Demission of Gabriel (de Vylder) of "Comana" Paris

[Archimandrit Nilos]

Can a Franco-Russian Tragedy be Healed ? - Interesting News about the "Archbishopric rue Daru".
http://orthodoxengland.org.uk/rdaru.htm

[Archimandrit Nilos]

The discussions about the "Archbishopric rue Daru" are taking not an end. A lot of opinions are coming from the fallen "World Orthodoxy". As a True Orthodox Christian I cannot agree. The so called Sergianiste Ecumeniste "Moscow Patriarchate" together now with the ROCOR are not trustworthy. Is absent a true Orthodox ecclesiology.
http://orthodoxengland.org.uk/futureps.htm

[Matthew]

Why on earth would a French-based jurisdiction WANT to subjugate itself to the shackles of the MP ??
Of course Fr Andrew cannot imagine anyone not sharing his views. Maybe narcissism at work ?

That IS crazy that the 5 Parish Council members are SUING Abp Gabriel. Sick !

Yes, I wonder why they would want to be under subjection to a foreign post communist organ. Il est vraiment bizarre!

[Barbara]

Oui, d'accord !

Is there any update on this jurisdictional problem ?
Have there been meetings, or a new Archbishop elected ?

[Jean-Serge]

Well this Russian Exarchate is a transition phase. A locum tenens has been appointed, it is Emmanuel, head of the Greek diocese in France. Until February 12th, parishes and monasteries could send the list of candidates to the Archiepiscopal council. On February 13th, this council sent that list to the Phanar who will have the task validate or not the candidates... Then, the list will be made public. The election will take place March 29th or 30th. The electors are delegates from parishes, communities and monasteries... In fact, this exarchate follows the 1917 Russian council about bishops' designation.

[Matthew]

Well this Russian Exarchate is a transition phase. A locum tenens has been appointed, it is Emmanuel, head of the Greek diocese in France. Until February 12th, parishes and monasteries could send the list of candidates to the Archiepiscopal council. On February 13th, this council sent that list to the Phanar who will have the task validate or not the candidates... Then, the list will be made public. The election will take place March 29th or 30th. The electors are delegates from parishes, communities and monasteries... In fact, this exarchate follows the 1917 Russian council about bishops' designation.

It will be interesting to see how this pans out. Any chance, any of them will convert to True Orthodoxy? How is the TOC in France doing? Have there ever been any significant conversions like there have in the USA? (Franky Schaeffer, and the Evangelical Orthodox Church of America with 2000 converts in one day)?

[Jean-Serge]

It will be interesting to see how this pans out. Any chance, any of them will convert to True Orthodoxy? How is the TOC in France doing? Have there ever been any significant conversions like there have in the USA? (Franky Schaeffer, and the Evangelical Orthodox Church of America with 2000 converts in one day)?

The chance of conversion to true orthodoxy are near zero. The exarchate has two tendencies. The liberal and modernist one keen of Paris School of theology and praising Schmemann and Meyendorff unceasingly wishes to remain in Constantinople to continue its experiment of modernist orthodoxy. This modernism may be expressed by the absence of iconostasis, reading aloud secret prayers, less insistance on confession and fasts but frequent communion without preparation, and naturally new calendarism. The second tendency is more conservative and wishes things to happen as in Russia, and in many cases, wants the exarchate to come back to Moscow Patriarchate. Both tendencies are ecumenist. The positive fact of the modernist is their use of local language the positive fact of the second is that they see the excess of modernism.

The fact is in France, most parishes are cultual associations that may chose to leave or join a jusrisdiction. Some may join Moscow and did it already, some for sure will never join Moscow.

Regarding TOC in France, it is not a great success numerically speaking :

-- a priest in GOC - Kallinikos

• RTOC : Lesna monastery and 2 or 3 parishes maybe
• a deacon of ROAC
• a matthewite sometimes travelling for some families
• 5-6 parishes with GOC Makarios
  -some of the 2 ROCIEs

I would say for sure less than 1,000persons