Visit of His Grace Bishop Akakije to Russia 2015

[Maria]

Bishop Akakije conveyed the stances of the STOC to the Russian hierarchs, expressing the STOC’s support of the unity of the families of the True Orthodox Churches which the Greek True Orthodox Church (GOC - Kallinikos) began in March of 2014. In this context Vladika Akakije in the name of the STOC expressed disagreement with the RTOC’s reception of Greek clerics under Her omophorion. He likewise inquired into the possibility of the uniting of the separated parts of the Russian Church, that is the Russian True Orthodox Church (RTOC) (led by Archbishop Tikhon of Omsk and Siberia), the Russian Autonomous Church (ROAC) (led by Metropolitan Theodore of Suzdal and Vladimir), and the Russian Church Abroad (ROCA) (led by Metropolitan Agathangel of Odessa). The Synod of the RTOC received the presentation of the Serbian TOC’s stances and will take them into consideration.

http://serbiantrueorthodox.blogspot.rs/ ... .html#more

Perhaps Bishop Akakije will join the STOC under Archbishop Kallinikos.

[Despotovac]

Dear in Christ Sister Maria,

The entire struggle of the Serbian True Orthodox community throughout these years, cumulating with our petition to the RTOC to ordain a Bishop for our flock, has been to re-establish a SERBIAN True Orthodox Church, with the interests and good of the Serbian people and bringing them back into the fold of the Serbian True Church as its first priority. This priority has not been something which the Serbian members of the GOC have set as their own - take note that we do not call them "the STOC under Archb. Kallinikos" because they do not even call themselves that - they call themselves "The Genuine Orthodox Christians of Serbia." The desire of the STOC (under Bp Akakije and Bp Nektarije) is to be recognized as an autonomous Local Church, as Serbia has been a canonical Local Church (even a Patriarchate) for centuries. To reiterate: in Serbia there exists the autonomous Serbian True Orthodox Church, under Bps Akakije and Nektarije, and there exists a "Serbian branch" of The Genuine Orthodox Christians of Greece. Therefore it would be illogical to anticipate a canonically established Local Church to "return under" the omophorion of another Local Church.

[Barbara]

Thanks for your tactful words setting Maria straight on this topic, Despotovac.

For my part, I hope that Bishop Akakije will soon be elevated to the dignity of Archbishop and later become Metropolitan of an independent STOC, of course with strong fraternal links with RTOC.