Thinking about it...

[romiosini]

Well the ROCOR schism has happened now 4 years ago. But the issue of the issue still bothers me, which probably most of the flock of the ROCOR and ROCIE( Laurus and Vitalis respectfully) even today is disturbed or woried of many issues seperating these two synods. Who which hold nothing different but jurisdictional issues and dialogual issues with WORLD ORTHODOXY. Now Metropolitans Vitalis and Laurus are quite spiritual compared to many hierarchs of America in our decade. Man, there were many things that scare and one of them is calling Anaxios at an Ordination or Tonsuring. I recall of the even of Bishop Peter of Cleveland and his situation of being called Unworthy. ("ANAXIOS!") http://www.listok.com/anaxios.wmv
http://www.listok.com/raznoe11.htm It is terrible to see the ROCOR suffer such as this, there are so many hierarchs who are in some scandal of some sort, which is depressing. Another depressing issue would be on how many people would judge Bishop Peter of an unworthy shepperd, as listok.com calls ... resy47.htm Another issue is the new Bishop of the ROCIE (VITALIS) Anthony
http://www.listok.com/sobor240.htm
Both synods are shooting bombs against eachother over and over. Regarding a defence of the South American Bishop Alexander, by prooving (in his ways) of graceless. It is terrible to see that the Synod of the Sainted First Hierarchs Anthony, Anastasius and Philaret and Saint John, is falling apart! http://www.listok.com/heresy38.htm It terribly hurts me to know that a Synod that was once so spiritually strong and unbroken and indeed the most canonical becoming the opposite. There are even allegations of beatings given to Metropolitan Vitalis! What madness? Is this what Saint Tikhon wanted us to do? http://www.listok.com/sobor151.htm
I don't want my post to insult any member of the Rocor (Laurus and Vitalis synods) or offend anyone. But if we claim to be true Christians, we the flock must overcome such differences. Even though I'm no member of any ROCOR synod, I would rather feel sad today to see that ROCOR is the safest jurisdiction to be in...

[gphadraig]

I have looked at your post and the links over several days. Much of this is relatively old news. That does not diminish it, of course.

The 'official' ROCOR website includes news from Australia of the visit there by Patriarch Pavle to the Serbian Orthodox Church in Australia. It is clear that the 'Aussie' clergy, including Archbishop Hilarion, have been very much involved and participated in worship with Patriarch Pavle.

Now, given some recent statements about ROCOR by Patriarch Pavle following complaints from the MP, I am a little surprised at the apparent warmth shown between these representatives of two sister Orthodox Churches.

Hopefully it signifies a shift away from ecumenism by the SOC, rather than a loosening of ROCOR's adherence to a strict avoidance of involvement in ecumenism or interfaith activity?

[Suaidan]

I don't want my post to insult any member of the Rocor (Laurus and Vitalis synods) or offend anyone. But if we claim to be true Christians, we the flock must overcome such differences. Even though I'm no member of any ROCOR synod, I would rather feel sad today to see that ROCOR is the safest jurisdiction to be in...

Personally I believe this is happening because ROCOR fulfilled its original purpose by maintaining communion with the catacomb Church until such time as the Church in Russia could be restored with at least some level of safety-- and after announcing that they did that in 1990, they were pretty much on their way to the end.

Eventually the Church had to return to its original administrative locale (Russia) and once they did that it really doesn't surprise me that they didn't know what to do next.

Between the union-fever in the ROCOR and the apocalypticism in the ROCiE it is hard for me to understand why restoring True Orthodoxy in Russia (which is what they were physically responsible for) seems so illogical to them.