Well a little description of inter-orthodox relations in France... The world orthodox bishops are gathered in an assembly which could be compared to your SCOBA in the US. It is called AEOF (Assemblée des Evêques orthodoxes en France : Assembly of the Orthodox bishops in France). It is always presided by the Greek Bishop since he represents the EP who is the "major" see... This assembly was created to promote unity within orthodox. Indeed, the parishes are not aften in relation, even in the same towns.
One should realized that none of these bishops has a title refering to a French city, which clealy shows they are not here to do missionary work.
There sees are located in Turkey, Russia, Romania... Only the Serbian bishop is called Bishop of France and Wersten Europe...
The relations are no so good in reality. Indeed, there is a compatition between this church to gain more members, more communities etc. This can be make by acquiring dubious orthodox groups without too much examination...It seems that Romanians and Serbs did so... and including the Greeks. Consequently some monasteries have very bad reputation since they were recuperated from "vagant" communities... and are ruled by monks who have never been monks in the Orthodx church... Of course there are also good monasteries...
The main ribality is between the MP and the EP and more particularly the Eulogian group; the MP would like to recuparate this group... The fight offciaalluy began when the MP suggested to merge the 3 Diaspora groups ROCOR, his own dioces and the Eulogian group into a single metropolia in the MP. The Eulogian refused, but it seems the MP is trying to grab the Eulogian parishes one by one.
Las year, it tried for the Biarritz parish but failed beacuse recently the Court has invalidated the decision made by the cultual association to join the MP... And today, we leran the Russia state wants to recuperate Nice orthodox cathedral which was built with the help of Saint Nicholas II. It seems a new juridical battle is beginning...
If world orthodoxy did not existe it should be invented!!!
The relation between world orthodoxy and traditionalist orthodoxy do not exist : the world orthodox hierarchy really hate the old calendarist church probably because some years ago it publishes the only good orthodox newspaper in France, which was doctrinally correct and denouncing ecumenism...
As regards ROCOR, it is viewed by world orthodox in France as an extremist group but things are changing since ROCOR-L is aligning with world orthodoxy... As regards ROCOR-V, the world orthodox in France xcertainly regard us as a sect or something like an extremist group... So we do not hjave relations with them and I would pleased to see for Christmas that ROCOR-V members preferd to traval hundreds of kilometers to attend a true church instead of going to the nearest world orthodox church.
NOTE TO THE MODERATORS : COULD WE MOVE THE WHOLE THREAD TO THE PART WORLD ORTHODOXY
