VERTOGRAD
Orthodox Journal
Newsletter No. 20, Sunday, May 8, 2005. 2:15 P.M.
Christ is Risen!
IN THIS ISSUE:
Sacred Chrism Consecrated in Free Russian Orthodox Church
Metropolitan Epiphany, First Hierarch of the Toc of Cyprus Reposes in the Lord
Meeting of the Omsk-Siberian Diocese of the "Lazarite" Branch of ROCOR (V) to Regulate the Administrative Life of the Diocese
TRUE ORTHODOX NEWS
SACRED CHRISM CONSECRATED IN RUSSIAN ORTHODOX AUTONOMOUS CHURCH
(Suzdal Diocesan Herald - Vertograd: Suzdal)
In the Free Russian Orthodox Church, for the first time since 1917, the rite of Myrovrovarenije was performed on Russian soil. On December 12/25, 2004, the Hierarchical Synod of the ROAC, due to the shortage of holy Myron (chrism), the decision was made to consecrate chrism during the Passion Week.
On Great Monday, April 25, with the blessing of Metropolitan Valentine of Suzdal and Vladimir, First-Hierarch of ROAC, in Synodal Church in honor Of the Iveron Mother of God, began the cooking of the sacred chrism which continued, nonstop into Great Wednesday. On Great and Holy Thursday before the Divine Liturgy the newly prepared Myron was solemnly brought by clerics into the Tsar-Constantine Cathedral, where Most Reverend Metropolitan Valentine, Archbishop Theodore of Borisovsk and Otradnensk Theodore and Archbishop Seraphim of Sukhumi and Abkhazian completed its consecration with several clergy present.
The Catacomb Church in the USSR did not manage to consecrate chrism and uses old reserves of holy chrism blessed before the revolution. The Russian Church Abroad, after expulsion from Soviet Russia first used chrism from the Serbian Church and since 1950, with the move of the Hierarchical Synod to the USA, began to consecrate chrism on its own in Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville. In 1994 ROAC was using chrism from ROCOR.
Myron is cooked using oil (wooden or olive) and mixed with thickening resins (basic - styrax), and the fragrant component is formed with almost thirty different essential oils, fragrant herbs and roots, many of which grow only in the Mediterranean and the Near East. To gather the necessary plants the Free Russian church had at their disposal the kindly aid of staff of the Botanical Garden.
METROPOLITAN EPIPHANY, FIRST HIERARCH OF THE TOC OF CYPRUS REPOSES IN THE LORD
(Vertograd: Holy Transfiguration Monastery \Cyprus\)
On the eve of Pascha, April 17/30 of 2005, in 6 PM Moscow time, Metropolitan Epiphany, First Hierarch of the True Orthodox Church of Cyprus (part of the "Matthewite Synod") reposed in the Lord.
Metropolitan Epiphany was one of the oldest bishops by rank of the Greek Old Calendar Churches. He was made Bishop and was consecrated Bishop by the Bishop Matthew of Bresthena of blessed memory, one of the founders of the TOC of Greece. Metr. Epiphany was among the Matthewite Hiearchs who was confirmed by ROCOR in 1971 through the rite of chierotonia. Metr. Epiphany never renounced this decision which irritated some of the hierarchs of the Matthewite Synod, especially Metr. Kirykos of Mesogea and Lavreotiki.
Metr. Epiphany, in contrast to many of his brother-bishops in the the TOC of Greece, looked more widely at the reasons for the divisions of the TOC of Greece and understood that all True Orthodox Christians are held together by one faith and only unprincipled reasons exist for their division. In 1978, he called on TOC churches (ROCOR, The Matthewite Synod, Archbishop Auxentios' synod, the non-commemorating monks of Mt Athos, and the Catacomb Church) to rise above the circumstances of time and "to collaborate for the unity of all who have the true Confession of faith", so that it would be possibly by joint efforts "to heal the wounds and correct the errors committed in the past".
The Orthodox Church of Cyprus, traditionally believed to be evanglized by St Lazarus whom Christ raised from the dead, was always autocephalous. The continued unity of its bishop within the "Matthewite" TOC of Greece was one additional manifestation of the friendly attitude of Metr Epiphany.
IN THE "LAZARITE BRANCH" OF ROCOR (V)
MEETING OF THE OMSK-SIBERIAN DIOCESE OF THE "LAZARITE" BRANCH OF ROCOR (V) TO REGULATE THE ADMINISTRATIVE LIFE OF THE DIOCESE
(Church Lists - Vertograd : Omsk)
In the second week of the Great Lent, in the Omsk temple of the Holy Royal Martyrs and all New Martyrs and Confessors of the Russian Church the first Diocesan Meeting of the Omsk-Siberian Diocese of the Russian True Orthodox Church ("Lazarite" Branch of ROCOR (V)) took place.
In it, besides the Omsk clergy, priests were present from the Urals and from the Transurals: Fr. Valery Soldatov, Fr. Constantine Kaunov and Fr. Victor Babitsyn. The Orthodox community in Kogalym was represented by Rdr Andrei Petrenko. The chairman of the meeting was Bishop Tikhon, and Deacon Victor Zavodov was elected secretary.
The meeting discussed the formation of the by-laws of the Omsk- Siberian diocese and formed the major organs of the diocese: a Diocesan council was formed; the composition of a spiritual court was selected, and other divisions were also created: Training- missionary work, Publishing and Production. The meeting also made the decision to canonically establish two Deaneries of the Diocese: Ural (Dean Fr. Valerie Soldatov) and Siberian (Dean Fr. Vasily Savelyev). Archpriest Vasiliy Savelyev was appointed as the confessor of the diocese.
In connection with the expansion of diocese it was decided to call clergy together for the blessing for antimens for the new parishes, which it planned to complete after the Week of the Myrrhbearing women. A number of other questions were resolved - publication of the diocesan newspaper (Izpovednik"("Confessor"), the release of the Orthodox calendar for 2006, the production of candles, icons, and other production activity.
To the Training- missionary Division was assigned the preparation for texts for religious instruction for three age classes (of up to 12 years; from 12 to 18; 18 years and up) to 2005-06 to training year and to begin its presenting, with the blessing of the ruling bishop, the tentative plan for Sunday school work. Also a proposal was entered to use the Omsk parish 1-2 times per year to carry out the Diocesan seminars for pastoral training.
The proposal about the organization of an orthodox camp for the children was examined, as well as a pilgrimage to the place of martyrdom of the Royal New Martyrs. It was heard and a report was read by Constantine about the ancient liturgy of the Apostle James.
The decision was made to carry out diocesan meetings of Omsk- Siberian Diocese no less than two times a year, in order to contribute to strengthening the spiritual connections between the clergy and the parishes of the Diocese.
(C) Vertograd, 2004--2005. http://www.vertograd.blogspot.com/
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