• Russian synod removes Russian parishes in Africa from the jurisdiction

    From Steve Hayes@21:1/5 to All on Fri Dec 27 09:03:06 2019
    XPost: alt.religion.christian.greek-orthodox, alt.religion.christian.east-orthodox, alt.religion.christian.russian-orthodox
    XPost: soc.culture.russian, alt.religion.christianity

    RUSSIAN SYNOD REMOVES RUSSIAN PARISHES IN AFRICA FROM JURISDICTION OF PATRIARCHATE OF ALEXANDRIA

    Moscow, December 26, 2019

    The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church met in Moscow today
    under the chairmanship of His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and
    All Russia.

    The hierarchs considered and responded to the decision of Patriarch
    Theodoros of Alexandria to recognize the Ukrainian schismatics,
    expressing their deep sorrow at his decision that makes it impossible
    to maintain Eucharistic communion with him.

    The Synod also came to decisions regarding the Alexandria
    representation church in Moscow and the Russian representation and
    parishes in Africa.

    According to Vladimir Legoida, the Patriarchal Press Secretary, the
    Synod resolved:

    1. To express deep sorrow in connection with the anti-canonical
    actions of Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria, who entered into
    communion with the schismatics.
    2. To emphasize that Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria’s decision to recognize the Ukrainian schismatics contradicts His Beatitude’s
    repeated statements in support of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox
    Church and its primate Metropolitan Onuphry of Kiev and All Ukraine,
    including the statement made during his last visit to the Ukrainian
    Orthodox Church from September 27 to October 1, 2018, three weeks
    after the Patriarchate of Constantinople’s invasion of Ukraine by
    appointing “exarchs” to Kiev.
    3. To note that the decision to recognize the schismatic structure in
    Ukraine was not made at the session of the Holy Synod of the
    Patriarchate of Alexandria held on October 7-9, that it was not put to
    a vote of its hierarchs, and, accordingly, it does not have a
    conciliar character, but was made by the primate of this Church
    unilaterally.
    4. To confirm the impossibility of commemorating the name of Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria in the diptychs, as well as prayerful and
    Eucharistic communion with him.
    5. To maintain Church communion with the hierarchs of the Alexandrian
    Orthodox Church, except for those who have supported or will support
    the legalization of the Ukrainian schism in the future.
    6. To suspend the activity of the representation (podvoriye) of the
    Alexandrian Patriarchate to the Moscow Patriarchal See.
    7. To convert the representation of the Patriarch of Moscow and All
    Russia to the Patriarch of Alexandria into a parish of the Russian
    Orthodox Church in Cairo.
    8. To withdraw the parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church located on
    the African continent from the jurisdiction of the Alexandrian
    Patriarchate, giving them a stavropegial status.

    The decision to move the given parishes to the jurisdiction of the
    Moscow Patriarchate is sure to draw serious criticism from the
    hierarchs of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and to increase
    inter-Church tensions in world Orthodoxy.

    Earlier, Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the Chairman of the
    Synodal Department for External Church Relations, stated: “I don’t
    want to predict how events will develop, but if the Patriarchate of
    Alexandria is on the side of the schism, then, of course, we will
    probably have to create parishes for our believers, because they will
    not be able to take communion in the churches of the Patriarchate of Alexandria.”

    Met. Hilarion also noted that it was only in the 20th century that the Patriarchate of Alexandria expanded its jurisdiction beyond northern
    Africa, which it did with Russian support. In particular, when the
    Russian Church built parishes in Africa, it did so with the agreement
    of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, and the churches were placed under
    the jurisdiction of Alexandria and the priests, who came from Russia,
    became clerics of the Patriarchate of Alexandria on a temporary basis.

    Source: https://orthochristian.com/126716.html

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  • From Steve Hayes@21:1/5 to hayesstw@telkomsa.net on Fri Dec 27 09:21:28 2019
    XPost: alt.religion.christian.greek-orthodox, alt.religion.christian.east-orthodox, alt.religion.christian.russian-orthodox
    XPost: soc.culture.russian, alt.religion.christianity

    On Fri, 27 Dec 2019 09:03:06 +0200, Steve Hayes
    <hayesstw@telkomsa.net> wrote:

    RUSSIAN SYNOD REMOVES RUSSIAN PARISHES IN AFRICA FROM JURISDICTION OF >PATRIARCHATE OF ALEXANDRIA

    Comment on Facebook:

    Orthodox Diocese of Nyeri and Mt Kenya
    2 hrs ·

    Having read what Iam sharing below, it leaves me in wonder and in
    shock because on the current developments. It is real and serious when
    church leaders excommunicate each other from the altar or from the
    common cup that has united us both the clergy and the laity.
    Brothers and sisters in Christ, a lot of prayers are needed and a call
    for dialogue to end the developing rift (schism)
    which is steadily growing, getting rooted, crashing and cutting the
    heart of the Church piece by piece. Now the church is bleeding.
    The body of Christ is one and it should NOT be divided against itself.
    Is this not what Christ told us to observe? "That the house divided
    against itself cannot Stand"? (Mark 3:25).

    It is my prayer that we dont go this direction because it will
    adversely affect and injure the body of Christ and the spirit of
    missions especially for us the growing church in sub Sahara Africa
    that benefit directly from our sister churches across the oceans who
    regardless of their jurisdictions or affiliations have always known
    one song; be your brothers keeper!!

    We are gradually advancing toward division or we are already in it,
    may be? With a honest heart and thoughtfulness, this will NOT mean
    good for Africa and Africans not ignoring the entire Orthodox world
    who for centuries have enjoyed cordial relationship of brotherhood in
    spreading the gospel of Christ (Matt 28: 16-20) without infringing
    into one another's spiritual territory or and jurisdiction. The Church
    has never known what it is to be black or white, what to be Greek,
    Bulgarian, Romanian, Serbian,Ukraine, African, American, Russian etc
    she has always known that she is the body of Christ!!

    The Decision by the Hierarchs of the Russian Holy Synod should not be
    ignored anymore. We are feeling the heat of division within already
    which is not good for us and am sure this is NOT their wish. Some
    clergy are already loyal to the spiritual authority of the Russian
    church though not official. Be it as it may, must we watch until the
    whole spiritual wall fall apart? Again, I pray that we shall have a
    quick spiritual resolution to this problem, or in anyway pilot remedy
    to stop this move as we contemplate on the ground for dialogue because
    some clergy in our Patriarchate have one part of their body in the
    Russian jurisdiction if the news spreading around are real.

    It is time we speak out about this developments because our innocent
    faithful will be spiritually wounded because most of them have no idea
    wath it means to be Orthodox and be different at the same time!!!
    All they know is Orthodoxy is; One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic...the
    church undivided. Is this not what we also know and confess?
    Lord save your people and bless your inheritance!! May Wisdom from
    above prevail. Wise men, and shepherds are out there. It is time to
    act now!

    LORD HAVE MERCY! BWANA HURUMIA!

    + Bishop NEOFITOS
    DIOCESE OF NYERI &MT KENYA

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