and also at the Synod and the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

The most important milestone towards unity will be the visit to Moscow of the President of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Metropolitan Laurus, in the beginning of 2004. During the visit, it is expected that an agreement will be signed which will determine the canonical, pastoral and practical ecclesiastical foundations of unity of the Russian Church.

During the talks, conducted in a warm atmosphere of mutual understanding, respect and frankness, the desire was also expressed that the move towards unity should not be met with new proclamations or actions which might hinder the process of mutual rapprochement.

During the delegation’s sojourn in Moscow, its members visited Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra, the monasteries of the capital, and Christ the Savior Church.

The delegation will depart on 22 November.

[尼古拉前执事]

... and now the official statement from the MP web site!

DELEGATION OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH OUTSIDE OF RUSSIA VISITS MOSCOW

A delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia consisting of Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany, Archbishop Hilarion of Sydney, Australia and New Zealand, Bishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America, Archpriest Nikolai Artemoff, secretary of the German diocese and Archpriest Peter Holodny, treasurer of the Synod of Bishops, arrived in Moscow on 17 November 2003 at the invitation of the Russian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate.

On November 18 His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia received members of the delegation in episcopal rank at his working residence in Chisty Pereulok. The problems of church unity were discussed with warmth and cordiality.

On November 19 His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II chaired the conversations held at the Patriarchal residence in St.Daniel's Monastery between of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia in full strength and the permanent members of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church: Metropolitan Philaret of Minsk and Slutsk, Patriarchal Exarch of All Belarus, Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna and Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations.

Taking part in the conversation also were Archimandrite Tikhon, superior of the Moscow Sretensky Monastery and Archpriest Nikolai Balashov, DECR secretary for interOrthodox relations.

Both parties expressed their will to establish communion in prayer and the Eucharistic communion. It was decided to set up commissions, which would facilitate the solution of the problems accumulated during many years. The participants expressed their willingness to follow the path leading to the unity of the Church in the spirit of genuine repentance on the basis of common canonical Tradition and with respect to the ecclesiastical and administrative realities, which took shape during the 20th century. Such a rapprochement, heartily expected by the faithful of the Russian Church both in the Fatherland in diaspora, will be the most important contribution into the spiritual overcoming of the tragic consequences of the revolution of Civil War in Russia, which were tangible during the long decades of confrontation and misunderstanding.

The questions discussed at the meeting will be considered at the sessions of the Holy Synod and Bishops' Council of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Synod of Bishops and the Council of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia.

A visit of the President of the Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia Metropolitan Laurus to Moscow early in 2004 will become the most important landmark on the way to unity. It is expected that during the visit an agreement will be signed, by which the canonical, pastoral and church-practical foundations of the unity of the Russian Church will be determined.

During the conversations, which were held in the warm atmosphere of mutual understanding, respect and frankness, a wish was expressed that the movement to unity should not run into new obstacles in the form of utterances or actions that might cause damage to the process of rapprochement.

While in Moscow, the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia visited the Laura of the Holy Trinity and St.Sergius, the Moscow Monasteries and the Cathedral Church of Christ the Saviour. The delegation will stay in Moscow till November 22.

[Daniel]

The more that is published about 'reconciliation/inter-communion', the more it reeks of Ferrara-Florince.

The two parties have now set up the goal, and aims to be acheaved. The committee meetings will all be asking the question, 'How can we obtain our goal?', and not the more prudent 'Can we obtain this end?'

[cparks]

The more that is published about 'reconciliation/inter-communion', the more it reeks of Ferrara-Florince.

The two parties have now set up the goal, and aims to be acheaved. The committee meetings will all be asking the question, 'How can we obtain our goal?', and not the more prudent 'Can we obtain this end?'

The reports give me the idea that the ROCOR bishops wouldn't have taken the trouble to go to Moscow if most of the preliminary work hadn't already been done. I would guess that they all feel that the main goals have been already achieved.

Again, this is just my speculation, but I can't see the ROCOR bishops wasting their time making such a trip if they weren't closer to the end than the beginning.

Cheers,

CP