OCA

[joasia]

Thanks Justin,

I would like to know more details.

[John Haluska]

The following is as brief an answer possible regarding Sophia’s questions concerning the Orthodox Church in America.

It is not meant to be anything other than a “cursory”, short, exposition of the O.C.A.’s history. The book, from which the material was transcribed, is an extremely concise, painstakingly accurate history. Unfortunately, it is out of print and the copies extant are indeed rare.

I use the word "coup", rather than "revolution", because what took place was not a "revolution". It was a coup to remove Tsar Martyr Nicholas II.

If any mistakes are made, they are mine.

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Especially notable are Father Alexander Schmemman’s comments. They are very
poignant and apply-to this day, some 39 years after he wrote his comments. As Father Schmemman and Father Meyendorff (proponent of the “Living Church” schism) were the O.C.A.’s chief theologians, their, especially Father Schmemman’s, “words” are key to trying to understand the phronema of the O.C.A..

---

The entire portion typed below is an either verbatim or “edited” representation of material taken from the outstanding book:

A HISTORY OF THE RUSSIAN CHURCH ABROAD 1917 – 1971
copywrite 1972

Published by Saint Nectarios Press
9223-20th AVE. N.E.
SEATTLE, WA. 98115

LCCN 72-79507; ISBN 0-913026-04-2

The material quoted:

Orthodoxy in America prior to 1917:

In 1794 eight monastics, from the Valaam Monastery in Russia, came to Kodiak Island and established an Orthodox Church. Holy Orthodoxy grew slowly in North America over the following century. In 1872, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church founded the diocese of Aleutia and Alaska with its cathedral in San Francisco. In 1870 the first Russian parish was founded in New York City.

During the time frame of the late 1800s to the early 1900s, considerable growth occurred in the Russian Orthodox Church. This would most undoubtedly be due to the heavy immigration of Slavic people to America.

Under Bishop Tikhon (later to become Saint and Martyr Patriarch Tikhon) , during the years 1898 to 1907, the Russian Orthodox Church grew among the Uniate (the Papist or Latin term for Papism with all the Orthodox “trappings”, but NOT Orthodox) and the immigration from Russia. Under his guidance a seminary was founded in Minneapolis and then the first Russian monastery (from which came Fathers Panteleimon and Joseph who founded Holy Trinity Monastery in Jordanville) was founded in South Canaan, Pennsylvania.

Prior to the 1890s parishes of the Greek Church were under the canonical and protective care of the Orthodox Catholic jurisdiction established by the Russian Holy Synod for America. (Alexander Doumouras, “Greek Orthodox Communities In America before World War I”, Saint Vladimir’s Seminary Quarterly, vol. XI, no. 4, p. 188.). In the 1890s priests were being sent from the Holy Synod of Greece and the Oecumenical Patriarchate. In 1907 Constantinople (the Oecumenical Patriarchate) agreed to allow all the Greeks in North America to come under the Holy Synod of Greece. During this entire period, the Greeks had no bishop, and this became a problem for Orthodox unity.

In 1912, Patriarch Joachim III of Constantinople, knowing that “the Russians already had a bishop in North America, recommended to the Greek Holy Synod, that a Greek bishop be appointed for America who had studied in a Russian theological academy.” (Doumouras, op. cit., p. 191.)

The following represents, in essence, what the present-day Orthodox Church in America ‘should be’: “This statement by Patriarch Joachim III, together with his expressed wish that the Orthodox in America would live in harmony, matched the program which had already been inaugurated in America by the Russian Church. This plan called for the establishment of an American exarchate which was to be governed by a synod of the bishops of various racial or national groups. This was begun by Bishop Raphael in 1904. The plan was formulated by Archbishop Tikhon (later Saint Patriarch Tikhon). (ibid.)

Saint Tikhon envisioned a strong American Orthodox Church would emerge under the watchful eye of the Russian Church. No Russian “dictatorship” was envisioned. Essentially, it was to become a union of all national groups with bishops from each nationality overseeing each “national” (not philetistic) group. (Philetism is a heresy, which places “love of country” over Love of God and the Church.)

Prior to the Russian Revolution (actually The Bolshevik Coup), all Orthodox in America, with the partial exception of the Greeks, were under the ecclesiastical supervision of the Russian Church.

If (then) Archbishop Tikhon’s plans had been followed, a strong American Orthodoxy, which would have encompassed all Orthodox ethnic groups would have resulted. This, as history shows, unfortunately did not happen.

