Moderator: Mark Templet
I have a few question about ROCOR. I need a Offical Answer.
In Christ
Nektarios
Nektarios
I would suggest you contact one or more of ROCOR's bishops directly to get something more authoritative, but here's how I understand things:
Who is ROCOR in communion with, Offically?
I'm not sure that anything can be said to be "official" and definite with regards to who ROCOR is in communion with. Certainly, ROCOR would say that they are in communion with: the Serbian Patriarchate, the Jerusalem Patriarchate, the TOC of Met. Cyprian, Greek Old Calendarists in Bulgaria, and Greek Old Calendarists in Romania. In practice, there are indeed concelebrations and communion between ROCOR and these groups. There seems to be some hesitancy to make things totally cut and dry, though.
2. Are they SUPPOSED To communion outside of ROCOR, except to the Cyprianites?
It is my understanding that those who are part of ROCOR could commune at parishes in the groups mentioned above (provided the priest knew the situation, they were prepared, etc). As to other groups (OCA, GOA, etc.), I think this would be something you would have to talk with individual priests/bishops about, and would depend on many factors.
3. What do they think about the GOC of Greece Synods?
There is a wide variety of opinion. Some think that ROCOR did a terrible thing in ever having relations with the Greek Old Calendarists. Some think that we should reestablish communion with the "strictest" of them immediately. And there are all sorts of views in between. Generally, ROCOR is more friendly towards those Greek Old Calendarist groups who do not condemn the new calendarists and ecumenists , and are not quite as friendly with those groups who are "less moderate".
The english-language version of a website for the GOC under Archbp. Chrysostomos II. After Met. Chrysostom of Florina died without consecrating new bishops, certain ROCOR hierarchs eventually stepped up and consecrated bishops for the GOC without ROCOR's official ok. A few years later--the consecrations having already been done--the ROCOR officially recognized these consecrations and entered into communion with these bishops. At some point communion was broken, though there are different views of when and why. Whatever the case, when ROCOR entered into communion with Met. Cyprian in 1994, the GOC under Chrysostomos II officially distanced themselves from ROCOR, though to this day seem to take a "wait and see" attitude and not condemn ROCOR outright. ROCOR also avoids condemning the GOC. From what I understand and know from talking with people in both Churches, clergy and laity among the two groups are friendly and even attend the Churches of one another from time to time; but whatever the case, there is no official (or even unofficial) communion between the two.
ROCOR doesn't accept the GOC "officially," such as when meaning to speak authoritatively with the voice of the synod. ROCOR thinks they are Orthodox, but ROCOR doesn't accept some of the GOC's stated positions concerning the new calendarists and ecumenists, so there is no communion; likewise, the GOC does not accept ROCOR's current positions as stated by the synod, so they do not consider there to be communion. Also, some Orthodox Christians do have a problem with ROCOR. This may seem chaotic, but it is really nothing new (or even unOrthodox in itself). In the 4th century, for example, St. Athanasius and Rome disagreed with Sts. Gregory of Nyssa, Gregory the Theologian, Basil the Great, etc. over who the Pat. of Antioch should be, and both sides remained out of communion with each other: even though they were united in the true faith, they were divided administratively for a time.
