- July 10-11 2007: ROCOR BISHOP AGAFANGEL MEETS WITH HIS CLERGY IN ASTORIA NY! Many "notables" were in attendance such as Fr Victor Dobroff, the Secretary of the ROCOR Eastern U.S. diocese; Dr Magerovsky, the renowned Internet Publicist; Fr Gregory Williams of "St John of Kronstadt Press;" and Hegumen Andronik, who is slated to be consecrated as 2nd Bishop. The Meeting was held at Holy Trinity Church in Astoria NY, hosted by Fr Vsevolod Dutikow and his Matushka, Irene.
~ +CHURCH NEWS conducted the following interview with Fr Victor Dobroff, now the Secretary to Fr Andronik of the ROCOR North American District:
Nathanael Kapner: How many were at the Meeting?
Fr Victor Dobroff: There were about 60 of us, the majority being clergy. All lands including Russia, Australia, the Ukraine Canada, and South America were represented.
Nathanael Kapner: What was discussed? What was accomplished?
Fr Victor Dobroff: We shored up the formation of the ROCOR's Supreme Ecclesiastical Authority. We established "Districts" and "Administrators" of these Districts to oversee the dioceses. The "Districts" that we established are the Districts of North America; Brazil; Argentina; and The District of Australia and New Zealand. Of course Bishop Agafangel of Odessa will oversee them all.
Nathanael Kapner: Who were those elected as the administrators of these Districts?
Fr Victor Dobroff: Hegumen Andronik was elected the Administrator of the North American District. I was elected as his Secretary. Hegumen Andronik will soon be consecrated to the bishopric and will continue as the administrator for North America as Bishop. Two fine priests were appointed as administrators for the Districts in South America; And Fr John Smelic was appointed as the administrator for the District of Australia and New Zealand.
Nathanael Kapner: Was there any discussion about Laurus Skurla?
Fr Victor Dobroff: Indeed there was. There was a consensus that Laurus and his Bishops should all be deposed by us. But we decided that since Laurus and his cohorts are now with the MP, and thus no longer a part of the Church, they simply do not exist. So why waste paper and ink for deposing men who are already outside of the Church?
Nathanael Kapner: What was decided in your discussion regarding the other Russian Jurisdictions?
Fr Victor Dobroff: We were all in agreement that we want to do all that we can to end the separations that exist. Many former ROCOR clergy have applied to Bishop Agafangel from various Jurisdictions. Some clergy from Mansonville came to Astoria to greet us and ask us to help with efforts of unification. We were all in agreement, Bishop Agafangel himself included, that the most canonical of the Jurisdictions is the Synod under Metropolitan Valentine of Suzdal, known as the ROAC.
Nathanael Nataniel: Did Bishop Agafangel speak?
Fr Victor Dobroff: Of course. He takes a soft and balanced approach to all of our concerns. He asked us to consider employing the full extent of economia with regard to receiving others - yet not to sacrifice our own canonicity and ecclesial integrity by doing so.
Nathanael Kapner: What is Bishop Agafangel's itinerary?
Fr Victor Dobroff: I am not certain, but he may go to Washington D.C. sometime during his stay. There are many there who wish to speak with him from the Laurus group who have not yet left him. Some of Laurus' people were here yesterday who wished to speak with Bishop Agafangel.
Nathanael Kapner: Are there plans to consecrate other Bishops besides Hegumen Andronik?
Fr Victor Dobroff: Yes. We wish to have 4 Bishops altogether for North & South America. I put forward 2 candidates today who did not say yes or no as of yet to their candidacy. The 4th bishop will be an American born English speaking native who will minister to all of the English speaking flocks which we expect to gradually join us besides the ones we have now have from the South. Fr Gregory Williams from Tennessee of St John Of Kronstadt Press will be a very welcome help.
Nathanael Kapner: What about co-consecrators? Who will they be?
Fr Victor Dobroff: We have received offers from the Old Calendar Greek Churches of Metropolitan Cyprian's Synod In Resistance and the Old Calendar Bulgarians and Romanians. Archbishop Chrysostomos II of the GOC has also offered his support.
~ A few days ago, Laurus sent letters to Bishops Vlasie and Photi of the Romanians and Bulgarians respectively, asking them not to consecrate bishops for us. But their reply to Laurus came in the form of a letter to us entitled, "TO BP AGAFANGEL AND THE CLERGY AND PEOPLE OF THE ROCOR ASSEMBLED IN ASTORIA NY, JUNE 2007 FROM METROPOLITAN CYPRIAN" @ http://sobor2006.livejournal.com/296049.html#cutid1.
~ In this letter, Metropolitan Cyprian asserts that he and his Bulgarian and Romanian Sister Churches will be very pleased to participate together in co-consecrating bishops for us!
Nathanael Kapner: What are you feelings about the future of ROCOR under Bishop Agafangel?
Fr Victor Dobroff: I am extremely optimistic. Bishop Agafangel is balanced and not only is he smart, he possesses much wisdom. He is calm and very accessible. He is everything a bishop should be. With a Chief Hierarch like Bishop Agafangel at the helm, the future looks very bright!
