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

[Jean-Serge]

Reminder of the previous episodes. Gabriel (de Vylder) of Comana reposing from his position of Archbishop of the Russian exarchate under Constantinople. After a strange and manipulated process, (read previous) post, the Archimandrite Job (Getcha) of Telmessos is elected archbishop. These last months, the Exarchate issued documents informing about new priests being ordained, others having new positions etc. It seemed normal but it is not. A double crisis is on its way.

An open letter has been written by 4 members of the jurisdiction criticizing the changes and in particular removing some pastors from their church because these are in fact sanctions and was made without concertations as required by the status of the exarchate.

The second front concerns Saint Sergius theology school. It is undergoing hard moments : financial troubles, a financial scandal with a treasurer of the AMEITO association (that collects fund for the school) suspected of having used the money for his own benefit. As a consequence, a commission reporting to Constantinople was created to study the future of the school. Lately, the board of teachers refused to submit a first report to the commission, leading the Archbishop to address them a letter saying they were putting themselves outside the church.

I would say the archbishop is fighting against the laymen-clergy group that used to have previously much power and was influencing the former archbishop, being in fact the real ruler of the entity.

Letter of the protesters : http://situationarcheveche.blogspot.fr/

Letter of the archbishop to the professors of Saint Serge : http://www.exarchat.eu/spip.php?article1622

[Barbara]

Jean-Serge, thank you for this surprising update. I hadn't known that St Sergius was in any difficulty whatsoever.
Why would that be ? Few students now ? Something about their policies ?
That's too bad about the treasurer. I wonder if the old institution will be forced to close ? It dates from the early years of the White Russian emigration, the ones who fled the Bolshevik takeover, right ? Just that reason alone makes it historic, but of course it's always had the reputation as a haven for liberals.

I was reading back over some of the earlier posts here. I liked how you said on March 11, nearly 2 years ago, about moving their pawns. Perfect description, I could just SEE a chessboard !

What is the real truth ? Should Rue Daru really be with - whom ? I don't understand its history well enough.
Realistically, as we agreed earlier, it wouldn't go to a TOC at any time past or present.
Barring that, except for a miracle, in which jurisdiction should it be ?

[Maria]

I think the Paris school was also very innovating, modernist, and ecumenical.

From them sprang support of Name-Worshiping and Ecumenism.

[Jean-Serge]

Well, name-worshipping did not come from Saint Serge institue. name-worshipping is mostly unknown in France and by most persons. It is mostl something that is having a revival after 1991. Saint Serge institute was indeed supporting ecumenism but not its initiator. I would reproach them at the opposite their modernism, I would say the schmemanism in liturgical topics i.e the opposition between a golden era (pre-Constantine) and a decadent era post-Constantine.

The suspected treasurer would have used 400 000 euros in 2 associations supporting the Institute : see this link=http://www.leparisien.fr/espace-pr ... 098835.phpin a French newspaper. His current defense consists in saying the money served to pay back his own fees for the association. He is still innocent until judged.

Of course, it is a historical school with a real aura even if the quality is lower than ages ago. The current archbishop (he was then only an archimandrite) was dean of the School some years ago? Things did not go well because it seems he could not get along with the other professors. Some say he is to authoritative and his was not re-elected as dean by his peers due to this. Due to the historicity of the school I guess they will try to maintain it.

Regarding Rue Daru as a whole, Constantinople has clearly the upper hand and the support frompart of the laymen who are tired of the ruling of the diocese by a small influencial group. The "rebels" have no bishop supporting them, they can submit or leave. However, they have some few cards in their game. Most parishes and the Exarchate itself are organised as association that rent or own the churches (building). Too many departure would harm the Phanar strategy.But departure for what? Not Moscow because they hate it, then Romanians, Serbians or even others? Moreover, the exarchate is attached to its singularity and history and peculiarity; so I think great changes would not occur quickly, like for instance a merger with the Greek diocese. I guess this one would be rejected.

[Barbara]

Thanks for the clarification and update, Jean-Serge. In hunting around for the origin of the street name [seems to have been a capable officer under Napoleon I, le comte Daru, though I believe there was also an official of the same name in the mid-1800s], I noticed a Parish of Holy Trinity in the Crypt. Have we talked about this before ?? Sorry if so and I have forgotten about it. It seems from the description, though, that this parish is related somehow to Moscow ?

Any details about that, by chance ?

[Jean-Serge]

The Parish of Holy Trinity in the Crypt is not related to Moscow but also depends on the Russian Exarchate under Constantinople. It is the French-speaking parish.The cathedral is Slavonic-speaking.

[Archimandrit Nilos]

Yes, indeed. Great confusion in this jurisdiction of the fallen so called "World Orthodoxy". St-Serge, this "Theologian-Institute", is the place of fabrication of very many heresies.