The meeting of the Holy Synod

THE MEETING OF THE HOLY SYNOD

The Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church met for a regular session on February 16. It was chaired by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia.

The Synod approved the report by the chairman of Synodal Canonization Commission, Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsy and Kolomna, and resolved to submit to the next Bishops’ Council the question concerning the canonization Bishop Varsonofy (Lebedev) of Kirillov (1871-1918) and those who suffered martyrdom together with him and Archbishop Peter (Zverev) of Voronezh (1878-1929) as Russian new martyrs and confessors to be venerated by the whole Church and hieroschema-monk Seraphim (Muraviev) of Vyritsa (1866-1949) as a holy man. The Holy Synod approved the initiative of the Canonization Committee to canonize the 20th century new martyrs and confessors together. This matters has been referred to the forthcoming Bishops’ Council. The ruling bishops have been asked to undertake a thorough factual study and present to the Commission papers on the new martyrs and confessors who suffered martyrdom in their dioceses.

The Holy Synod recognized as important the meeting that took place on January 15 in Kishinev between delegations of the Moscow and Rumanian Patriarchates to discuss problems involved in the presence of the jurisdiction of the Rumanian Patriarchate in the territory of Moldova. The Holy Synod approved the position taken at the talks by the delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church and welcomed the good-will of the parties who stated their desire to move from confrontation and enmity to reconciliation and cooperation. It was deemed desirable to propose bilateral consultations for negotiating a mutually acceptable model for resolving the canonical problem that has arisen in relations between the two Patriarchates.

The Holy Synod acknowledged the results of the visit made by the delegation of the Moscow Patriarchate, led by Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, chairman of the Department for External Church Relations, on January 20-22 to the head-quarters of the European Union in Brussels. The delegation met with Mr. J. M. Gil-Roblez, president of the European Parliament, and a number of the European Commission officials. Archbishop Longin of Klin and Archpriest Paul Nedosekin, rector of St. Nicholas’ in Brussels, were charged with informing the EU about the Russian Orthodox Church’s attitude to moral, legal and ideological problems. The Holy Synod also acknowledged the report by Metropolitan Kirill on his visit to the diocese of the Hague and the Netherlands on January 22-25.

Blessing has been given to the Orthodox three-year pre-seminary in Ryazan to change to four-year term.

It was resolved to accept the Parish of St. Zinaida in Rio de Janeiro into the jurisdiction of the Russian Orthodox Church.

A delegation of the Russian Orthodox Church was appointed to carry out talks with the Roman Catholic Church on March 25-26 in Rome.

The Holy Synod also made several appointments of superiors of monastic communities and rectors of theological schools.