www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News ROCOR to join Moscow Patriarchate

See this story from RIA Novosti:

ROCOR to join Moscow Patriarchate [en.rian.ru]

This is premaThis is premature; see:
http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/01newstucture/pagesen/articles/fromeditors.html

Which states: "It is also important to keep in mind that the work of the Commissions has not been completed, and that a series of issues remain open for consideration and resolution. ... on the path toward reconciliation between the Church in the fatherland and abroad ..."

See also the other links at the top of:
http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/english/index.htmlture

Here's the communique from the Moscow Patriarchate:

Statement from Moscow Patriarchate [mospat.ru]

So Photios, I guess ROCOR might become ligit! Praise be to God.

Zenovia

Zenovia,

They have always been ! Who can submit to a Patriarch who help Crucify Christians in Orthodox Churches to mock then kill them? Who can submit to a Patriarch who was an Ex-KGB agent?

Perhaps you might want to study the Icon of the New Martyrs.
Holy New Martyrs Of Russia [holynewmartyrs.com]

Holy New Martyrs Of Russia Pray For Us!

Patriarch Alexis canonized the New Martyrs of Russia!

Not that I believe this horrendous accusation, but for the sake of showing you what I think of your belligerent and unfounded insults, "Who can submit to a Pope who was an Ex-Nazi?"

Photius

Zenovia,
What do you mean by "legit"? ROCOR is a canonical Orthodox Church that is in communion with the rest of the Orthodox Church except Moscow and her daughter Churches (OCA, Finland, et cetera); ROCOR was asked to be a founding member of SCOBA, but turned it down only because ROCOR envisions herself as not an American Church, and is, by charter, only temporary. There have been strained relations since the 1960s with Constantinople and the Church of Greece, but the Patriarch of Constantinople still gives ROCOR clergy permission to visit Athos (which he does not do for, say, Greek Old-calanderists), and ROCOR clergy occasionally concelebrate with clergy of Constantinople; in the 1950s, bishops of ROCOR and Constantinople together ordained bishops. Last year, when Patriarch Paul of Pec visited Australia, he served in ROCOR's cathedral together with the ROCOR Archbishop of Australia, Hilarion, and despota Hilarion accompanied the Patriarch and served with him in many Serbian Churches. In Jerusalem, ROCOR clergy serve with patriarchal clergy regularly. And so on.

Photius

Photius, I know of several people who at different times commune at OCA and ROCOR churches with the knowledge and blessings of the priests at both churches. There are also churches named for St. John Maximovich in both the OCA (Atlanta) and Antiochian (Charleston) jurisdictions.

Well, if this really does happen, then maybe ROCOR and the OCA along with the remaining MP churches in the U.S. will be able to work together via pan-Orthodox clergy councils, etc. and the inter-communion of faithful, which does not happen regularly nowadays as far as I know. Long term, this might influence where the various slavic orthodox jurisdictions seek to establish missions and monasteries, and might prove beneficial to the long-term health of Jordanville, etc.

Photius:

I think ROCOR/ROCA was never a canonical Orthodox Church in the normal sense of the word.

At best, ROCOR/ROCA was a Church of irregular status in the eyes of world Orthodoxy.

Now, it returns to its "mother" Church, the Russian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, which is laudable.

My prayers and warmest congratulations!

Amado

Canonicity is often unclear in Orthodoxy; sometimes it is said that such and such a Church is in communion with, say, the Serbian Church which is in communion with the EP, therefore they are semi-canonical...things are so much clearer within the Catholic Church: you either is or you isn't.
Of course if ROCOR does reunite there will be a faction which will refuse. May I suggest they call themselves "The Russian Orthodox Church Outside the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia"?
-Daniel

Try fitting that on a sign on the front grounds of the Church..

Brad

Dear Brad:

Then, Daniel has to clip it to "ROCOROCOR!" :p

Amado

p.s. A perfect palindrome!

As a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church, I welcome a further "regularization" of ROCOR's status and believe that, especially in North America, their strict adherence to the traditions that we have received will be a healthy counterbalance to other liberalizing trends here. Not that I believe all of ROCOR's practices to be correct (see manner of reception of non-Orthodox, etc.) but a dialogue on these issues will be good for all parties.

In 1995, ROCOR sent a senior Deacon to an important conference on monasticism at St. Vladimir's Seminary. This was one of the early signs of what read about in the aboveposted releases.

The main question is how the OCA will react, with Moscow having renounced any jurisdiction in North America via her Tomos of Autocephaly (1970). The OCA and ROCOR have had a sort of competition going. This move clearly establishes a jurisdiction of the Moscow Patriarchate in North America.

Also, will ROCOR be invited and would she accept an invitation to sit on SCOBA as a full participating jurisdiction?

With hope in Christ,
Andrew

Sounds like a Carribean song to me if sung with steel kettles. Just bring the Corona and lime.

Joe