Orthodoxy in America after 1917:

In 1917 a Great Sobor (Council) of the Russian Orthodox Church was convoked. This council was the last free manifestation of the “catholic” spirit of the Russian Church in the twentieth century.

Two important changes occurred at this Sobor:

1. The Patriarchate was restored
2. Reestablishment of conciliar principle of the Church

Then followed the actual coup and the horrific devastation of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian people.

When Civil War erupted, all possibility of Church unity in Russia was lost. On November 7/20, 1920, Saint Tikhon issued ukaz No. 362 which stated that:

“If a diocese should find itself cut off from the Highest Church Administration, or if the Highest Church Administration itself, headed by the holy Patriarch, should for any reason cease activity, then the diocesan bishop should immediately enter into relations with the bishops of the neighboring dioceses with the aim of organizing a body to serve as a supreme authority…. In case this should prove impossible, the diocesan bishop takes on himself the totality of authority.”(Quoted in I.M Andreev, A Short History of the Russian Church from the Revolution to Our Time, Jordanville, 1952, p. 90 (in Russian).)

Out of necessity due to the Civil war, on November 1, 1920 in Constantinople, Russian Bishops - Metropolitans Antony and Platon, Archbishops Anastasy and Theophan, and Bishop Benjamin, held a council and created a central organ of the Russian Church Abroad, which was called the Highest Russian Church Administration Abroad, or the present-day Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, R.O.C.O.R..

The ensuing period of time, the mi-1920s, was a most unsettling one. Bishops, who were part of and loyal to the Russian Church, were to become willing counterparts of the newly established Soviet system. Saint Tikhon had been imprisoned and suffered a martyr’s death in 1925 and the then established Temporary Episcopal Synod recognized Metropolitan Peter of Krutitsk as guardian of the Patriarchal Throne in conformity of the will of the Russian episcopate. In 1927 the Communists finally established full control over the Moscow Patriarchate – a control that they have maintained up to this day.

This specific time frame, between 1926 and 1927 saw a literal subjugation of the Russian Orthodox Church to the god-hating Soviet/Communists. Sergius’ “Declaration” was issued on July 16/29, 1927 and altered the whole course of the Moscow Patriarchate. His declaration states, “the joys of the Soviet Union are our joys, and their sorrows are our sorrows.”

In essence, this statement placed the entire Russian Orthodox Church directly under the full control of the god-hating Soviets.

Sergius also insisted that all clergy sign this document and that those not signing would be considered as counter-revolutionaries and subject to Soviet “law”. He even stated that id clergy did not want to sign; they could voluntarily remove themselves from the Moscow Patriarchate.

This was indeed a terrible time for the Church. Thousands of Hierarchs, clergy and monastics were imprisoned and sent to their martyric deaths in prison camps. They were sent to their martyrdoms for confessing the Orthodox Church.

The Russian Orthodox Church in America after the Bolshevik Coup:

Returning to the history of Orthodoxy in America, when Archbishop Evdokim returned to Russia, and remain leader of the heinous ”Living Church” schism, his American flock was left without a bishop. Bishop Alexander was elected by the Second All-American Sobor to be Archbishop of North America. Immediately, the American archdiocese came under its jurisdiction and on 22 July 1921 the Administration Abroad made Alaska a separate diocese of the American Church, approved by Saint Tikhon.

Metropolitan Platon replaced Bishop Alexander, on the orders of Saint Tikhon. Patriarch Tikhon considered the Church Abroad to be ecclesiastically responsible for America. What follows throughout the 1930s is a terrible usurpation of control by Metropolitan Platon who had used a forged document, supposedly from Saint Tikhon, to establish himself as someone in authority. He would later repent of his actions, then later in the mid 1940s reveres his repenting and return to the Soviets. He was subsequently declared a schismatic and then suspended. It was during the mid 1920s that the term “Metropolia” came into existence. It was a term applied to Platon’s “church” and a ploy to establish a “jurisdiction” with “authority” if you will.

What follows, after Archbishop Vitaly regained control of the Russian Orthodox Church was one of dismay at what had happened with the Platon Schism and the rebuilding of the Russian Church. This time frame (the 1930s) also found the Serbian Church coming to the aid of the Russian Orthodox Church. It helped the greatly and rendered both physical and spiritual assistance to keep the Russian Church alive.

In the 1940s, the 2nd World War found Russia is a terrible state. Stalin had decimated the official Russian Orthodox Church to the point of virtual non-existence. At one point only four bishops and a handful of parishes were functioning. Stalin suddenly decided to use Metroplotan Sergius to re-establish patriotism and gain control over the Orthodox in the Baltic provinces. Metropolitan Sergius was duly “elected”, (illegally and uncanonically) on 8 September 1943, patriarch.

