Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA Bishop Merkury of Zaraisk expresses his opinion on the process of rapprochement between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Church Outside of Russia

The process of rapprochement between the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Church Outside of Russia is progressing but not as quickly as desired. Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes in the USA Bishop Merkury of Zaraisk thus appreciated the state of the church dialogue in his interview to ITAR-TASS news agency.

‘The considered dialogue is progressing calmly, the Bishop noted, – Emotions have become a thing of the past, and populist statements are no longer heard. Members of the commissions set up by decision of the Synods of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Church Outside of Russia are engaged in fruitful negotiations.’

Bishop Merkury thinks that their work has brought real results. ‘For two years that have passed since the first meeting of the Russian President V.V.Putin with the First Hierarch of the Russian Church Outside of Russia Metropolitan Laurus the dialogue has undoubtedly progressed. We see the events that could not have happened before the process of rapprochement has begun’, the Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in the USA said.

Bishop Merkury gave examples, which include the prayer of the clergymen and parishioners of the Russian Church Outside of Russia in St.Nicholas Patriarchal Cathedral in New York before the miraculous Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God prior to its return to Russia, and the bringing of the miraculous Kursk-Roots Icon of the Mother of God to St.Nicholas Cathedral with the blessing of Metropolitan Laurus to comply with the request of the Representation of the Moscow Patriarchate in the USA.

The process of the restoration of unity is a difficult one, the Administrator of the Patriarchal parishes thinks. ‘There was no communion between us during many years. However, it would be erroneous just to declare the unity that in reality had not existed. Questions and uncertainties would have remained thus producing opposite results.’