From that time on the Moscow Patriarchate became an international force.

The American “Metropolia” bishops decided to recognize Sergius. This unilateral decision was invalid; as such a Bishop’s Council of the entire Church Abroad could only have made a decision.

The following is the actual precursor to the O.C.A.:

The Moscow patriarchate issued the decrees:

1. All the dioceses of North and South America and also of Canada are to comprise one Metropolitan district-exarchate of the Moscow Patriarchate. The Metropolitan of this district besides the title of his diocesan city should bear the title of Patriarchal Exarch of all America and Canada.

2. Not later than the day of Mid-Pentecost, 1945, an All-American Orthodox Church Sobor should be convoked in America, consisting of all bishops and representatives of the clergy and laity of both our Exarchate, headed by Metropolitan Benjamin, and the Metropolitan District, headed by (then removed) Metropolitan Theophilus.

3. The Sobor shall be presided over by Archbishop Alexis of Yaroslavl and Rostov, who is delegated to North America by His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

4. The Sobor is to:

   (a) Express the decision of the American Orthodox dioceses to unite with the Russian Mother Church;

NOTE: The term “mother” church is a blatant misnomer, as the “Mother Church” is absolutely none other than The Orthodox Church, or, locally, The Russian Orthodox Church.

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  (b) Is in the name of the American Orthodox Church , to make an official repudiation of any political declarations that have been made against the U.S.S.R., and to inform all parishes of this;

  © Is to elect according to the existing order in America, by not less than two-thirds vote, a Metropolitan –head of the Metropolitan District- and to present the elected candidate for confirmation by the Moscow Patriarchate.

The “above” is absolutely nothing other than the Moscow Patriarchate’s illegal taking over of the Church in America. What is more interesting is the enumerating of “points, additions, etc.”, reads exactly like the present-day “Statute of the Russian Orthodox Church” – EXACTLY!

Interestingly, at the Seventh All-American Church Sobor of the Orthodox Church in America, the following statements were issued:

“…Asks His Holiness the Patriarch of Moscow to unite us (the then Metropolia) to his bosom and to remain our spiritual father, on condition that we shall keep our autonomy existing at the present time.”

NOTE: This statement delineates the fact that the present-day Orthodox Church in America (OCA) voluntarily requested continued subjugation to Moscow.

And, “Since the Moscow Patriarchate is incompatible with the Synod Abroad of the Russian Orthodox Church , the American Church ceases any administrative submission whatever to the Synod Abroad, although it will dwell in brotherly and prayerful communion with all Churches in the dispersion.”

And, “In the case His Holiness of Moscow should find our conditions inacceptable, our American Orthodox Church will remain in the future self-governing until such a time as the Moscow Patriarchate will find them acceptable and grant what we have asked.” (Messenger, December, 1946, No. 12, p. 185)

Is The Metropolia Ready for Autocephaly:

Troubles ensued for the Church and remained for many years. Pushing ahead to the 1960s…Still, under the guise as “the Metropolia, a few quotes from Father Alexander Schmemann, then dean of Saint Vladimir’s Seminary, may be of use.

In one of his articles, The Spiritual Problem, he states:

“Orthodoxy in America is in the midst of a serious spiritual crisis which endangers its very existence as Orthodoxy. (Saint Vladimir’s Seminary Quarterly, vol. IX, no. 4, 1965, p. 171).

Fr. Schmemman continues:

“Nothing probably reveals better the nature of the crisis than the impressive amounts of doctrines, rules, teachings, and customs which, although taken for granted for centuries as essential for Orthodoxy, are by a wide consensus declared to be “impossible” here, in America, Speak to a bishop, then to a priest, be he old or young, speak finally to a dedicated layman an you will discover that in spite of all the differences between their respective points of view they all agree on the same ‘impossibilities’. Thus you will learn that it is impossible to enforce here the canonical norms of the Church, impossible to preserve from the wonderfully rich liturgical tradition of the Church anything except Sunday morning worship and a few ‘days of obligation’ common in fact to all ‘denominations’, impossible to interest people in anything but social activities, impossible…But when you add up all these and many other ‘impossibilities’ you must conclude. If you are logical and consistent, that for ssome reason it is impossible for thee Orthodox Church in America to be Orthodox, at least in the meaning given the term ‘always’, everywhere by all.” (Saint Vladimir’s Seminary Quarterly, vol. IX, no. 4, 1965, pp. 171-172).

He also states:

“The spiritual crisis of Orthodoxy in America consists, therefore, in the fact that in spite of…absolute incompatibility, Orthodoxy is in the process of a progressive surrender to secularism, and this surrender is all the more tragic because it is unconscious.” (Saint Vladimir’s Seminary Quarterly, vol. IX, no.4, 1965, p. 175).

The ‘situation’ with the “Metropolia” worsens until the late 1960s and eventually culminates on March 31, 1970

March 31, 1970… Metropolitan Nikodim and Metropolitan Ireney of the Metropolia in New York signed the autocephaly agreement.

May 18, 1970…Metropolitan Theodosius goes to Moscow and receives the “Tomos of Autocephaly”, which is handed to him by Metropolitan Pimen of Krutisk, “Guardian of the Patriarchal Throne”.

May 30, 1970…Metropolitan Juvenaly of Tula concelebrates at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery in South Canann, Pennsylvania, with Metropolitan Ireney, Archbishop Kiprian of Philadelphia and Bishop Theodosius of Alaska.

October 20, 1970…A Council (Sobor) of the Metropolia episcopate, clergy, and laity is held at Saint Tikhon’s Monastery. The “Tomos of Autocephaly” is read.

The delegate present votes 301 to 7 (2 abstentions) to:

Resolve to change the name of the Metropolia to:

“The Orthodox Church in America”.

A delegation from the Russian Church Abroad (Bishop Lavr of Manhattan and Father George Grabbe (Bishop Gregory of Blessed memory) is refused permission to address the council.

The above material was either retyped verbatim or edited as close as possible to keep in context with the book:

A HISTORY OF THE RUSSIAN CHURCH ABROAD 1917 – 1971

[Anastasios]

Josia,

There were already bishops in America and Western Europe that were under the Moscow Patriarchate (Platon and Evloghy). They separated themselves from him, the former going independent and the later going under the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

The bishops fleeing communism set up parallel jurisdictions in these territories, claiming authority over them. The dioceses already in existence disputed this. However, in 1935 they agreed to work together. In 1946 the now-OCA (Platon's successor group) decided things weren't working so they split. This simply cannot be considered a schism because it appears the Platon group never recognized ROCOR's authority over them in the first place, but merely agreed to work together for a short period of 10 years. They entered the agreement as equal parties and ended things as equal parties. I don't claim to know all the facts on this matter but let's not pretend that ROCOR had a clear claim to authority and that the now-OCA backed out of it. The times were troubling, there were many fights, and things were torn apart. That's why I gave a short and charitable answer above. Of course others had to chime in with a bunch of one-sided info which probably will spark yet another pointless jurisdictional debate.

anastasios

[joasia]

Anastasi

Are there any saints in OCA that are recognized by ROCA?

[Justin2]

There are so many questions to be had with this topic! For instance, the layout of the situation looks terrible when coming from the previous post, with the history fo the coup in Russia, etc. Still, though I'm in no position of even remote signifigance in ecclesiastic affairs, I have to say that there are some important reasons for the OCA to exist, or perhaps in the future, for some new form of American diocese to exist that comprises multiple elements. Again, I'm only speaking from my very uneducated mind
My wife and I have gone to two ROCOR Churches in our brief year and a half as converts, though we consider ourselves to be under the jurisdiction of the OCA (our original parish is OCA and the one we go to now is). The ROCOR clergy are wonderful, so are the parishioners, and one of the best aspects, in my opinion, is their gentle yet firm insistance upon retaining Holy Tradition within their parishes. We both think that it's good to promote some degree of modesty, and more importantly to maintain things like Vigil every Saturday night and confession the night (or morning) before Holy Communion.
Fortunately, the two OCA parishes that we have been to (on a regular basis) operate along the same lines, with a couple of exceptions. The calendar is new, not old, and I don't think weekly confession is mandatory, but at the same time, it's available every Saturday night and Sunday morning, and as our new Priest likes to remind us "the line for Holy Communion should be about as large as the crowd at Vigil the night before". I guess what I'm getting at is that we've been blessed with two priests who maintain a traditional atmosphere at church.
The ROCOR habit of posting a notice at the back of the church with clothing guidelines (i.e. women must/should cover their heads, wear skirts, men should wear long sleeves, no logo shirts, etc.) has never really bothered us. But neither have the dress habits of others in our OCA parishes (who don't post such notices), because we're not there to pronounce judgement on anyone else. Usually, most of the people are pretty traditional, but I don't want to turn this into a head-scarf debate :wink
The only thing that we really couldn't get past with the ROCOR is that it is so very, very RUSSIAN. Which is what the Russian Church is supposed to be, of course :mrgreen: This leads me to the entire basis of my carrying on. Americans need a Church with an English liturgy, not Slavonic. Another issue is the prayers for Holy Russia and the Holy Russian People (I could be saying that wrong, I don't know for sure). Holy Russia doesn't exist anymore. It's now the "Former Soviet Union/Russian Federation". There are holy sites and holy people and many historic areas but this is like calling Greece Holy Byzantium. It's not the same thing anymore.
Concerning praying for the Holy Russian People, that's not something to be undercut, but in an American church, the focus needs to be on America primarily, and then if on others, why not the Russians, Greeks, Serbs, Cypriots, etc. instead of just one group? I'm sorry if I'm not making any sense now, but I'm trying to explain why, amid the dispute over the OCA, if the ROCOR and OCA are going to eventually find themselves on good terms again (they're already doing fairly well with each other as it is), is there going to be some kind of union, or just different jurisdictions within the country? I think it's important for ROCOR to exist for Russians and their families, but I think that it's also important to have a church that's truly American.

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 I realize that I haven't put this very eloquently, and if I stepped on a few toes, please, PLEASE forgive me!  I'm not trying whatsoever to undermine any particular ethnic or national group in Orthodoxy, I'm really just trying to make an argument for my national group and our desire to have a church that we can truly call our own.  I think that the OCA is definitely the meanse to do this by, if not the precursor.  Again, sorry if I offended anyone.  I'm just trying to say what I feel.  Let the tomatoes fly!  :mrgreen:

[Seraphim Reeves]

Anastasios,

The bishops fleeing communism set up parallel jurisdictions in these territories, claiming authority over them. The dioceses already in existence disputed this. However, in 1935 they agreed to work together. In 1946 the now-OCA (Platon's successor group) decided things weren't working so they split. This simply cannot be considered a schism because it appears the Platon group never recognized ROCOR's authority over them in the first place, but merely agreed to work together for a short period of 10 years.

As Peter (aka. Bogoliubtsy) has pointed out, despite whatever private interpretations some/many in the Metropolia may have had toward their canonical unity with ROCOR, the material fact remains that they were subject to the Synod, and did break away from them - there was no canonical release, it was a case of picking up their marbles and leaving.

Strictly speaking, I find it hard to see how this is not a "schism", and one which rests upon the head of the Metropolia/OCA.

Seraphim

[joasia]

Hey Justin,

DUCK! Flying tomato at 2 o'clock!

I hear what you're saying. But, you have to remember that ROCA is the preservation of the Russian people who fled during the persecution. The preservation is very important and to go to that church, it should be appreciated for that fact.

Most of the Russians at my church are over 50 years old, so of course, they hold onto their heritage. It's only natural.

The prayers for Russia are simply prayers for their homeland, like we would pray for our families, because many of them were left behind. There are other Greek, Serb, Bulgarian etc Orthodox churches which naturally pray for their homeland, so we don't have to pray for the other countries because they are already being prayed for, understand? But, we pray for the one Orthodox faith in general.

You are mistaken though... Russia does exists, it's just that the Soviet government runs it, but they should have no claim on the Orthodox faith. Russia used to have an Orthodox government. The Tsar was considered the leader of the Holy Russian Orthodox land; church and government. It was united. But, with all spiritual struggles, the wrong (dare, I add, evil) people who took control of the government, also were able to control the functions of the church - Met. Sergei was the cause of that.

Now it seems that there may be a unification...for the good, I hope and if the OCA can join, all the better. But, the Russians abroad cannot be measured by the same yardstick as the Russians at home. But, they can pray together again.

It's like the U.S. There are 51 states which are united, but each state has differences in their laws and culture. They are all under one government, but can show their individual differences, due to their regional differences. The same thing with Russian Orthodoxy. The Russians outside DO have a different character than those who have always lived in Russia.

Now, I myself, am a convert (11 years) from RC. So you and I should see ourselves as people in a foreign (spiritual) arena, accepted, yet different. We don't have the Russian mentality. But, wouldn't we understand that if we moved to another country? Wouldn't we have to get used to their customs and language and understand their habits, because we want to be respectful? For us, it is on a spiritual level.

But you know, there are many ROCA-based churches that serve in English. Those churches are mainly composed of converts. But, a church needs a Met. head and those heads originate from a foreign country, because, let's face it...that's where they came from.

Even the hymns and chants were originally Greek and Russian.

My main concern is the split with the old and new calendar. I opened a new thread on that. It's very disconcerting to me.

I hope I was of some help.

In Christ, Joanna